Annual Statements Open main menu

COMMUNITY BANCORP /VT - Quarter Report: 2020 September (Form 10-Q)

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC  20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

☒   QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 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 000-16435

 

cmtv_10qimg1.jpg

 

COMMUNITY BANCORP/VT

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Vermont

 

03-0284070

(State of Incorporation)

 

(IRS Employer Identification Number)

 

 

4811 US Route 5, Derby, VT

 

05829

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(zip code)

 

 

 

Registrant's Telephone Number: (802) 334-7915

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: NONE

 

Title of Each Class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

 

(Not Applicable)

 

 

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 for 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 and post 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.

 

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer 

Smaller reporting company

 

 

Emerging growth company

 

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 is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES ☐     NO ☒

 

At November 02, 2020, there were 5,298,032 shares outstanding of the Corporation's common stock. 

  

 

   

FORM 10-Q

Index

 

 

 

 

Page 

PART I

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

Item 1

Financial Statements

3

Item 2

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

30

Item 3

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

55

Item 4

Controls and Procedures

55

 

 

 

PART II

OTHER INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

Item 1

Legal Proceedings

56

Item 1A

Risk Factors

56

Item 2

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

58

Item 6

Exhibits

59

 

Signatures

60

 

Exhibit Index

61

  

 
2

Table of Contents

 

PART I.FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

ITEM 1.Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

The following are the unaudited consolidated financial statements for the Company.

  

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and due from banks

 

$11,765,205

 

 

$10,263,535

 

Federal funds sold and overnight deposits

 

 

39,735,821

 

 

 

38,298,677

 

Total cash and cash equivalents

 

 

51,501,026

 

 

 

48,562,212

 

Securities available-for-sale

 

 

45,187,971

 

 

 

45,966,750

 

Restricted equity securities, at cost

 

 

1,412,850

 

 

 

1,431,850

 

Loans held-for-sale

 

 

1,243,739

 

 

 

0

 

Loans

 

 

738,247,772

 

 

 

606,988,937

 

Allowance for loan losses

 

 

(6,788,108)

 

 

(5,926,491)

Deferred net loan (fees) costs

 

 

(2,253,038)

 

 

362,415

 

Net loans

 

 

729,206,626

 

 

 

601,424,861

 

Bank premises and equipment, net

 

 

10,340,761

 

 

 

10,959,403

 

Accrued interest receivable

 

 

3,210,191

 

 

 

2,336,553

 

Bank owned life insurance

 

 

4,965,520

 

 

 

4,903,012

 

Goodwill

 

 

11,574,269

 

 

 

11,574,269

 

Other real estate owned

 

 

0

 

 

 

966,738

 

Other assets

 

 

10,210,139

 

 

 

9,829,671

 

Total assets

 

$868,853,092

 

 

$737,955,319

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demand, non-interest bearing

 

$183,583,813

 

 

$125,089,403

 

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

 

217,659,947

 

 

 

185,102,333

 

Money market funds

 

 

106,051,718

 

 

 

91,463,661

 

Savings

 

 

119,973,153

 

 

 

97,167,652

 

Time deposits, $250,000 and over

 

 

16,339,635

 

 

 

14,565,559

 

Other time deposits

 

 

99,410,788

 

 

 

101,632,760

 

Total deposits

 

 

743,019,054

 

 

 

615,021,368

 

Borrowed funds

 

 

2,800,000

 

 

 

2,650,000

 

Repurchase agreements

 

 

30,597,648

 

 

 

33,189,848

 

Junior subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

12,887,000

 

Accrued interest and other liabilities

 

 

4,619,085

 

 

 

5,312,424

 

Total liabilities

 

 

793,922,787

 

 

 

669,060,640

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders' Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized, 15 shares issued and outstanding at 09/30/20 and 12/31/19 ($100,000 liquidation value, per share)

 

 

1,500,000

 

 

 

1,500,000

 

Common stock - $2.50 par value; 15,000,000 shares authorized, 5,510,312 shares issued at 09/30/20 and5,449,857 shares issued at 12/31/19

 

 

13,775,780

 

 

 

13,624,643

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

34,093,154

 

 

 

33,464,381

 

Retained earnings

 

 

27,212,350

 

 

 

22,667,949

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

971,798

 

 

 

260,483

 

Less: treasury stock, at cost; 210,101 shares at 09/30/20 and 12/31/19

 

 

(2,622,777)

 

 

(2,622,777)

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

74,930,305

 

 

 

68,894,679

 

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

 

$868,853,092

 

 

$737,955,319

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book value per common share outstanding

 

$13.85

 

 

$12.86

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
3

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Consolidated Statements of Income

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest and fees on loans

 

$7,742,914

 

 

$7,452,084

 

Interest on taxable debt securities

 

 

249,341

 

 

 

302,063

 

Dividends

 

 

17,715

 

 

 

24,301

 

Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits

 

 

76,896

 

 

 

128,006

 

Total interest income

 

 

8,086,866

 

 

 

7,906,454

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest on deposits

 

 

877,466

 

 

 

1,256,864

 

Interest on borrowed funds

 

 

1,806

 

 

 

6,304

 

Interest on repurchase agreements

 

 

67,327

 

 

 

74,510

 

Interest on junior subordinated debentures

 

 

104,181

 

 

 

171,355

 

Total interest expense

 

 

1,050,780

 

 

 

1,509,033

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

7,036,086

 

 

 

6,397,421

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

362,499

 

 

 

412,499

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

 

 

6,673,587

 

 

 

5,984,922

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-interest income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service fees

 

 

794,381

 

 

 

867,688

 

Income from sold loans

 

 

601,825

 

 

 

203,175

 

Other income from loans

 

 

281,959

 

 

 

235,883

 

Net realized gain on sale of securities AFS

 

 

0

 

 

 

331

 

Other income

 

 

263,130

 

 

 

290,255

 

Total non-interest income

 

 

1,941,295

 

 

 

1,597,332

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-interest expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and wages

 

 

1,958,754

 

 

 

1,817,931

 

Employee benefits

 

 

791,172

 

 

 

785,187

 

Occupancy expenses, net

 

 

601,093

 

 

 

606,629

 

Other expenses

 

 

1,753,698

 

 

 

1,653,969

 

Total non-interest expense

 

 

5,104,717

 

 

 

4,863,716

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

3,510,165

 

 

 

2,718,538

 

Income tax expense

 

 

629,722

 

 

 

456,595

 

Net income

 

$2,880,443

 

 

$2,261,943

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per common share

 

$0.54

 

 

$0.43

 

Weighted average number of common shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 used in computing earnings per share

 

 

5,285,771

 

 

 

5,212,162

 

Dividends declared per common share

 

$0.19

 

 

$0.19

 

  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
4

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

Consolidated Statements of Income

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest and fees on loans

 

$22,951,272

 

 

$22,491,903

 

Interest on taxable debt securities

 

 

787,275

 

 

 

820,197

 

Dividends

 

 

63,540

 

 

 

77,048

 

Interest on federal funds sold and overnight deposits

 

 

248,373

 

 

 

478,097

 

Total interest income

 

 

24,050,460

 

 

 

23,867,245

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest on deposits

 

 

3,154,211

 

 

 

3,820,084

 

Interest on borrowed funds

 

 

18,335

 

 

 

21,310

 

Interest on repurchase agreements

 

 

185,868

 

 

 

220,411

 

Interest on junior subordinated debentures

 

 

375,669

 

 

 

532,722

 

Total interest expense

 

 

3,734,083

 

 

 

4,594,527

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

20,316,377

 

 

 

19,272,718

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

1,046,501

 

 

 

766,668

 

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

 

 

19,269,876

 

 

 

18,506,050

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-interest income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service fees

 

 

2,322,112

 

 

 

2,478,711

 

Income from sold loans

 

 

1,138,579

 

 

 

434,951

 

Other income from loans

 

 

803,555

 

 

 

598,136

 

Net realized gain on sale of securities AFS

 

 

39,086

 

 

 

331

 

Other income

 

 

753,772

 

 

 

838,041

 

Total non-interest income

 

 

5,057,104

 

 

 

4,350,170

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-interest expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and wages

 

 

5,773,491

 

 

 

5,453,791

 

Employee benefits

 

 

2,324,055

 

 

 

2,367,866

 

Occupancy expenses, net

 

 

1,921,597

 

 

 

1,939,742

 

Other expenses

 

 

5,166,247

 

 

 

5,337,301

 

Total non-interest expense

 

 

15,185,390

 

 

 

15,098,700

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

 

 

9,141,590

 

 

 

7,757,520

 

Income tax expense

 

 

1,557,598

 

 

 

1,304,374

 

Net income

 

$7,583,992

 

 

$6,453,146

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per common share

 

$1.43

 

 

$1.23

 

Weighted average number of common shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  used in computing earnings per share

 

 

5,264,802

 

 

 

5,196,630

 

Dividends declared per common share

 

$0.57

 

 

$0.57

 

  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
5

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$2,880,443

 

 

$2,261,943

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized holding (loss) gain on securities AFS arising during the period

 

 

(49,737)

 

 

199,767

 

Reclassification adjustment for gain realized in income

 

 

0

 

 

 

(331)

Unrealized (loss) gain during the period

 

 

(49,737)

 

 

199,436

 

Tax effect

 

 

10,444

 

 

 

(41,881)

Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax

 

 

(39,293)

 

 

157,555

 

Total comprehensive income

 

$2,841,150

 

 

$2,419,498

 

  

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$7,583,992

 

 

$6,453,146

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized holding gain on securities AFS arising during the period

 

 

939,486

 

 

 

1,218,958

 

Reclassification adjustment for gain realized in income

 

 

(39,086)

 

 

(331)

Unrealized gain during the period

 

 

900,400

 

 

 

1,218,627

 

Tax effect

 

 

(189,085)

 

 

(255,912)

Other comprehensive income, net of tax

 

 

711,315

 

 

 

962,715

 

Total comprehensive income

 

$8,295,307

 

 

$7,415,861

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
6

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Common

 

 

Preferred

 

 

paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

 

Treasury

 

 

shareholders'

 

 

 

Stock

 

 

Stock

 

 

capital

 

 

earnings

 

 

AOCI*

 

 

stock

 

 

equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At December 31, 2020

 

$13,624,643

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$33,464,381

 

 

$22,667,949

 

 

$260,483

 

 

$(2,622,777)

 

$68,894,679

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

40,465

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

213,812

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

254,277

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(995,536)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(995,536)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(17,813)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(17,813)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,861,239

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,861,239

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

586,646

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

586,646

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At March 31, 2020

 

$13,665,108

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$33,678,193

 

 

$23,515,839

 

 

$847,129

 

 

$(2,622,777)

 

$70,583,492

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

47,752

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

214,135

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

261,887

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(998,899)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(998,899)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(12,187)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(12,187)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,842,311

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,842,311

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

163,962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

163,962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At June 30, 2020

 

$13,712,860

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$33,892,328

 

 

$25,347,064

 

 

$1,011,091

 

 

$(2,622,777)

 

$72,840,566

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

62,920

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

200,826

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

263,746

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,002,969)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,002,969)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(12,188)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(12,188)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,880,443

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,880,443

 

Other comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(39,293)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(39,293)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At September 30, 2020

 

$13,775,780

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$34,093,154

 

 

$27,212,350

 

 

$971,798

 

 

$(2,622,777)

 

$74,930,305

 

 

*Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
7

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Common

 

 

Preferred

 

 

paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

Treasury

 

 

shareholders'

 

 

 

Stock

 

 

Stock

 

 

capital

 

 

earnings

 

 

AOCI*

 

 

stock

 

 

equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At December 31, 2018

 

$13,455,258

 

 

$2,000,000

 

 

$32,536,532

 

 

$17,882,282

 

 

$(647,584)

 

$(2,622,777)

 

$62,603,711

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

49,415

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

263,611

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

313,026

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(983,122)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(983,122)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(27,500)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(27,500)

Redemption of preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

(500,000)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(500,000)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,771,905

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,771,905

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

451,690

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

451,690

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At March 31, 2019

 

$13,504,673

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$32,800,143

 

 

$18,643,565

 

 

$(195,894)

 

($2,622,777)

 

 

$63,629,710

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

41,825

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

234,664

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

276,489

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(986,368)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(986,368)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20,625)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20,625)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,419,298

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,419,298

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

353,470

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

353,470

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At June 30, 2019

 

$13,546,498

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$33,034,807

 

 

$20,055,870

 

 

$157,576

 

 

($2,622,777)

 

 

$65,671,974

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock

 

 

35,525

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

204,257

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

239,782

 

Cash dividends declared Common stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(989,341)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(989,341)

Cash dividends declared Preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20,625)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20,625)

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,261,943

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,261,943

 

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

157,555

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

157,555

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance As At September 30, 2019

 

$13,582,023

 

 

$1,500,000

 

 

$33,239,064

 

 

$21,307,847

 

 

$315,131

 

 

($2,622,777)

 

 

$67,321,288

 

  

*Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
8

Table of Contents

 

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

$7,583,992

 

 

$6,453,146

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization, bank premises and equipment

 

 

677,086

 

 

 

689,813

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

1,046,501

 

 

 

766,668

 

Deferred income tax

 

 

(128,103)

 

 

56,925

 

Net realized gain on sale of securities AFS

 

 

(39,086)

 

 

(331)

Gain on sale of loans

 

 

(766,440)

 

 

(158,201)

(Gain) loss on sale of OREO

 

 

(55,602)

 

 

817

 

Income from CFS Partners

 

 

(462,964)

 

 

(482,185)

Amortization of bond premium, net

 

 

55,568

 

 

 

81,354

 

Write-down of OREO

 

 

0

 

 

 

95,008

 

Proceeds from sales of loans held for sale

 

 

31,538,375

 

 

 

6,169,639

 

Originations of loans held for sale

 

 

(32,015,674)

 

 

(7,333,776)

Decrease in taxes payable

 

 

(145,105)

 

 

(96,632)

(Increase) decrease in interest receivable

 

 

(873,638)

 

 

138,942

 

(Increase) decrease in mortgage servicing rights

 

 

(31,463)

 

 

83,833

 

Decrease in right-of-use assets

 

 

182,475

 

 

 

176,361

 

Decrease in operating lease liabilities

 

 

(180,657)

 

 

(169,761)

(Increase) decrease in other assets

 

 

(54,430)

 

 

279,923

 

Increase in cash surrender value of BOLI

 

 

(62,508)

 

 

(66,714)

Amortization of limited partnerships

 

 

252,513

 

 

 

234,081

 

Change in net deferred loan fees and costs

 

 

2,615,453

 

 

 

3,224

 

(Decrease) increase in interest payable

 

 

(34,364)

 

 

33,148

 

(Decrease) increase in accrued expenses

 

 

(53,918)

 

 

158,337

 

Decrease in other liabilities

 

 

(103,646)

 

 

(89,035)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

8,944,365

 

 

 

7,024,584

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investments - AFS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maturities, calls, pay downs and sales

 

 

14,407,740

 

 

 

12,124,796

 

Purchases

 

 

(12,745,042)

 

 

(14,199,656)

Proceeds from redemption of restricted equity securities

 

 

522,400

 

 

 

493,600

 

Purchases of restricted equity securities

 

 

(503,400)

 

 

(124,000)

Decrease in limited partnership contributions payable

 

 

(288,000)

 

 

0

 

Increase in loans, net

 

 

(131,508,927)

 

 

(26,271,976)

Capital expenditures net of proceeds from sales of bank  premises and equipment

 

 

(240,919)

 

 

(590,468)

Proceeds from sales of OREO

 

 

1,022,340

 

 

 

105,561

 

Recoveries of loans charged off

 

 

65,208

 

 

 

56,190

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(129,268,600)

 

 

(28,405,953)

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in demand and interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

 

91,052,024

 

 

 

(4,582,231)

Net increase in money market and savings accounts

 

 

37,393,558

 

 

 

16,158,069

 

Net decrease in time deposits

 

 

(447,896)

 

 

(14,005,155)

Net (decrease) increase in repurchase agreements

 

 

(2,592,200)

 

 

5,248,366

 

Proceeds from long-term borrowings

 

 

150,000

 

 

 

0

 

Decrease in finance lease obligations

 

 

(45,814)

 

 

(92,614)

Redemption of preferred stock

 

 

0

 

 

 

(500,000)

Dividends paid on preferred stock

 

 

(42,188)

 

 

(68,750)

Dividends paid on common stock

 

 

(2,204,435)

 

 

(2,112,571)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

123,263,049

 

 

 

45,114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

2,938,814

 

 

 

(21,336,255)

Cash and cash equivalents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning

 

 

48,562,212

 

 

 

67,934,815

 

Ending

 

$51,501,026

 

 

$46,598,560

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Schedule of Cash Paid During the Period:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest

 

$3,768,447

 

 

$4,561,379

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income taxes, net of refunds

 

$1,578,293

 

 

$1,110,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change in unrealized gain on securities AFS

 

$900,400

 

 

$1,218,627

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans transferred to OREO

 

$0

 

 

$73,448

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common Shares Dividends Paid:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends declared

 

$2,997,403

 

 

$2,958,831

 

Increase in dividends payable attributable to dividends declared

 

 

(13,058)

 

 

(16,963)

Dividends reinvested

 

 

(779,910)

 

 

(829,297)

 

 

$2,204,435

 

 

$2,112,571

 

  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 
9

Table of Contents

 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

Note 1. Basis of Presentation and Consolidation and Certain Definitions

 

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation. The interim consolidated financial statements of Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary are unaudited.  All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for the fair presentation of the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its subsidiary, Community National Bank (the Bank), contained herein have been made.  The unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2019 contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended on Form 10-K/A.  The results of operations for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full annual period ending December 31, 2020.

 

Certain amounts in the 2019 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2020 presentation.  Reclassifications had no effect on prior period net income or shareholders’ equity.

 

The Company is considered a “smaller reporting company” under the disclosure rules of the SEC, as amended in 2018.  Accordingly, the Company has elected to provide its audited consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity for a two year, rather than a three year, period, and provides smaller reporting company scaled disclosures where management deems it appropriate.

 

 
10

Table of Contents

 

In addition to the definitions provided elsewhere in this quarterly report, the definitions, acronyms and abbreviations identified below are used throughout this report, including in Part I. “Financial Information” and Part II. “Other Information”, and are intended to aid the reader and provide a reference page when reviewing this report.

 

ABS:

Asset backed security

FDIC:

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

ACBB:

Atlantic Community Bankers Bank

FHLBB:

Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston

AFS:

Available-for-sale

FHLMC:

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

Agency MBS:

MBS issued by a US government agency

FOMC:

Federal Open Market Committee

or GSE

FRB:

Federal Reserve Board

ALCO:

Asset Liability Committee

FRBB:

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

ALL:

Allowance for loan losses

GAAP:

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

AOCI:

Accumulated other comprehensive income

in the United States

ASC:

Accounting Standards Codification

GSE:

Government sponsored enterprise

ASU:

Accounting Standards Update

HTM:

Held-to-maturity

ATS:

Automatic transfer service

ICS:

Insured Cash Sweeps of the Promontory

Bancorp:

Community Bancorp.

Interfinancial Network

Bank:

Community National Bank

IRS:

Internal Revenue Service

BHG

Bankers Healthcare Group

JNE:

Jobs for New England

BIC:

Borrower-in-Custody

Jr:

Junior

Board:

Board of Directors

MBS:

Mortgage-backed security

BOLI:

Bank owned life insurance

MPF:

Mortgage Partnership Finance

bp or bps:

Basis point(s)

MSRs:

Mortgage servicing rights

CARES ACT:

Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic

NII:

Net interest income

Security Act

NMTC:

New Market Tax Credits

CBLR:

Community Bank Leverage Ratio

OAS:

Other amortizing security

CDARS:

Certificate of Deposit Accounts Registry

OCI:

Other comprehensive income (loss)

Service of the Promontory Interfinancial

OREO:

Other real estate owned

Network

OTTI:

Other-than-temporary impairment

CDs:

Certificates of deposit

PMI:

Private mortgage insurance

CDI:

Core deposit intangible

PPP:

Paycheck Protection Program

CECL:

Current Expected Credit Loss

PPPLF:

PPP Liquidity Facility of the FRBB

CFSG:

Community Financial Services Group, LLC

RD:

USDA Rural Development

CFS Partners:

Community Financial Services Partners,

SBA:

U.S. Small Business Administration

LLC

SEC:

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Company:

Community Bancorp. and Subsidiary

SERP:

Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan

COVID-19:

Coronavirus Disease 2019

TDR:

Troubled-debt restructuring

CRE:

Commercial Real Estate

USDA:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

DDA or DDAs:

Demand Deposit Account(s)

VA:

U.S. Veterans Administration

DTC:

Depository Trust Company

2017 Tax Act:

Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017

DRIP:

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

2018

Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and

Exchange Act:

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Regulatory

Consumer Protection Act of 2018

FASB:

Financial Accounting Standards Board

Relief Act:

  

 
11

Table of Contents

 

Note 2. Risks and Uncertainties

 

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, and on March 13, 2020 President Trump declared the pandemic to be a national emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, economic activity globally, nationally and locally. Government actions taken to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 include restrictions on travel, quarantines in certain areas, and forced closures for certain types of public places and businesses. COVID-19 and actions taken to mitigate the spread of it have had and are expected to continue to have an adverse impact on financial markets and the economy, including the local economy in the Company’s Vermont and New Hampshire markets, with adverse effects on business and consumer confidence generally, and on the Company’s customers, and their employees, suppliers, vendors and processors. Forced closures of businesses have resulted in sharp increases in unemployment.

 

In addition, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, market interest rates have declined significantly, with the 10-year Treasury bond falling below 1.00 percent on March 3, 2020 for the first time. On March 3, 2020, the FOMC reduced the targeted federal funds interest rate range by 50 bps to a range of 1.00% to 1.25%. This range was further reduced to a range of 0 percent to 0.25% on March 16, 2020. On April 29, 2020, the FOMC indicated that the federal funds target rate range will remain unchanged until it is confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track to achieve its maximum employment and price stability goals.  The FOMC reiterated that position on June 10, 2020 and again on July 29, 2020 and September 16, 2020.

 

On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was enacted to provide emergency assistance for individuals, families and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These reductions in interest rates and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations and may continue to do so in future periods. It is unknown how long the adverse economic conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will last and what the complete financial effect will be to the Company.  Due to the inherent economic and other uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is reasonably possible that estimates made in the Company’s consolidated financial statements could be materially and adversely impacted in the near term as a result of the pandemic, including expected credit losses on loan receivables.

 

Note 3. Recent Accounting Developments

 

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. Under the new guidance, which will replace the existing incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses, banks and other lending institutions will be required to recognize the full amount of expected credit losses. The new guidance, which is referred to as the current expected credit loss, or CECL model, requires that expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date that are accounted for at amortized cost be measured and recognized based on historical experience and current and reasonably supportable forecasted conditions to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. A modified version of these requirements also applies to debt securities classified as available for sale, which will require that credit losses on those securities be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than a write-down.  The ASU may have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements upon adoption as it will require a change in the Company's methodology for calculating its ALL and allowance on unused commitments.  The Company will transition from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model, which will likely result in an increase in the ALL upon adoption and may negatively impact the Company’s and the Bank's regulatory capital ratios.  The Company has formed a committee to assess the implications of this new pronouncement and transitioned to a software solution for preparing the ALL calculation and related reports that management believes provides the Company with stronger data integrity, ease and efficiency in ALL preparation.  The new software solution also provides numerous training opportunities for the appropriate personnel within the Company.  The Company has gathered and is continuing to analyze the historical data to serve as a basis for estimating the ALL under CECL and continues to evaluate the anticipated impact of the adoption of the ASU on its consolidated financial statements. As initially proposed, the ASU was to be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within such years. However, on October 16, 2019, the FASB approved an extended effective date for compliance with the ASU by smaller reporting companies, which are now required to comply with the ASU for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted.  The Company qualifies for this extension and does not intend to early adopt the ASU at this time.  Management will continue to evaluate the Company’s CECL compliance and implementation timetable in light of the extension.

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The ASU was issued to reduce the cost and complexity of the goodwill impairment test. To simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill, step two of the goodwill impairment test was eliminated. Instead, a company will recognize an impairment of goodwill should the carrying value of a reporting unit exceed its fair value (i.e., step one). As initially proposed, the ASU was to be effective for the Company on January 1, 2020, however similar to ASU No. 2016-13, the effective date for this ASU was also extended with a revised effective date of January 1, 2023.  The Company early adopted this ASU on January 1, 2020.  Accordingly, the Company no longer gives consideration to “Step 2” when performing its goodwill impairment test.

 

 
12

Table of Contents

 

The Company has goodwill from its acquisition of LyndonBank in 2007 and performs an impairment test annually or more frequently if circumstances warrant (see Note 7).

 

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements as part of its disclosure framework project. The standard is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted.  The ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2020.  The impact of adopting this ASU was not material to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

In March and April, 2020, federal banking regulators issued an interagency guidance on accounting for loan modifications in light of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance interprets current accounting standards and indicates that a lender can conclude that a borrower is not experiencing financial difficulty if short-term (that is, six months or less) modifications are made in response to COVID-19, such as payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant, provided that the loan is less than 30 days past due at the time a modification program is implemented. The banking agencies confirmed with the staff of the FASB that short-term modifications made on a good faith basis in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current prior to any relief are not TDRs under ASC No. 310-40, Receivables – Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors.  Additionally, a provision of the CARES Act enacted in March 2020 provides that COVID-19 related loan modifications (including modifications that are not short-term) made to a loan between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the sixtieth day after the end of the COVID-19 emergency declared by the President will not require the loan to be treated as a TDR under GAAP, so long as the modified loan was not past due as of December 31, 2019.

 

Note 4. Earnings per Common Share

 

Earnings per common share amounts are computed based on the weighted average number of shares of common stock issued during the period (retroactively adjusted for stock splits and stock dividends, if any), including Dividend Reinvestment Plan shares issuable upon reinvestment of dividends declared, and reduced for shares held in treasury.

 

The following tables illustrate the calculation of earnings per common share for the periods presented, as adjusted for the cash dividends declared on the preferred stock:

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income, as reported

 

$2,880,443

 

 

$2,261,943

 

Less: dividends to preferred shareholders

 

 

12,188

 

 

 

20,625

 

Net income available to common shareholders

 

$2,868,255

 

 

$2,241,318

 

Weighted average number of common shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   used in calculating earnings per share

 

 

5,285,771

 

 

 

5,212,162

 

Earnings per common share

 

$0.54

 

 

$0.43

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income, as reported

 

$7,583,992

 

 

$6,453,146

 

Less: dividends to preferred shareholders

 

 

42,188

 

 

 

68,750

 

Net income available to common shareholders

 

$7,541,804

 

 

$6,384,396

 

Weighted average number of common shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   used in calculating earnings per share

 

 

5,264,802

 

 

 

5,196,630

 

Earnings per common share

 

$1.43

 

 

$1.23

 

 

 
13

Table of Contents

 

Note 5. Investment Securities

    

Debt securities as of the balance sheet dates consisted of the following:

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross

 

 

Gross

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized

 

 

Unrealized

 

 

Unrealized

 

 

Fair

 

 

 

Cost

 

 

Gains

 

 

Losses

 

 

Value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. GSE debt securities

 

$10,002,586

 

 

$201,114

 

 

$0

 

 

$10,203,700

 

Agency MBS

 

 

21,298,090

 

 

 

547,242

 

 

 

36,044

 

 

 

21,809,288

 

ABS and OAS

 

 

2,509,172

 

 

 

147,847

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

2,657,019

 

Other investments

 

 

10,148,000

 

 

 

369,964

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

10,517,964

 

     Total

 

$43,957,848

 

 

$1,266,167

 

 

$36,044

 

 

$45,187,971

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. GSE debt securities

 

$18,002,549

 

 

$99,743

 

 

$40,672

 

 

$18,061,620

 

Agency MBS

 

 

16,169,819

 

 

 

86,874

 

 

 

51,318

 

 

 

16,205,375

 

ABS and OAS

 

 

2,799,657

 

 

 

55,418

 

 

 

2,166

 

 

 

2,852,909

 

Other investments

 

 

8,665,000

 

 

 

181,846

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

8,846,846

 

     Total

 

$45,637,025

 

 

$423,881

 

 

$94,156

 

 

$45,966,750

 

      

Investments pledged as collateral for repurchase agreements consisted of U.S. GSE debt securities, Agency MBS, ABS and OAS, and CDs.  These repurchase agreements mature daily.  These investments as of the balance sheet dates were as follows:

          

 

 

 

Amortized

 

 

Fair

 

 

 

Cost

 

 

Value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

$43,957,848

 

 

$45,187,971

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

45,637,025

 

 

 

45,966,750

 

       

Proceeds from sales of debt securities were $884,137 for the first nine months of 2020 and $1,517,091 for the same period in 2019, with gains of $39,086 and $331, respectively.

      

The scheduled maturities of debt securities as of the balance sheet dates were as follows:

      

 

 

 

Amortized

 

 

Fair

 

 

 

Cost

 

 

Value

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due in one year or less

 

$4,709,546

 

 

$4,735,438

 

Due from one to five years

 

 

7,438,000

 

 

 

7,785,822

 

Due from five to ten years

 

 

9,506,876

 

 

 

9,809,923

 

Due after ten years

 

 

1,005,336

 

 

 

1,047,500

 

Agency MBS

 

 

21,298,090

 

 

 

21,809,288

 

     Total

 

$43,957,848

 

 

$45,187,971

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Due in one year or less

 

$2,760,515

 

 

$2,766,254

 

Due from one to five years

 

 

9,674,948

 

 

 

9,862,450

 

Due from five to ten years

 

 

15,042,170

 

 

 

15,147,201

 

Due after ten years

 

 

1,989,573

 

 

 

1,985,470

 

Agency MBS

 

 

16,169,819

 

 

 

16,205,375

 

     Total

 

$45,637,025

 

 

$45,966,750

 

      

Agency MBS are not due at a single maturity date and have not been allocated to maturity groupings for purposes of the maturity table.

    

 
14

Table of Contents

 

Debt securities with unrealized losses as of the balance sheet dates are presented in the table below. 

       

 

 

 

Less than 12 months

 

 

12 months or more

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Fair

 

 

Unrealized

 

 

Fair

 

 

Unrealized

 

 

Number of

 

 

Fair

 

 

Unrealized

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Loss

 

 

Value

 

 

Loss

 

 

Securities

 

 

Value

 

 

Loss

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agency MBS

 

$1,998,026

 

 

$25,301

 

 

$1,751,166

 

 

$10,743

 

 

 

8

 

 

$3,749,192

 

 

$36,044

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. GSE debt securities

 

$7,964,192

 

 

$40,672

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

 

7

 

 

$7,964,192

 

 

$40,672

 

Agency MBS

 

 

5,273,683

 

 

 

24,648

 

 

 

2,920,091

 

 

 

26,670

 

 

 

13

 

 

 

8,193,774

 

 

 

51,318

 

ABS and OAS

 

 

1,000,490

 

 

 

2,166

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1,000,490

 

 

 

2,166

 

     Total

 

$14,238,365

 

 

$67,486

 

 

$2,920,091

 

 

$26,670

 

 

 

21

 

 

$17,158,456

 

 

$94,156

 

      

The unrealized losses for all periods presented were principally attributable to changes in prevailing interest rates for similar types of securities and not deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer.

      

Management evaluates its debt securities for OTTI at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market conditions, or adverse developments relating to the issuer, warrant such evaluation. Consideration is given to (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than the carrying value, (2) the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, and (3) the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in fair value.  In analyzing an issuer's financial condition, management considers whether the securities are issued by the federal government or its agencies, whether downgrades by bond rating agencies or other adverse developments in the status of the securities have occurred, and the results of reviews of the issuer's financial condition.  As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no declines in the fair value of any of the securities reflected in the table above that were deemed by management to be OTTI.

 

Note 6. Loans, Allowance for Loan Losses and Credit Quality

 

The composition of net loans as of the balance sheet dates was as follows:

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$197,637,213

 

 

$98,930,831

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

280,495,907

 

 

 

246,282,726

 

Municipal

 

 

52,332,802

 

 

 

55,817,206

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

165,004,745

 

 

 

158,337,296

 

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

38,603,996

 

 

 

43,230,873

 

Consumer

 

 

4,173,109

 

 

 

4,390,005

 

    Total loans

 

 

738,247,772

 

 

 

606,988,937

 

Deduct (add):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL

 

 

6,788,108

 

 

 

5,926,491

 

Deferred net loan fees (costs)

 

 

2,253,038

 

 

 

(362,415)

     Net loans

 

$729,206,626

 

 

$601,424,861

 

  

 
15

Table of Contents

 

The following is an age analysis of past due loans (including non-accrual) as of the balance sheet dates, by portfolio segment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

90 Days

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Accrual

 

 

90 Days or

More and

 

September 30, 2020

 

30-89 Days

 

 

or More

 

 

Past Due

 

 

Current

 

 

Total Loans

 

 

Loans

 

 

Accruing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$311,106

 

 

$8,559

 

 

$319,665

 

 

$197,317,548

 

 

$197,637,213

 

 

$402,287

 

 

$8,559

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

227,285

 

 

 

604,522

 

 

 

831,807

 

 

 

279,664,100

 

 

 

280,495,907

 

 

 

1,735,572

 

 

 

0

 

Municipal

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

52,332,802

 

 

 

52,332,802

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1st lien

 

 

439,313

 

 

 

1,133,026

 

 

 

1,572,339

 

 

 

163,432,406

 

 

 

165,004,745

 

 

 

2,243,632

 

 

 

741,610

 

  Jr lien

 

 

47,007

 

 

 

157,496

 

 

 

204,503

 

 

 

38,399,493

 

 

 

38,603,996

 

 

 

217,844

 

 

 

74,900

 

Consumer

 

 

24,215

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

24,215

 

 

 

4,148,894

 

 

 

4,173,109

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

     Totals

 

$1,048,926

 

 

$1,903,603

 

 

$2,952,529

 

 

$735,295,243

 

 

$738,247,772

 

 

$4,599,335

 

 

$825,069

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

90 Days

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Accrual

 

 

90 Days or

More and

 

December 31, 2019

 

30-89 Days

 

 

or More

 

 

Past Due

 

 

Current

 

 

Total Loans

 

 

Loans

 

 

Accruing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$68,532

 

 

$44,503

 

 

$113,035

 

 

$98,817,796

 

 

$98,930,831

 

 

$480,083

 

 

$0

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1,690,307

 

 

 

151,723

 

 

 

1,842,030

 

 

 

244,440,696

 

 

 

246,282,726

 

 

 

1,600,827

 

 

 

0

 

Municipal

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

55,817,206

 

 

 

55,817,206

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1st lien

 

 

3,871,045

 

 

 

1,217,098

 

 

 

5,088,143

 

 

 

153,249,153

 

 

 

158,337,296

 

 

 

2,112,267

 

 

 

530,046

 

  Jr lien

 

 

331,416

 

 

 

147,976

 

 

 

479,392

 

 

 

42,751,481

 

 

 

43,230,873

 

 

 

240,753

 

 

 

112,386

 

Consumer

 

 

49,607

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

49,607

 

 

 

4,340,398

 

 

 

4,390,005

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

     Totals

 

$6,010,907

 

 

$1,561,300

 

 

$7,572,207

 

 

$599,416,730

 

 

$606,988,937

 

 

$4,433,930

 

 

$642,432

 

  

For all loan segments, loans over 30 days past due are considered delinquent.

 

As of the balance sheet dates presented, residential mortgage loans in process of foreclosure consisted of the following:

 

 

 

 

Number of loans

 

 

Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

7

 

 

$356,070

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

9

 

 

 

495,943

 

  

Allowance for loan losses

 

The ALL is established through a provision for loan losses charged to earnings. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes that future payments of a loan balance are unlikely. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

 

Unsecured loans are charged off when they become uncollectible and no later than 120 days past due.  Unsecured loans to customers who subsequently file bankruptcy are charged off within 30 days of receipt of the notification of filing or by the end of the month in which the loans become 120 days past due, whichever occurs first.  For secured loans, both residential and commercial, the potential loss on impaired loans is carried as a loan loss reserve specific allocation; the loss portion is charged off when collection of the full loan appears unlikely.  The unsecured portion of a real estate loan is that portion of the loan exceeding the "fair value" of the collateral less the estimated cost to sell. Value of the collateral is determined in accordance with the Company’s appraisal policy.  The unsecured portion of an impaired real estate secured loan is charged off by the end of the month in which the loan becomes 180 days past due.

 

As described below, the allowance consists of general, specific and unallocated components. However, the entire allowance is available to absorb losses in the loan portfolio, regardless of specific, general and unallocated components considered in determining the amount of the allowance.

 

 
16

Table of Contents

 

General component

 

The general component of the ALL is based on historical loss experience and various qualitative factors and is stratified by the following loan segments: commercial and industrial, CRE, municipal, residential real estate 1st lien, residential real estate Jr lien and consumer loans. The Company does not disaggregate its portfolio segments further into classes. 

 

Loss ratios are calculated by loan segment using appropriate look back periods.  Management uses an average of historical losses based on a time frame appropriate to capture relevant loss data for each loan segment in the current economic climate. During periods of economic stability, a relatively longer period (e.g., five years) may be appropriate.  During periods of significant expansion or contraction, the Company may appropriately shorten the historical time period.  Due primarily to the effects of COVID-19, the Company is currently using an extended look back period of one year.

 

Qualitative factors include the levels of and trends in delinquencies and non-performing loans, levels of and trends in loan risk groups, trends in volumes and terms of loans, effects of any changes in loan related policies, experience, ability and the depth of management, documentation and credit data exception levels, national and local economic trends, external factors such as competition and regulation and lastly, concentrations of credit risk in a variety of areas, including portfolio product mix, the level of loans to individual borrowers and their related interests, loans to industry segments, and the geographic distribution of CRE loans. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to revision as more information becomes available.

 

The qualitative factors are determined based on the various risk characteristics of each loan segment. During the third quarter of 2020, the Company adjusted its ALL analysis to begin applying qualitative factors to municipal loans and certain purchased commercial loans, for which the Company does not have any historical loss data.  Of the third quarter 2020 provision for loan losses of $362,499, $106,821 is attributable to this change.  The Company has policies, procedures and internal controls that management believes are commensurate with the risk profile of each of these segments.  Major risk characteristics relevant to each portfolio segment are as follows:

 

Commercial & Industrial – Loans in this segment include commercial and industrial loans and to a lesser extent loans to finance agricultural production. Commercial loans are made to businesses and are generally secured by assets of the business, including trade assets and equipment. While not the primary collateral, in many cases these loans may also be secured by the real estate of the business. Repayment is expected from the cash flows of the business. A weakened economy, soft consumer spending, unfavorable foreign trade conditions and the rising cost of labor or raw materials are examples of issues that can impact the credit quality in this segment.

 

Commercial Real Estate – Loans in this segment are principally made to businesses and are generally secured by either owner-occupied, or non-owner occupied CRE. A relatively small portion of this segment includes farm loans secured by farm land and buildings.  As with commercial and industrial loans, repayment of owner-occupied CRE loans is expected from the cash flows of the business and the segment would be impacted by the same risk factors as commercial and industrial loans. The non-owner occupied CRE portion includes both residential and commercial construction loans, vacant land and real estate development loans, multi-family dwelling loans and commercial rental property loans. Repayment of construction loans is expected from permanent financing takeout; the Company generally requires a commitment or eligibility for the take-out financing prior to construction loan origination. Real estate development loans are generally repaid from the sale of the subject real property as the project progresses. Construction and development lending entail additional risks, including the project exceeding budget, not being constructed according to plans, not receiving permits, or the pre-leasing or occupancy rate not meeting expectations. Repayment of multi-family loans and commercial rental property loans is expected from the cash flow generated by rental payments received from the individuals or businesses occupying the real estate. CRE loans are impacted by factors such as competitive market forces, vacancy rates, cap rates, net operating incomes, lease renewals and overall economic demand. In addition, loans in the recreational and tourism sector can be affected by weather conditions, such as unseasonably low winter snowfalls. CRE lending also carries a higher degree of environmental risk than other real estate lending.

 

Municipal – Loans in this segment are made to local municipalities, attributable to municipal financing transactions and backed by the full faith and credit of town governments or dedicated governmental revenue sources, with no historical losses recognized by the Company.

 

Residential Real Estate - 1st Lien – Loans in this segment are collateralized by first mortgages on 1 – 4 family owner-occupied residential real estate and repayment is dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates and housing prices, has an impact on the credit quality of this segment.

 

Residential Real Estate – Jr Lien – Loans in this segment are collateralized by junior lien mortgages on 1 – 4 family residential real estate and repayment is primarily dependent on the credit quality of the individual borrower. The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates and housing prices, has an impact on the credit quality of this segment.

 

 
17

Table of Contents

 

Consumer – Loans in this segment are made to individuals for consumer and household purposes.  This segment includes both loans secured by automobiles and other consumer goods, as well as loans that are unsecured.  This segment also includes overdrafts, which are extensions of credit made to both individuals and businesses to cover temporary shortages in their deposit accounts and are generally unsecured.  The Company maintains policies restricting the size and term of these extensions of credit.  The overall health of the economy, including unemployment rates, has an impact on the credit quality of this segment.

 

Specific component

 

The specific component of the ALL relates to loans that are impaired. Impaired loans are loans to a borrower that in the aggregate are greater than $100,000 and that are in non-accrual status or are TDRs regardless of amount.  A specific allowance is established for an impaired loan when its estimated fair value or net present value of future cash flows is less than the carrying value of the loan.  For all loan segments, except consumer loans, a loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, in management’s estimation it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement.  Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value and probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant or temporary payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management evaluates the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length and frequency of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. Impairment is measured on a loan by loan basis, by either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.

 

Impaired loans also include troubled loans that are restructured. A TDR occurs when the Company, for economic or legal reasons related to the borrower’s financial difficulties, grants a concession to the borrower that would otherwise not be granted. TDRs may include the transfer of assets to the Company in partial satisfaction of a troubled loan, a modification of a loan’s terms, or a combination of the two.  As described above in Note 3, under March 2020 guidance from the federal banking agencies and concurrence by the FASB, certain short-term loan accommodations made in good faith for borrowers experiencing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 health emergency will not be considered TDRs.

 

Large groups of smaller balance homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated for impairment. Accordingly, the Company does not separately identify individual consumer loans for impairment evaluation, unless such loans are subject to a restructuring agreement.

 

Unallocated component

 

An unallocated component of the ALL is maintained to cover uncertainties that could affect management’s estimate of probable losses. The unallocated component reflects management’s estimate of the margin of imprecision inherent in the underlying assumptions used in the methodologies for estimating specific and general losses in the portfolio.

  

 
18

Table of Contents

 

The tables below summarize changes in the ALL and select loan information, by portfolio segment, for the periods indicated. 

 

As of or for the three months ended September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Unallocated

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL beginning balance

 

$886,546

 

 

$3,406,502

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,511,897

 

 

$319,749

 

 

$48,653

 

 

$342,337

 

 

$6,515,684

 

Charge-offs

 

 

(34,565)

 

 

(2,200)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(56,500)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(7,560)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(100,825)

Recoveries

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

4,742

 

 

 

533

 

 

 

5,475

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

10,750

 

Provision (credit)

 

 

90,770

 

 

 

222,268

 

 

 

41,866

 

 

 

36,383

 

 

 

6,434

 

 

 

8,709

 

 

 

(43,931)

 

 

362,499

 

ALL ending balance

 

$942,751

 

 

$3,626,570

 

 

$41,866

 

 

$1,496,522

 

 

$326,716

 

 

$55,277

 

 

$298,406

 

 

$6,788,108

 

 

As of or for the nine months ended September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Unallocated

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL beginning balance

 

$836,766

 

 

$3,181,646

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,388,564

 

 

$289,684

 

 

$51,793

 

 

$178,038

 

 

$5,926,491

 

Charge-offs

 

 

(34,565)

 

 

(2,200)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(134,196)

 

 

(28,673)

 

 

(50,458)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(250,092)

Recoveries

 

 

1,087

 

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

10,552

 

 

 

5,280

 

 

 

28,289

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

65,208

 

Provision (credit)

 

 

139,463

 

 

 

427,124

 

 

 

41,866

 

 

 

231,602

 

 

 

60,425

 

 

 

25,653

 

 

 

120,368

 

 

 

1,046,501

 

ALL ending balance

 

$942,751

 

 

$3,626,570

 

 

$41,866

 

 

$1,496,522

 

 

$326,716

 

 

$55,277

 

 

$298,406

 

 

$6,788,108

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL evaluated for impairment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individually

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$111,435

 

 

$361

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$111,796

 

Collectively

 

 

942,751

 

 

 

3,626,570

 

 

 

41,866

 

 

 

1,385,087

 

 

 

326,355

 

 

 

55,277

 

 

 

298,406

 

 

 

6,676,312

 

Total

 

$942,751

 

 

$3,626,570

 

 

$41,866

 

 

$1,496,522

 

 

$326,716

 

 

$55,277

 

 

$298,406

 

 

$6,788,108

 

 

Loans evaluated for impairment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individually

 

$374,558

 

 

$1,822,625

 

 

$0

 

 

$4,724,624

 

 

$147,909

 

 

$0

 

 

 

 

 

 

$7,069,716

 

Collectively

 

 

197,262,655

 

 

 

278,673,282

 

 

 

52,332,802

 

 

 

160,280,121

 

 

 

38,456,087

 

 

 

4,173,109

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

731,178,056

 

Total

 

$197,637,213

 

 

$280,495,907

 

 

$52,332,802

 

 

$165,004,745

 

 

$38,603,996

 

 

$4,173,109

 

 

 

 

 

 

$738,247,772

 

 

As of or for the year ended December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Unallocated

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL beginning balance

 

$697,469

 

 

$3,019,868

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,421,494

 

 

$273,445

 

 

$56,787

 

 

$133,478

 

 

$5,602,541

 

Charge-offs

 

 

(175,815)

 

 

(116,186)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(242,244)

 

 

(222,999)

 

 

(102,815)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(860,059)

Recoveries

 

 

10,768

 

 

 

50,388

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

15,776

 

 

 

2,200

 

 

 

38,710

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

117,842

 

Provision

 

 

304,344

 

 

 

227,576

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

193,538

 

 

 

237,038

 

 

 

59,111

 

 

 

44,560

 

 

 

1,066,167

 

ALL ending balance

 

$836,766

 

 

$3,181,646

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,388,564

 

 

$289,684

 

 

$51,793

 

 

$178,038

 

 

$5,926,491

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL evaluated for impairment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individually

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$103,836

 

 

$712

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$104,548

 

Collectively

 

 

836,766

 

 

 

3,181,646

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,284,728

 

 

 

288,972

 

 

 

51,793

 

 

 

178,038

 

 

 

5,821,943

 

Total

 

$836,766

 

 

$3,181,646

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,388,564

 

 

$289,684

 

 

$51,793

 

 

$178,038

 

 

$5,926,491

 

 

Loans evaluated for impairment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Individually

 

$420,933

 

 

$1,699,238

 

 

$0

 

 

$4,471,902

 

 

$156,073

 

 

$0

 

 

 

 

 

 

$6,748,146

 

Collectively

 

 

98,509,898

 

 

 

244,583,488

 

 

 

55,817,206

 

 

 

153,865,394

 

 

 

43,074,800

 

 

 

4,390,005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

600,240,791

 

Total

 

$98,930,831

 

 

$246,282,726

 

 

$55,817,206

 

 

$158,337,296

 

 

$43,230,873

 

 

$4,390,005

 

 

 

 

 

 

$606,988,937

 

 

 
19

Table of Contents

 

As of or for the three months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Unallocated

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL beginning balance

 

$715,132

 

 

$3,094,781

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,427,357

 

 

$287,984

 

 

$53,410

 

 

$145,089

 

 

$5,723,753

 

Charge-offs

 

 

(6,795)

 

 

(101,476)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(147,724)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(11,338)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(267,333)

Recoveries

 

 

1,690

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,059

 

 

 

485

 

 

 

11,489

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

14,723

 

Provision (credit)

 

 

133,632

 

 

 

272,858

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

130,189

 

 

 

(3,402)

 

 

(454)

 

 

(120,324)

 

 

412,499

 

ALL ending balance

 

$843,659

 

 

$3,266,163

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,410,881

 

 

$285,067

 

 

$53,107

 

 

$24,765

 

 

$5,883,642

 

 

As of or for the nine months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Unallocated

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL beginning balance

 

$697,469

 

 

$3,019,868

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,421,494

 

 

$273,445

 

 

$56,787

 

 

$133,478

 

 

$5,602,541

 

Charge-offs

 

 

(10,368)

 

 

(116,186)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(242,244)

 

 

(102,000)

 

 

(70,959)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(541,757)

Recoveries

 

 

10,768

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

11,131

 

 

 

1,486

 

 

 

32,805

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

56,190

 

Provision (credit)

 

 

145,790

 

 

 

362,481

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

220,500

 

 

 

112,136

 

 

 

34,474

 

 

 

(108,713)

 

 

766,668

 

ALL ending balance

 

$843,659

 

 

$3,266,163

 

 

$0

 

 

$1,410,881

 

 

$285,067

 

 

$53,107

 

 

$24,765

 

 

$5,883,642

 

   

Impaired loans, by portfolio segment, were as follows:

 

 

 

 

As of September 30,  2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpaid

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

Average

 

 

Interest

 

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Principal

 

 

Related

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Income

 

 

 

Investment(1)

 

 

Balance

 

 

Allowance

 

 

Investment(1)(2)

 

 

Investment(1)(3)

 

 

Recognised(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

$1,166,549

 

 

$1,207,778

 

 

$111,435

 

 

$1,015,521

 

 

$969,485

 

 

$81,313

 

Jr lien

 

 

5,083

 

 

 

5,079

 

 

 

361

 

 

 

5,249

 

 

 

5,576

 

 

 

415

 

Total with related allowance

 

 

1,171,632

 

 

 

1,212,857

 

 

 

111,796

 

 

 

1,020,770

 

 

 

975,061

 

 

 

81,728

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

374,558

 

 

 

410,356

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

379,147

 

 

 

392,854

 

 

 

4,077

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1,823,015

 

 

 

2,213,788

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,718,560

 

 

 

1,697,035

 

 

 

10,989

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

3,592,591

 

 

 

4,378,079

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,911,876

 

 

 

3,818,241

 

 

 

148,099

 

Jr lien

 

 

142,829

 

 

 

180,016

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

114,830

 

 

 

172,117

 

 

 

0

 

Total with no related allowance

 

 

5,932,993

 

 

 

7,182,239

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,124,413

 

 

 

6,080,247

 

 

 

163,165

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total impaired loans

 

$7,104,625

 

 

$8,395,096

 

 

$111,796

 

 

$7,145,183

 

 

$7,055,308

 

 

$244,893

 

 

1)

Recorded investment in impaired loans as of September 30, 2020 includes accrued interest receivable and deferred net loan costs of $34,909.

2)

For the three months ended September 30, 2020

3)

For the nine months ended September 30, 2020

 

 
20

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpaid

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

Interest

 

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Principal

 

 

Related

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Income

 

 

 

Investment(1)

 

 

Balance

 

 

Allowance

 

 

Investment(1)(2)

 

 

Recognized(2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$0

 

 

$32,466

 

 

$0

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

97,720

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

878,439

 

 

 

902,000

 

 

 

103,836

 

 

 

982,158

 

 

 

86,039

 

Jr lien

 

 

6,121

 

 

 

6,101

 

 

 

712

 

 

 

6,869

 

 

 

648

 

Total with related allowance

 

 

884,560

 

 

 

908,101

 

 

 

104,548

 

 

 

1,119,213

 

 

 

86,687

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

420,933

 

 

 

445,509

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

307,208

 

 

 

6,396

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1,699,772

 

 

 

2,031,764

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,812,836

 

 

 

21,591

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

3,614,960

 

 

 

4,273,884

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3,778,822

 

 

 

212,883

 

Jr lien

 

 

149,972

 

 

 

157,754

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

224,938

 

 

 

4,524

 

Total with no related allowance

 

 

5,885,637

 

 

 

6,908,911

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,123,804

 

 

 

245,394

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total impaired loans

 

$6,770,197

 

 

$7,817,012

 

 

$104,548

 

 

$7,243,017

 

 

$332,081

 

 

1)

Recorded investment in impaired loans as of December 31, 2019 includes accrued interest receivable and deferred net loan costs of $22,051.

2)

For the year ended December 31, 2019

   

 

 

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpaid

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

Average

 

 

Interest

 

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Principal

 

 

Related

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Income

 

 

 

Investment

 

 

Balance

 

 

Allowance

 

 

Investment (1)(2)

 

 

Investment (1)(3)

 

 

Recognized(3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$162,330

 

 

$162,330

 

 

$95,945

 

 

$81,165

 

 

$40,583

 

 

$0

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

122,150

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

1,114,686

 

 

 

1,135,476

 

 

 

107,526

 

 

 

1,089,372

 

 

 

1,008,088

 

 

 

70,281

 

Jr lien

 

 

7,346

 

 

 

109,333

 

 

 

1,709

 

 

 

7,010

 

 

 

7,056

 

 

 

495

 

Total with related allowance

 

 

1,284,362

 

 

 

1,407,139

 

 

 

205,180

 

 

 

1,177,547

 

 

 

1,177,877

 

 

 

70,776

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No related allowance recorded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

407,841

 

 

 

426,051

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

507,336

 

 

 

278,776

 

 

 

4,077

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1,849,859

 

 

 

2,273,987

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,951,505

 

 

 

1,841,103

 

 

 

13,223

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

4,035,429

 

 

 

4,808,932

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4,108,857

 

 

 

3,819,787

 

 

 

164,274

 

Jr lien

 

 

173,184

 

 

 

222,339

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

183,283

 

 

 

243,679

 

 

 

0

 

Total with no related allowance

 

 

6,466,313

 

 

 

7,731,309

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6,750,981

 

 

 

6,183,345

 

 

 

181,574

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total impaired loans

 

$7,750,675

 

 

$9,138,448

 

 

$205,180

 

 

$7,928,528

 

 

$7,361,222

 

 

$252,350

 

 

1)

Recorded investment in impaired loans as of September 30, 2019 includes accrued interest receivable and deferred net loan costs of $21,031.

2)

For the three months ended September 30, 2019

3)

For the nine months ended September 30, 2019

  

 
21

Table of Contents

 

For all loan segments, the accrual of interest is discontinued when a loan is specifically determined to be impaired or when the loan is delinquent 90 days and management believes, after considering collection efforts and other factors, that the borrower's financial condition is such that collection of interest is considered by management to be doubtful.  Any unpaid interest previously accrued on those loans is reversed from income.  Interest income is generally not recognized on specific impaired loans unless the likelihood of further loss is considered by management to be remote.  Interest payments received on impaired loans are generally applied as a reduction of the loan principal balance.  Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are brought current and a satisfactory payment performance of six or more months has occurred.

 

Credit Quality Grouping

 

In developing the ALL, management uses credit quality groupings to help evaluate trends in credit quality. The Company groups credit risk into Groups A, B and C. The manner the Company utilizes to assign risk grouping is driven by loan purpose. Commercial purpose loans are individually risk graded while the retail portion of the portfolio is generally grouped by delinquency pool.

 

Group A loans - Acceptable Risk – are loans that are expected to perform as agreed under their respective terms.  Such loans carry a normal level of risk that does not require management attention beyond that warranted by the loan or loan relationship characteristics, such as loan size or relationship size. Group A loans include commercial purpose loans that are individually risk rated and retail loans that are rated by pool. Group A retail loans include performing consumer and residential real estate loans. Residential real estate loans are loans to individuals secured by 1-4 family homes, including first mortgages, home equity and home improvement loans. Loan balances fully secured by deposit accounts or that are fully guaranteed by the federal government are considered acceptable risk.

 

Group B loans – Management Involved - are loans that require greater attention than the acceptable risk loans in Group A. Characteristics of such loans may include, but are not limited to, borrowers that are experiencing negative operating trends such as reduced sales or margins, borrowers that have exposure to adverse market conditions such as increased competition or regulatory burden, or borrowers that have had unexpected or adverse changes in management. These loans have a greater likelihood of migrating to an unacceptable risk level if these characteristics are left unchecked. Group B is limited to commercial purpose loans that are individually risk rated.

 

Group C loans – Unacceptable Risk – are loans that have distinct shortcomings that require a greater degree of management attention.  Examples of these shortcomings include a borrower's inadequate capacity to service debt, poor operating performance, or insolvency.  These loans are more likely to result in repayment through collateral liquidation. Group C loans range from those that are likely to sustain some loss if the shortcomings are not corrected, to those for which loss is imminent and non-accrual treatment is warranted. Group C loans include individually rated commercial purpose loans and retail loans adversely rated in accordance with the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Uniform Retail Credit Classification Policy. Group C retail loans include 1-4 family residential real estate loans and home equity loans past due 90 days or more with loan-to-value ratios greater than 60%, home equity loans 90 days or more past due where the Bank does not hold first mortgage, irrespective of loan-to-value, loans in bankruptcy where repayment is likely but not yet established, and lastly consumer loans that are 90 days or more past due.

 

Commercial purpose loan ratings are assigned by the commercial account officer; for larger and more complex commercial loans, the credit rating is a collaborative assignment by the lender and the credit analyst. The credit risk rating is based on the borrower's expected performance, i.e., the likelihood that the borrower will be able to service its obligations in accordance with the loan terms. Credit risk ratings are meant to measure risk versus simply record history.  Assessment of expected future payment performance requires consideration of numerous factors.  While past performance is part of the overall evaluation, expected performance is based on an analysis of the borrower's financial strength, and historical and projected factors such as size and financing alternatives, capacity and cash flow, balance sheet and income statement trends, the quality and timeliness of financial reporting, and the quality of the borrower’s management.  Other factors influencing the credit risk rating to a lesser degree include collateral coverage and control, guarantor strength and commitment, documentation, structure and covenants and industry conditions.  There are uncertainties inherent in this process.

 

Credit risk ratings are dynamic and require updating whenever relevant information is received.  Risk ratings are assessed on an ongoing basis and at various points, including at delinquency or at the time of other adverse events.  For larger, more complex or adversely rated loans, risk ratings are also assessed at the time of annual or periodic review.  Lenders are required to make immediate disclosure to the Senior Credit Officer of any known increase in loan risk, even if considered temporary in nature.

 

 
22

Table of Contents

 

The risk ratings within the loan portfolio, by segment, as of the balance sheet dates were as follows:

 

As of September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group A

 

$193,211,148

 

 

$265,481,081

 

 

$52,332,802

 

 

$161,517,042

 

 

$38,248,147

 

 

$4,173,109

 

 

$714,963,329

 

Group B

 

 

2,820,738

 

 

 

9,586,638

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

12,407,376

 

Group C

 

 

1,605,327

 

 

 

5,428,188

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

3,487,703

 

 

 

355,849

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

10,877,067

 

   Total

 

$197,637,213

 

 

$280,495,907

 

 

$52,332,802

 

 

$165,004,745

 

 

$38,603,996

 

 

$4,173,109

 

 

$738,247,772

 

  

As of December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

 

Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial

 

 

Commercial

 

 

 

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& Industrial

 

 

Real Estate

 

 

Municipal

 

 

1st Lien

 

 

Jr Lien

 

 

Consumer

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group A

 

$93,774,871

 

 

$233,702,063

 

 

$55,817,206

 

 

$154,770,678

 

 

$42,725,543

 

 

$4,390,005

 

 

$585,180,366

 

Group B

 

 

3,295,223

 

 

 

4,517,811

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

7,813,034

 

Group C

 

 

1,860,737

 

 

 

8,062,852

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

3,566,618

 

 

 

505,330

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

13,995,537

 

   Total

 

$98,930,831

 

 

$246,282,726

 

 

$55,817,206

 

 

$158,337,296

 

 

$43,230,873

 

 

$4,390,005

 

 

$606,988,937

 

  

Modifications of Loans and TDRs

 

A loan is classified as a TDR if, for economic or legal reasons related to a borrower’s financial difficulties, the Company grants a concession to the borrower that it would not otherwise consider. 

 

The Company is deemed to have granted such a concession if it has modified a troubled loan in any of the following ways:

 

 

Reduced accrued interest;

 

Reduced the original contractual interest rate to a rate that is below the current market rate for the borrower;

 

Converted a variable-rate loan to a fixed-rate loan;

 

Extended the term of the loan beyond an insignificant delay;

 

Deferred or forgiven principal in an amount greater than three months of payments; or

 

Performed a refinancing and deferred or forgiven principal on the original loan.

  

An insignificant delay or insignificant shortfall in the amount of payments typically would not require the loan to be accounted for as a TDR.  However, pursuant to regulatory guidance, any payment delay longer than three months is generally not considered insignificant. Management’s assessment of whether a concession has been granted also takes into account payments expected to be received from third parties, including third-party guarantors, provided that the third party has the ability to perform on the guarantee. 

 

The Company’s TDRs are principally a result of extending loan repayment terms to relieve cash flow difficulties. The Company has only, on a limited basis, reduced interest rates for borrowers below the current market rate for the borrower.  The Company has not forgiven principal or reduced accrued interest within the terms of original restructurings, nor has it converted variable rate terms to fixed rate terms.  However, the Company evaluates each TDR situation on its own merits and does not foreclose the granting of any particular type of concession.

 

The Company has adopted the TDR guidance issued by the federal banking agencies in March 2020 regarding the treatment of certain short-term loan modifications relating to the COVID-19 pandemic (See Note 3). Under this guidance, qualifying concessions and modifications are not considered TDRs.  As of September 30, 2020, the Company had granted short term loan concessions and/or modifications within the terms of this guidance to 435 borrowers, with respect to loans having an aggregate principal amount of $110.5 million.  These loans may bear a higher risk of default in future periods.

 

 
23

Table of Contents

 

New TDRs, by portfolio segment, during the periods presented were as follows: 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended September 30, 2020

 

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-

 

 

Post-

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-

 

 

Post-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modification

 

 

Modification

 

 

 

 

 

Modification

 

 

Modification

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

Investment

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

1

 

 

$54,318

 

 

$57,053

 

 

 

6

 

 

$591,826

 

 

$687,751

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-

 

 

Post-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modification

 

 

Modification

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

6

 

 

$371,358

 

 

$372,259

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1

 

 

 

19,266

 

 

 

21,628

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

6

 

 

 

755,476

 

 

 

798,800

 

Jr lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

55,557

 

 

 

57,415

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

$1,201,657

 

 

$1,250,102

 

 

 

 

 

Three months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

Nine months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-

 

 

Post-

 

 

 

 

Pre-

 

 

Post-

 

 

 

 

 

Modification

 

 

Modification

 

 

 

 

Modification

 

 

Modification

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

Investment

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

1

 

 

$288,912

 

 

$288,912

 

 

 

3

 

 

$338,129

 

 

$338,129

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

19,265

 

 

 

21,628

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

20,984

 

 

 

31,598

 

 

 

5

 

 

 

530,330

 

 

 

569,800

 

Total

 

 

2

 

 

$309,896

 

 

$320,510

 

 

 

9

 

 

$887,724

 

 

$929,557

 

  

The TDRs for which there was a payment default during the twelve month periods presented below were as follows:

 

For the twelve months ended September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

3

 

 

$25,720

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

3

 

 

 

408,505

 

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

50,095

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

$484,320

 

 

 
24

Table of Contents

 

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

2

 

 

$27,818

 

Residential real estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

227,907

 

Jr lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

55,010

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

$310,735

 

  

For the twelve months ended September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Recorded

 

 

 

Contracts

 

 

Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

1

 

 

$376,864

 

  

TDRs are treated as other impaired loans and carry individual specific reserves with respect to the calculation of the ALL.  These loans are categorized as non-performing, may be past due, and are generally adversely risk rated. The TDRs that have defaulted under their restructured terms are generally in collection status and their reserve is typically calculated using the fair value of collateral method.

 

The specific allowances within the ALL related to TDRs as of the balance sheet dates are presented in the table below.

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Specific Allocation

 

$111,796

 

 

$104,548

 

 

As of the balance sheet dates, the Company evaluates whether it is contractually committed to lend additional funds to debtors with impaired, non-accrual or modified loans.  The Company is contractually committed to lend on one SBA guaranteed line of credit to a borrower whose lending relationship was previously restructured.

 

Note 7. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

 

As a result of a merger with LyndonBank on December 31, 2007, the Company recorded goodwill amounting to $11,574,269.The goodwill is not amortizable and is not deductible for tax purposes.

 

As of December 31, 2019, the most recent evaluation, management concluded that no impairment existed.Management evaluates its goodwill intangible for impairment at least annually, or more frequently as circumstances warrant, including, as applicable, circumstances arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the disruptions to the economy and increased volatility in the financial markets and related impacts on the Company’s business.In light of the recent events surrounding COVID-19, the Company performed an interim analysis and concluded that, as of July 31, 2020, no impairment existed.

 

Note 8. Fair Value

 

Certain assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value to provide additional insight into the Company’s quality of earnings and comprehensive income. The fair values of some of these assets and liabilities are measured on a recurring basis while others are measured on a non-recurring basis, with the determination based upon applicable existing accounting pronouncements. For example, securities available-for-sale are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. Other assets, such as MSRs, loans held-for-sale, impaired loans, and OREO are recorded at fair value on a non-recurring basis using the lower of cost or market methodology to determine impairment of individual assets. The Company groups assets and liabilities which are recorded at fair value in three levels, based on the markets in which the assets and liabilities are traded and the reliability of the assumptions used to determine fair value. The level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement (with Level 1 considered highest and Level 3 considered lowest). A brief description of each level follows.

 

 
25

Table of Contents

 

Level 1

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.  Level 1 assets and liabilities include debt and equity securities and derivative contracts that are traded in an active exchange market, as well as U.S. Treasury and other U.S. Government debt securities that are highly liquid and are actively traded in over-the-counter markets.

 

 

Level 2

Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.  Level 2 assets and liabilities include debt securities with quoted prices that are traded less frequently than exchange-traded instruments and derivative contracts whose value is determined using a pricing model with inputs that are observable in the market or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.  This category generally includes MSRs, impaired loans and OREO.

 

 

Level 3

Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.  Level 3 assets and liabilities include financial instruments whose value is determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, as well as instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation.

  

The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its fair value measurements:

 

 

Debt Securities AFS:  Fair value measurement is based upon quoted prices for similar assets, if available. If quoted prices are not available, fair values are measured using matrix pricing models, or other model-based valuation techniques requiring observable inputs other than quoted prices such as yield curves, prepayment speeds and default rates.  Level 1 securities would include U.S. Treasury securities that are traded by dealers or brokers in active over-the-counter markets.  Level 2 securities include federal agency securities.

 

Impaired loans:  Impaired loans are reported based on one of three measures: the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate; the loan’s observable market price; or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral dependent.  If the fair value is less than an impaired loan’s recorded investment, an impairment loss is recognized as part of the ALL.  Accordingly, certain impaired loans may be subject to measurement at fair value on a non-recurring basis.  Management has estimated the fair values of collateral-dependent loans using Level 2 inputs, such as the fair value of collateral based on independent third-party appraisals.

 

Loans held-for-sale:  The fair value of loans held-for-sale is based upon an actual purchase and sale agreement between the Company and an independent market participant.  The sale is executed within a reasonable period following quarter end at the stated fair value.

 

MSRs:  MSRs represent the value associated with servicing residential mortgage loans. Servicing assets and servicing liabilities are reported using the amortization method and compared to fair value for impairment. In evaluating the carrying values of MSRs, the Company obtains third party valuations based on loan level data including note rate, and the type and term of the underlying loans. The Company classifies MSRs as non-recurring Level 2.

 

OREO:  Real estate acquired through or in lieu of foreclosure and bank properties no longer used as bank premises are initially recorded at fair value. The fair value of OREO is based on property appraisals and an analysis of similar properties currently available. The Company records OREO as non-recurring Level 2.

 

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis

 

Assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis and reflected in the consolidated balance sheets at the dates presented, segregated by fair value hierarchy, are summarized below.  There were no Level 1 or Level 3 assets or liabilities measured on a recurring basis as of the balance sheet dates presented, nor were there any transfers of assets between Levels during either 2020 or 2019.

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

Level 2

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Assets: (market approach)

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. GSE debt securities

 

$10,203,700

 

 

$18,061,620

 

Agency MBS

 

 

21,809,288

 

 

 

16,205,375

 

ABS and OAS

 

 

2,657,019

 

 

 

2,852,909

 

Other investments

 

 

10,517,964

 

 

 

8,846,846

 

     Total

 

$45,187,971

 

 

$45,966,750

 

 

 
26

Table of Contents

 

Assets and Liabilities Recorded at Fair Value on a Non-Recurring Basis

 

The following table includes assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis that have had a fair value adjustment since their initial recognition.  Impaired loans measured at fair value only include collateral-dependent impaired loans with a related specific ALL and are presented net of specific allowances as disclosed in Note 6. There were no such fair value adjustments during 2020 or 2019.  Assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis and reflected in the consolidated balance sheets at the dates presented, segregated by fair value hierarchy level, are summarized below.  There were no Level 1 or Level 3 assets or liabilities measured on a non-recurring basis as of the balance sheet dates presented, nor were there any transfers of assets between levels during either 2020 or 2019.

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

Level 2

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Assets: (market approach)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans held-for-sale

 

$1,243,739

 

 

$0

 

MSRs (1)

 

 

971,040

 

 

 

939,577

 

OREO

 

 

0

 

 

 

966,738

 

  

(1)

Represents MSRs at lower of cost or fair value.

  

FASB ASC Topic 825, “Financial Instruments”, requires disclosures of fair value information about financial instruments, whether or not recognized in the balance sheet, if the fair values can be reasonably determined.  Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices.  However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for the Company’s various financial instruments.  In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques using observable inputs when available.  Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows.  Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument.  Topic 825 excludes certain financial instruments and all nonfinancial instruments from its disclosure requirements.  Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the underlying fair value of the Company.

  

 
27

Table of Contents

 

The estimated fair values of commitments to extend credit and letters of credit were immaterial as of the dates presented in the tables below.  The estimated fair values of the Company's financial instruments as of the balance sheet dates were as follows:

 

 

September 30, 2020FairFairFairFair
CarryingValueValueValueValue
AmountLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total
(Dollars in Thousands)
Financial assets:
Cash and cash equivalent$51,501$51,501$0$0$51,501
Debt securities AFS45,188045,188045,188
Restricted equity securities1,41301,41301,413
Loans and loans held-for-sale, net of ALL
Commercial & industrial193,98200197,158197,158
Commercial real estate276,69100282,541282,541
Municipal52,2910053,08753,087
Residential real estate - 1st lien165,10900166,420166,420
Residential real estate - Jr lien38,2610038,41638,416
Consumer4,116004,1514,151
MSRs (1)97109710971
Accrued interest receivables3,21003,21003,210
Financial liabilities:

Deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other deposits

 

 

737,570

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

739,573

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

739,573

 

Brokered deposits

 

 

5,449

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

5,451

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

5,451

 

Long-term borrowings

 

 

2,800

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

2,716

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

2,716

 

Repurchase agreements

 

 

30,598

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

30,598

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

30,598

 

Operating lease obligations

 

 

1,083

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,083

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,083

 

Finance lease obligations

 

 

54

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

54

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

54

 

Subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

12,869

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

12,869

 

Accrued interest payable

 

 

105

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

105

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

105

 

  

(1)

Reported fair value represents all MSRs for loans serviced by the Company, regardless of carrying amount.

  

 
28

Table of Contents

 

 

December 31, 2019FairFairFairFair
CarryingValueValueValueValue
AmountLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total
(Dollars in Thousands)
Financial assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$48,562$48,562$0$0$48,562
Debt securities AFS45,967045,967045,967
Restricted equity securities1,43201,43201,432
Loans and loans held-for-sale, net of ALL
Commercial & industrial98,0620097,35697,356
Commercial real estate243,02200242,735242,735
Municipal55,8170055,86755,867
Residential real estate - 1st lien156,89700156,520156,520
Residential real estate - Jr lien42,9270042,95042,950
Consumer4,337004,3064,306

MSRs (1)

94001,25001,250
Accrued interest receivable2,33702,33702,337
Financial Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other deposits

 

 

603,872

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

604,267

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

604,267

 

Brokered deposits

 

 

11,149

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

11,153

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

11,153

 

Long-term borrowings

 

 

2,650

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

2,427

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

2,427

 

Repurchase agreements

 

 

33,190

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

33,190

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

33,190

 

Operating lease obligations

 

 

1,263

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,263

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

1,263

 

Finance lease obligations

 

 

100

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

100

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

100

 

Subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

12,831

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

12,831

 

Accrued interest payable

 

 

139

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

139

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

139

 

 

(1)

Reported fair value represents all MSRs for loans serviced by the Company, regardless of carrying amount.

  

Note 9. Loan Servicing

 

The following table shows the changes in the carrying amount of the MSRs, included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets, for the periods indicated:

  

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at beginning of year

 

$939,577

 

 

$1,004,948

 

   MSRs capitalized

 

 

248,305

 

 

 

114,580

 

   MSRs amortized

 

 

(185,264)

 

 

(179,951)

   Change in valuation allowance

 

 

(31,578)

 

 

0

 

Balance at end of period

 

$971,040

 

 

$939,577

 

 

There was no valuation allowance recorded for MSRs for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

Note 10. Legal Proceedings

 

In the normal course of business, the Company is involved in litigation that is considered incidental to its business.Management does not expect that any such litigation will be material to the Company's consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

 

Note 11. Subsequent Events

 

The Company has evaluated events and transactions through the date that the financial statements were issued for potential recognition or disclosure in these financial statements, as required by GAAP.  On September 24, 2020, the Company’s Board declared a cash dividend of $0.19 per common share, payable November 1, 2020 to shareholders of record as of October 15, 2020.  This dividend has been recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of the declaration date, including shares issuable under the DRIP.

 

 
29

Table of Contents

 

ITEM 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF

FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Period Ended September 30, 2020

 

The following discussion analyzes the consolidated financial condition of Community Bancorp. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Community National Bank, as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and its consolidated results of operations for the three- and nine-month interim periods presented. 

 

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in its 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended on Form 10-K/A, filed with the SEC.  Please refer to Note 1 in the accompanying audited consolidated financial statements for a listing of acronyms and defined terms used throughout the following discussion.

 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the results of operations, financial condition and business of the Company and its subsidiary. Words used in the discussion below such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," “projects”, "plans," “assumes”, "predicts," “may”, “might”, “will”, “could”, “should” and similar expressions, indicate that management of the Company is making forward-looking statements.

 

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance.  They necessarily involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions.  Examples of forward looking statements included in this discussion include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects; the estimated contingent liability related to assumptions made within the asset/liability management process; management's expectations as to the future interest rate environment and the Company's related liquidity level; credit risk expectations relating to the Company's loan portfolio and its participation in the FHLBB MPF program; and management's general outlook for the future performance of the Company or the local or national economy. Although forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and estimates as of the date they are made, many of the factors that could influence or determine actual results are unpredictable and not within the Company's control.

 

Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements include, among others, the following possibilities:

 

 

general economic or business conditions, either nationally, regionally or locally, deteriorate, resulting in a decline in credit quality or a diminished demand for the Company's products and services;

 

competitive pressures increase among financial service providers in the Company's northern New England market area or in the financial services industry generally, including competitive pressures from non-bank financial service providers, from increasing consolidation and integration of financial service providers, and from changes in technology and delivery systems;

 

interest rates change in such a way as to negatively affect the Company's net income, asset valuations or margins;

 

changes in laws or government rules, including the rules of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the way in which courts or government agencies interpret or implement those laws or rules, increase our costs of doing business, causing us to limit or change our product offerings or pricing, or otherwise adversely affect the Company's business;

 

changes in federal or state tax laws or policy;

 

changes in the level of nonperforming assets and charge-offs;

 

changes in applicable accounting policies, practices and standards, including, without limitation, implementation of pending changes to the measurement of credit losses in financial statements under US GAAP pursuant to the CECL model;

 

changes in consumer and business spending, borrowing and savings habits;

 

reductions in deposit levels, which necessitate increased borrowings to fund loans and investments;

 

the geographic concentration of the Company’s loan portfolio and deposit base;

 

losses due to the fraudulent or negligent conduct of third parties, including the Company’s service providers, customers and employees;

 

cybersecurity risks could adversely affect the Company’s business, financial performance or reputation and could result in financial liability for losses incurred by customers or others due to data breaches or other compromise of the Company’s information security systems;

  

 
30

Table of Contents

 

 

higher-than-expected costs are incurred relating to information technology or difficulties arise in implementing technological enhancements;

 

management’s risk management measures may not be completely effective;

 

changes in the United States monetary and fiscal policies, including the interest rate policies of the FRB and its regulation of the money supply;

 

adverse changes in the credit rating of U.S. government debt;

 

the planned phase out the LIBOR by the end of 2021, which could adversely affect the Company’s interest costs in future periods on its $12,887,000 in principal amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures due December 12, 2037, which currently bear interest at a variable rate, adjusted quarterly, equal to 3-month LIBOR, plus 2.85%;

 

the effect of COVID-19 on our Company, the communities where we have branches and loan production offices, the State of Vermont and the national and global economies and overall stability of the financial markets;

 

government and regulatory responses to the COVID-19 pandemic;

 

operational and internal system failures due to changes in normal business practices, including remote working for Company staff;

 

increased cybercrime and payment system risk due to increase usage by customers of online and other remote banking channels;

 

rising unemployment rates in our markets due to the COVID-19 related business shutdowns, delays and setbacks in scheduled re-openings and other economic disruptions, which reduces our borrowers’ ability to repay their loans and reduces customer demand for our products and services; and

 

government intervention in the U.S. economy and financial system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the effects of recent legislative, tax, accounting and regulatory actions and reforms, such as passage of the CARES Act, the actions of the Federal Reserve affecting monetary policy, and the temporary moratorium on foreclosures imposed by the State of Vermont in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

 

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements as they speak only as of the date they are made.  The Company does not undertake, and disclaims any obligation, to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence or anticipated occurrence of events or circumstances after the date of this Report, except as required by applicable law.  The Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

 

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

 

Under SEC Regulation G, public companies making disclosures containing financial measures that are not in accordance with GAAP must also disclose, along with each non-GAAP financial measure, certain additional information, including a reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measure to the closest comparable GAAP financial measure, as well as a statement of the company’s reasons for utilizing the non-GAAP financial measure.  The SEC has exempted from the definition of non-GAAP financial measures certain commonly used financial measures that are not based on GAAP.  However, three non-GAAP financial measures commonly used by financial institutions, namely tax-equivalent net interest income and tax-equivalent net interest margin (as presented in the tables in the section labeled Interest Income Versus Interest Expense (NII)) and core earnings (as defined and discussed in the Results of Operations section), have not been specifically exempted by the SEC, and may therefore constitute non-GAAP financial measures under Regulation G.  We are unable to state with certainty whether the SEC would regard those measures as subject to Regulation G.

 

Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company’s financial performance and facilitate comparisons with the performance of other financial institutions.  However, that information should be considered supplemental in nature and not as a substitute for related financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

OVERVIEW

 

During the third quarter of 2020, the Company continued to navigate through the new challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Recent economic reports for the state of Vermont show employment in the hardest hit industries such as leisure and hospitality has risen but still below pre-pandemic levels.  The Vermont unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted, in August was reported at 4.6% compared to the high of 16.8% in April.  Other impacts of this pandemic, such as childcare and remote schooling, pose additional challenges to the workforce.  In September, public schools reopened with a hybrid of in-school and remote learning options.  With lifted restrictions on indoor dining, gathering size limits and travel, the local economy continued to reopen. For the most part, Vermont has fared better than other states in the number of cases to date.  The full health and economic effect of the pandemic is still unclear as new information continues to become available. 

 

 
31

Table of Contents

 

The Company continues to use its best efforts to remain focused on providing for the safety and health of its employees, customers and communities through the hardships of this pandemic.  In mid-October, one of the Company’s employees tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.  Management and the pandemic team followed the Company’s pandemic response plan protocol which included closing the affected branch and working with the Department of Health to begin contact tracing.  The branch remained closed for seven days until staff members received negative COVID test results and were able to return to work.  No other employee had symptoms or tested positive.

 

The Company continued to grant loan payment deferrals to customers impacted by the pandemic.  Through September 30, 2020, 435 business and retail customer portfolio loans, with unpaid principal balances of $110.5 million, had been modified to provide temporary debt relief to customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  These short term concessions were made in accordance with guidance from the federal banking regulators, confirmed by them with the FASB, and are therefore not considered to be impaired under GAAP (see Notes 3 and 6).

 

The Company’s consolidated assets on September 30, 2020 were $868,853,092, an increase of $130,897,773, or 17.7%, from December 31, 2019.  The asset growth has been driven by an increase in total loans in the amount of $131.3 million in the year to date comparison and $134.1 million in the year-over-year comparison.  This loan growth is largely attributable to the origination of PPP loans. Community National Bank, the subsidiary of the Company, participated in the PPP administered by the SBA as part of the CARES Act.  As of September 30, 2020, the PPP loan portfolio totaled $100.3 million.  The balance of the loan growth of $31.0 million and $33.9 million was mostly due to an increase in commercial loans in the respective periods, including purchased loans from BHG in the amount of $3.4 million year to date.

 

Total deposits on September 30, 2020 were $743,019,054, an increase of $127,997,686 or 20.8%, since December 31, 2019, reflecting the combined effect of increases in core deposits (demand deposit accounts, both interest bearing and non-interest bearing) of $91.1 million, or 29.4%, money market funds of $14.6 million, or 16.0% and savings accounts of $22.8 million, or 23.5%.  Municipal deposits, which are a component of both core deposits and money market funds, decreased $6.8 million and $9.0 million, in the respective components.  The significant increases in core deposits were driven in part by PPP loan funds that were deposited in business checking accounts as well as increases in customer checking accounts likely from stimulus payments, unemployment benefits and deferral or forbearance agreements on residential mortgage and student loans. 

 

Interest income increased $180,412, or 2.3%, for the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019 and $183,215, or 0.8% for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The opportunity for an increase in interest income from the loan growth was offset by the impact of the decrease in the prime rate on new loan originations and interest rate adjustments on adjustable rate loans, as well as the mandated 1% interest rate on SBA PPP loans.  The low interest rate environment also resulted in a decrease in interest earned on the investment portfolio and fed funds sold.  The origination of the PPP loans resulted in processing fees from the SBA in the amount of $453,505 recorded in the third quarter of 2020, representing 86.3% of the total of fees on loans of $525,601 for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $59,566 for the third quarter of 2019.  Total fees on loans for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 were $1.2 million, including SBA processing fees totaling $1.0 million, and representing 83.3% of the total, compared to $599,931 for the same period in 2019.

 

Interest expense decreased $458,253 or 30.4%, for the third quarter of 2020 and $860,444, or 18.7%, for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same periods in 2019.  The decrease in interest expense during both periods is due to a reduction of rates paid on interest-bearing transaction accounts, money market accounts and time deposits, following the 150 basis point decrease in short-term rates in March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Please refer to the interest rate sensitivity discussion in the Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management section for more information on the impact that FRB action and changes in the yield curve could have on net interest income.  

 

The provision for loan losses for the third quarter of 2020 was $362,499 compared to $412,499 for the same quarter in 2019, bringing the year to date provision for loan losses to $1.0 million compared to $766,668 for the same period in 2019, resulting in a decrease of 12.1% and an increase of 36.5%, respectively, for the third quarter and nine month comparison periods.  The year to date increase to the provision was partially due to loan growth early in the year as well as adjustments to the qualitative factors used to estimate the allowance for loan losses, particularly factors related to the economic impact to borrowers from the COVID pandemic.  PPP loans bear a 100% SBA guarantee and therefore had little impact on the calculation of the provision.  Please refer to the ALL and provisions discussion in the Credit Risk section for more information on these increases.

 

Consolidated net income for the third quarter of 2020 was $2,880,443, an increase of $618,500, or 27.3%, from net income of $2,261,943 for the same quarter of 2019.  Consolidated net income for the first nine months of 2020 increased $1.1 million, or 17.5%, from $6,453,146 for 2019 to $7,583,992 for 2020.  Non-interest income increased $343,963, or 21.5%, and non-interest expense increased $241,001, or 5.0%, contributing to a portion of the increase in net income for the third quarter of 2020 versus the same quarter of 2019.  Non-interest income for the first nine months of 2020 increased $706,934, or 16.3% compared to the same period in 2019 while non-interest expense increased only $86,690, or 0.6% between the same comparison periods.  Income from sold loans increased substantially by $398,650, or 196.2%, between the third quarter comparison periods of 2020 and 2019 and $703,628, or 161.8% between the nine month comparison periods of 2020 and 2019.  Loan originations that were subsequently sold in the secondary market were $31.9 million for the first nine months of 2020 compared to $7.5 million for the same period in 2019, resulting in gains on sale of loans of $766,440 and $158,201, respectively. Commercial and residential loan documentation fees made up the biggest portion of other income from loans, with figures of $208,451 and $166,828, respectively, noted for the third quarter of 2020 versus 2019, and $616,021 and $421,365, respectively, for the first nine months of 2020 versus 2019.

 

 
32

Table of Contents

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted some of the Company’s sources of non-interest income differently.  For instance the unusually high balances maintained in customer deposit accounts have resulted in a decrease in overdraft fees.  These fees were $191,754 for the third quarter in 2020 compared to $292,316 for the third quarter of 2019, a 34.4% decrease, with a 25.5% decrease noted for the first nine months of 2020 compared to 2019 with fees totaling $629,609 and $845,095, respectively.  Conversely, interchange fee income related to customers’ use of debit cards increased $32,039, or 1.0% between the 2020 and 2019 third quarter comparison periods and $64,346, or 7.1% year over year.  This customer behavior of choosing to use debit or credit cards as a payment method has also had an impact on the circulation of coin and currency. 

 

The increase in non-interest expense is made up of several components, with FDIC insurance accounting for $160,215 of the increase between the third quarter comparison periods and $150,462 year over year.  These increases are due to the effect of the Small Bank deposit-insurance assessment credits issued by the FDIC in the amount of $164,000 in 2019 while no credits were issued in 2020.  The increase in non-interest expense also reflects increases in salaries and wages of $140,823 and 319,700, respectively, for the three and nine month comparison periods.  Offsetting a portion of these increases were decreases in OREO expense of $42,172 quarter over quarter and $53,761 year over year as well as decreases in collection and non-accruing loan expenses of $18,600 and $90,722, respectively, for 2020 versus 2019.  Please refer to the Non-interest Income and Non-interest Expense sections for more information on these and other changes.

 

Equity capital grew to $74.9 million, with a book value per share of $13.85 as of September 30, 2020, compared to equity capital of $68.9 million and a book value of $12.86 as of December 31, 2019.  On September 24, 2020, the Company's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per common share, payable on November 1, 2020 to shareholders of record on October 15, 2020.

 

RECENT EVENTS – COVID-19 PANDEMIC

 

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) was reported to have surfaced in China, and has since spread to a number of other countries, including the United States. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and the United States declared a National Public Health Emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely restricted the level of economic activity in Vermont and nationwide.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many states and local governments have taken preventative or protective actions, such as imposing restrictions on travel and business operations, advising or requiring individuals to limit or forego their time outside of their homes, and ordering temporary closures of businesses that have been deemed to be non-essential.

 

In Vermont, on March 24, 2020 the Governor issued a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and directed the closure of in-person operations for all non-essential businesses.  As an essential business, the Company remained open but put in place a number of mitigation strategies in order to reduce close contact among employees and customers.  Most of these mitigation strategies have been reversed, or relaxed, including:

 

 

branch lobbies have reopened, but customers are required to wear protective masks, and may still transact business through drive-up windows if they do not feel comfortable entering the branch lobbies;

 

customers are encouraged to use ATM and electronic banking as options to avoid close contact with others;

 

while the work-from-home protocol is still available for employees, all employees have returned to work;

 

all of the 14 retail staff that were previously placed on furlough have returned to their respective branch office;

 

employees are instructed to continue to practice social distancing when working in areas requiring multiple workers;

 

in-person meetings are being accomplished with use of video conferencing and conference calls; and

 

the Company’s annual meeting originally scheduled for May 12, 2020 took place on October 6, 2020 in a virtual meeting format.

  

Management has followed protocols from the Company’s Pandemic and Business Continuity Plan and guidance from State and Federal governments to ensure continued safe access to banking services while focusing on the health and safety of our employees and customers.  Members of the Company’s Pandemic Team meet weekly to address COVID-19 issues and developments.  Management has conducted a risk situation analysis in each business unit and stress tested areas most vulnerable to be impacted, such as liquidity and asset quality. 

 

 
33

Table of Contents

 

Although the longer term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to be adverse, in the short term the pandemic has had a net positive impact on the Company’s consolidated financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2020.  The Federal Reserve’s reaction to lower rates resulted in lower interest expense and the market reaction lowering long term rates fueled refinancing and home purchases providing strong fee income for the Company. The fees from the origination of PPP loans also provided unanticipated fee income.  The extent to which the pandemic impacts our business, operations and financial results in the future will depend on numerous factors that we may not be able to accurately predict, although adverse impacts are likely in future periods.  The ultimate extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations is currently uncertain and will depend on various developments and other factors, including, among others, the duration and scope of the pandemic, as well as governmental, regulatory and private sector responses to the pandemic, and the associated impacts on the economy, financial markets and our customers, employees and vendors.

 

Our business, financial condition and results of operations generally rely upon the ability of our borrowers to repay their loans, the value of collateral underlying our secured loans, and the demand for loans and other products and services we offer, which are highly dependent on the business environment in our local banking markets and in the country as a whole. Beginning in the second quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact our business and operations. In addition to the temporary measures taken to modify our business operations and methods for delivering our products and services, we are focused on servicing the financial needs of our commercial and consumer clients with flexible loan payment arrangements, including, where appropriate, short-term loan modifications or other concessions and reducing or waiving certain fees on deposit accounts. Future governmental actions may require continuation of these and other types of customer accommodations.

 

The CARES Act included an original allocation of $349 billion for loans to be issued by financial institutions through the SBA, under the PPP, and then Congress approved an additional PPP funding of $321 billion, with a final expiration date of August 8, 2020.  These loans will be forgiven to the extent that the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, or utilities as long as at least 60% of the forgiven amount was used for payroll.  Borrowers can apply for forgiveness after a specified covered period.  PPP loan forgiveness applications are processed by the lender, with forgiveness requests for loans in excess of $2.0 million reviewed by the SBA.  Neither the government nor lenders are permitted to charge the recipients any fees.  PPP loans carry a fixed rate of 1.00% and a term of two years, if closed prior to June 5, 2020 and five years for loans closed after June 5, 2020, if not forgiven, in whole or in part.  Payments are deferred for the first six months of the loan and the loans are 100% guaranteed by the SBA.  The SBA pays the originating bank a processing fee ranging from 1% to 5%, based on the size of the loan.  As of September 30, 2020, the Company had originated 869 PPP loans totaling $100.3 million, and expects to earn approximately $3.6 million in related fees over the life of the related loans.  As of September 30, 2020, the Company had reviewed and submitted 31 loans with total balances of $8.5 million to the SBA for forgiveness consideration.  Participation in the PPP will likely have a significant impact on our asset mix and net interest margin for the remainder of 2020.

 

We maintain access to multiple sources of liquidity, including access to the newly-created PPPLF of the FRB, which was established by the FRB to facilitate funding of PPP lending activity by banks and other eligible lenders.  Under the PPPLF lenders may pledge pools of PPP loans having the same maturity date, with the maturity date of the lender’s advance matching the maturity date of the pool.  There are no fees for PPPLF advances, which bear an annual rate of 35 bps.  As of September 30, 2020, the Company had no PPPLF advances.  Use of the PPPLF will depend on liquidity needs should the Company experience a decline in deposit balances or other funding sources.  

 

As of September 30, 2020, all of the Company’s capital ratios, and those of our subsidiary Bank, were in excess of all regulatory requirements. While we believe that we have sufficient capital to withstand an economic downturn from a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, should one occur, our equity capital and regulatory capital ratios could be adversely impacted by credit losses and other adverse impacts of the pandemic.

 

On April 17, Vermont Governor Phil Scott outlined an approach for the phased restart of Vermont’s economy, emphasizing the state’s modeling of COVID-19 cases indicated initial steps could be taken while the “stay home, stay safe” order remains in effect.  On April 24, with modeling continuing to indicate a significant slowing of the spread of the virus, the Governor’s administration outlined some additional openings as an effort to put Vermonters back to work. These phased steps to reopen the economy came with a full list of work-place health and safety requirements for all business and specifications for each newly opened operation. 

 

On May 13, the phased restart of Vermont’s economy was amended to allow for limited resumption of retail operations which were deemed critical under the “stay home, stay safe” order.  In preparation to re-open branch lobbies the Company implemented the recommended work-place health and safety measures of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) and required all employees to conduct enhanced training developed by Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Agency (VOSHA).  On May 18, the Company reopened branch lobbies and furloughed employees returned to work.

 

 
34

Table of Contents

 

The easing of restrictions on re-opening of retail operations continued in June and July followed by an executive order on July 24 requiring mandatory facial coverings in public spaces where it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet with others outside of their household.

 

On July 31, Governor Scott signed a directive setting September 8, 2020 as the universal reopening date for Vermont schools.  The Governor continues to extend the COVID-19 State of Emergency, most recently on October 15, it was extended to November 15, 2020.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The Company’s significant accounting policies are fundamental to understanding the Company’s results of operations and financial condition because they require management to use estimates and assumptions that may affect the value of the Company’s assets or liabilities and financial results, sometimes in material respects.  These policies are considered by management to be critical because they require subjective and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain and because it is likely that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or using different assumptions.  These policies, and others deemed less critical, are described in the Company’s Accounting Policy, which is updated yearly for review and approval by the Company’s Audit Committee, and then presented to the Company’s Board for final review and approval.

 

The Company’s critical accounting policies govern:

 

the ALL;

OREO;

OTTI of debt securities;

valuation of residential MSRs; and

the carrying value of goodwill.

  

These policies are described in the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies” and in Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) to the audited consolidated financial statements.  As described in Note 6 to the September 30, 2020 unaudited consolidated financial statements, during the third quarter of 2020 the Company added consideration of qualitative factors for municipal loans and certain purchased commercial loans to its ALL methodology.  There were no other material changes during the first nine months of 2020 in the Company’s critical accounting policies.

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

Net income for the third quarter of 2020 was $2,880,443, or $0.54 per common share, compared to $2,261,943, or $0.43 per common share, for the same quarter of 2019.  Net income for the first nine months of 2020 was $7,583,992 or $1.43 per common share, compared to $6,453,146 or $1.23 per common share for 2019.  Core earnings (NII) for the third quarter of 2020 increased $638,665, or 10.0%, compared to the same quarter in 2019, and $1,043,659, or 5.4% for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.  Interest income was supported with fees generated from administering the PPP loans. Of the $3.6 million that the Company received in fee income from SBA, a total of $435,505 was recognized in the third quarter and $1 million has been recognized year to date.  These fees have offset a decrease in interest income due to the repricing of loans, new loans being booked at lower market rates and PPP loans being booked at a mandated 1% annual interest rate.  Interest paid on deposits, which is the major component of total interest expense, decreased $379,398, or 30.2%, for the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter of 2019, and $665,873, or 17.4% for the first nine months of 2020, reflecting the decreases in short-term rates initiated by the FRB in March in response to the pandemic. 

 

The following tables summarize certain balance sheet data and the earnings performance of the Company for the periods presented.

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Balance Sheet Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loans

 

$729,206,626

 

 

$601,424,861

 

Total assets

 

 

868,853,092

 

 

 

737,955,319

 

Total deposits

 

 

743,019,054

 

 

 

615,021,368

 

Borrowed funds

 

 

2,800,000

 

 

 

2,650,000

 

Junior subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

12,887,000

 

Total liabilities

 

 

793,922,787

 

 

 

669,060,640

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

 

74,930,305

 

 

 

68,894,679

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book value per common share outstanding

 

$13.85

 

 

$12.86

 

 

 
35

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total interest income

 

$24,050,460

 

 

$23,867,245

 

Total interest expense

 

 

3,734,083

 

 

 

4,594,527

 

     Net interest income

 

 

20,316,377

 

 

 

19,272,718

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for loan losses

 

 

1,046,501

 

 

 

766,668

 

     Net interest income after provision for loan losses

 

 

19,269,876

 

 

 

18,506,050

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-interest income

 

 

5,057,104

 

 

 

4,350,170

 

Non-interest expense

 

 

15,185,390

 

 

 

15,098,700

 

     Income before income taxes

 

 

9,141,590

 

 

 

7,757,520

 

Applicable income tax expense(1)

 

 

1,557,598

 

 

 

1,304,374

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Net Income

 

$7,583,992

 

 

$6,453,146

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Per Common Share Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per common share (2)

 

$1.43

 

 

$1.23

 

Dividends declared per common share

 

$0.57

 

 

$0.57

 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding

 

 

5,264,802

 

 

 

5,196,630

 

Number of common shares outstanding, period end

 

 

5,300,211

 

 

 

5,222,708

 

 

(1)

Applicable income tax expense assumes a 21% tax rate for both periods.

(2)

Computed based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods presented.

  

Return on average assets, which is net income divided by average total assets, measures how effectively a corporation uses its assets to produce earnings.  Return on average equity, which is net income divided by average shareholders' equity, measures how effectively a corporation uses its equity capital to produce earnings. 

 

The following tables show these ratios annualized for the comparison periods presented.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Return on average assets

 

 

1.36%

 

 

1.28%

Return on average equity

 

 

15.54%

 

 

13.50%

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Return on average assets

 

 

1.27%

 

 

1.23%

Return on average equity

 

 

14.16%

 

 

13.36%

  

INTEREST INCOME VERSUS INTEREST EXPENSE (NET INTEREST INCOME)

 

The largest component of the Company’s operating income is NII, which is the difference between interest earned on loans and investments and the interest paid on deposits and other sources of funds (i.e., borrowings).  The Company’s level of net interest income can fluctuate over time due to changes in the level and mix of earning assets and sources of funds (volume), and changes in the yield earned and costs of funds (rate).  A portion of the Company’s income from loans to local municipalities is not subject to income taxes.  Because the proportion of tax-exempt items in the Company's balance sheet varies from year-to-year, to improve comparability of information, the non-taxable income shown in the tables below has been converted to a tax equivalent basis. The Company’s corporate tax rate is 21%; therefore, to equalize tax-free and taxable income in the comparison, we divide the tax-free income by 79%, with the result that every tax-free dollar is equivalent to $1.27 in taxable income for the periods presented.

 

 
36

Table of Contents

 

The Company’s tax-exempt interest income of $319,697 and $352,477 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $1.1 million and $1.2 million, for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, was derived from loans to local municipalities of $52.3 million and $51.9 million at September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

The following tables show the reconciliation between reported NII and tax equivalent NII for the comparison periods presented.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income as presented

 

$7,036,086

 

 

$6,397,421

 

Effect of tax-exempt income

 

 

84,982

 

 

 

93,696

 

Net interest income, tax equivalent

 

$7,121,068

 

 

$6,491,117

 

  

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income as presented

 

$20,316,377

 

 

$19,272,718

 

Effect of tax-exempt income

 

 

295,535

 

 

 

259,359

 

Net interest income, tax equivalent

 

$20,611,912

 

 

$19,532,077

 

  

As a result of the adverse economic impacts and uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic, and from the FRB’s responsive monetary policies, the Company’s NII is likely to be adversely affected in future periods, although the duration and extent of such impacts cannot be predicted at this time.

 

 
37

Table of Contents

 

The following tables present average interest-earning assets and average interest-bearing liabilities supporting earning assets.  Interest income (excluding interest on non-accrual loans) is expressed on a tax equivalent basis, both in dollars and as a rate/yield for the comparison periods presented.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

 Average

 

 

Income/

 

 

Rate/

 

 

 Average

 

 

Income/

 

 

Rate/

 

 

 

Balance

 

 

Expense

 

 

Yield

 

 

Balance

 

 

Expense

 

 

Yield

 

Interest-Earning Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans (1)

 

$735,066,284

 

 

$7,827,896

 

 

 

4.24%

 

$592,727,371

 

 

$7,545,780

 

 

 

5.05%

Taxable investment securities

 

 

43,672,567

 

 

 

249,341

 

 

 

2.27%

 

 

44,951,993

 

 

 

302,063

 

 

 

2.67%

Sweep and interest-earning accounts

 

 

20,438,654

 

 

 

76,896

 

 

 

1.50%

 

 

19,760,186

 

 

 

128,006

 

 

 

2.57%

Other investments (2)

 

 

1,799,850

 

 

 

17,715

 

 

 

3.92%

 

 

1,764,415

 

 

 

24,301

 

 

 

5.46%

Total

 

$800,977,355

 

 

$8,171,848

 

 

 

4.06%

 

$659,203,965

 

 

$8,000,150

 

 

 

4.81%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-Bearing Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

$200,631,995

 

 

$202,292

 

 

 

0.40%

 

$147,946,190

 

 

$322,573

 

 

 

0.87%

Money market accounts

 

 

106,073,212

 

 

 

215,488

 

 

 

0.81%

 

 

95,873,245

 

 

 

375,966

 

 

 

1.56%

Savings deposits

 

 

116,873,519

 

 

 

35,782

 

 

 

0.12%

 

 

97,642,149

 

 

 

40,456

 

 

 

0.16%

Time deposits

 

 

113,353,872

 

 

 

423,904

 

 

 

1.49%

 

 

121,880,627

 

 

 

517,869

 

 

 

1.69%

Borrowed funds

 

 

3,663,261

 

 

 

598

 

 

 

0.06%

 

 

1,725,772

 

 

 

2,436

 

 

 

0.56%

Repurchase agreements

 

 

30,519,702

 

 

 

67,327

 

 

 

0.88%

 

 

33,142,782

 

 

 

74,510

 

 

 

0.89%

Finance lease obligations

 

 

59,386

 

 

 

1,208

 

 

 

8.14%

 

 

185,024

 

 

 

3,868

 

 

 

8.36%

Junior subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

104,181

 

 

 

3.22%

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

171,355

 

 

 

5.28%

Total

 

$584,061,947

 

 

$1,050,780

 

 

 

0.72%

 

$511,282,789

 

 

$1,509,033

 

 

 

1.17%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

 

 

 

$7,121,068

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$6,491,117

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest spread (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.34%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.64%

Net interest margin (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.54%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.91%

  

 

1)

Included in gross loans are non-accrual loans with average balances of $4,677,752 and $5,550,793 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Loans are stated before deduction of unearned discount and ALL, less loans held-for-sale and include tax-exempt loans to local municipalities with average balances of $56,337,312 and $48,357,864 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

 

 

2)

Included in other investments is the Company’s FHLBB Stock with average balances of $734,700 and $699,265 for the three months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and a dividend rate of approximately 4.12% and 6.04%, respectively, per quarter.

 

 

 

 

3)

Net interest spread is the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on average interest-bearing liabilities.

 

 

 

 

4)

Net interest margin is net interest income divided by average earning assets.

 

 
38

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

 

 

 Average

 

 

Income/

 

 

Rate/

 

 

 Average

 

 

Income/

 

 

Rate/

 

 

 

Balance

 

 

Expense

 

 

Yield

 

 

Balance

 

 

Expense

 

 

Yield

 

Interest-Earning Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans (1)

 

$685,896,774

 

 

$23,246,807

 

 

 

4.53%

 

$585,983,458

 

 

$22,751,262

 

 

 

5.19%

Taxable investment securities

 

 

43,424,844

 

 

 

787,275

 

 

 

2.42%

 

 

42,793,295

 

 

 

820,197

 

 

 

2.56%

Sweep and interest-earning accounts

 

 

19,402,112

 

 

 

248,373

 

 

 

1.71%

 

 

25,353,770

 

 

 

478,097

 

 

 

2.52%

Other investments (2)

 

 

1,847,509

 

 

 

63,540

 

 

 

4.59%

 

 

1,782,682

 

 

 

77,048

 

 

 

5.78%

Total

 

$750,571,239

 

 

$24,345,995

 

 

 

4.33%

 

$655,913,205

 

 

$24,126,604

 

 

 

4.92%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-Bearing Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

$193,808,568

 

 

$840,073

 

 

 

0.58%

 

$153,712,761

 

 

$1,101,758

 

 

 

0.96%

Money market accounts

 

 

103,218,864

 

 

 

873,627

 

 

 

1.13%

 

 

94,675,544

 

 

 

1,096,750

 

 

 

1.55%

Savings deposits

 

 

108,583,068

 

 

 

112,628

 

 

 

0.14%

 

 

95,874,410

 

 

 

121,279

 

 

 

0.17%

Time deposits

 

 

111,607,801

 

 

 

1,327,883

 

 

 

1.59%

 

 

123,255,984

 

 

 

1,500,297

 

 

 

1.63%

Borrowed funds

 

 

5,645,077

 

 

 

13,853

 

 

 

0.33%

 

 

1,946,934

 

 

 

7,828

 

 

 

0.54%

Repurchase agreements

 

 

28,582,148

 

 

 

185,868

 

 

 

0.87%

 

 

32,871,384

 

 

 

220,411

 

 

 

0.90%

Finance lease obligations

 

 

74,656

 

 

 

4,482

 

 

 

8.00%

 

 

215,758

 

 

 

13,482

 

 

 

8.33%

Junior subordinated debentures

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

375,669

 

 

 

3.89%

 

 

12,887,000

 

 

 

532,722

 

 

 

5.53%

Total

 

$564,407,182

 

 

$3,734,083

 

 

 

0.88%

 

$515,439,775

 

 

$4,594,527

 

 

 

1.19%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest income

 

 

 

 

 

$20,611,912

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$19,532,077

 

 

 

 

 

Net interest spread (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.45%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.73%

Net interest margin (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.67%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.98%

 

 

1)

Included in gross loans are non-accrual loans with average balances of $4,706,338 and $5,195,637 for the first nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Loans are stated before deduction of unearned discount and ALL, less loans held-for-sale and includes tax-exempt loans to local municipalities with average balances of $58,086,317 and $46,562,200 for the first nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

 

 

2)

Included in other investments is the Company’s FHLBB Stock with average balances of $782,359 and $717,532, respectively, and a dividend rate of approximately 4.37% and 6.25%, respectively, for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

 

 

 

 

3)

Net interest spread is the difference between the average yield on average interest-earning assets and the average rate paid on average interest-bearing liabilities.

 

 

 

 

4)

Net interest margin is net interest income divided by average earning assets.

  

The average volume of interest-earning assets for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 increased 21.5% and 14.4%, respectively, compared to the same periods last year, while the average yield on interest-earning assets decreased 75 bps and 59 bps, respectively.  The decrease in the average yield in most categories reflects the decrease in the federal funds rate during the first nine months of 2020, as well as the average volume of low-yielding PPP loans totaling $99.9 million and $58.9 million for the three- and nine-month periods, respectively.  The average yield on these loans is approximately 1.0%, thereby contributing to the decrease in yield on the loan portfolio as well as on total earning assets.

 

The average volume of loans increased over the three- and nine-month comparison periods of 2020 versus 2019 by 24.0% and 17.1%, respectively, while the average yield on loans decreased 81 bps and 66 bps, respectively.  Loans accounted for 91.8% and 91.4%, respectively, of the average interest-earning asset portfolio for the three- and nine- month periods ended September 30, 2020 compared to 90.0% and 89.3%, respectively, for the same periods last year.  Interest earned on the loan portfolio as a percentage of total interest income increased to 95.6% and 95.5%, respectively, for the three- and nine-month periods of 2020 compared to 94.3% for both periods in 2019.

 

 
39

Table of Contents

 

The average volume of the taxable investment portfolio (classified as AFS) decreased 2.9% during the three-month period ended September 30, 2020, while increasing 1.5% during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, compared to the same periods last year, and the average yield decreased 40 bps and 14 bps, respectively.  Exercised calls of $7.5 million, along with sales, maturities and principal payments totaling $6.9 million, during the first nine months of 2020, were offset with purchases totaling approximately $12.7 million, accounting for the insignificant changes in average volume of the taxable investment portfolio between the comparison periods.

 

The average volume of sweep and interest-earning accounts, which consists primarily of interest-bearing accounts at the FRBB and two correspondent banks, increased 3.4% and decreased 23.5%, respectively during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, compared to the same periods last year, and the average yield on these funds decreased 107 bps and 81 bps, respectively. This decrease in average volume from December 31, 2019 is attributable to the need to fund loan growth during the first nine months of 2020.

 

The average volume of interest-bearing liabilities for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 increased 14.1% and 9.5%, respectively, compared to the same periods last year, while the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 45 bps and 31 bps, respectively, reflecting the decrease in the federal funds rate beginning in March 2020.  The deposit of PPP loan proceeds was a contributing factor to these increases.

 

The average volume of interest-bearing transaction accounts increased 35.6% and 26.1%, respectively, during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 compared to the same periods last year, while the average rate paid on these accounts decreased 47 bps and 38 bps, respectively.  Contributing factors to the increase in average volume were increases of $20.5 million or 101.7% and $15.8 million, or 61.4%, respectively, in the average volume of ICS DDAs, $21.4 million or 30.6% and $13.3 million, or 19.6%, respectively, in the average volume of other interest-bearing DDAs, as well as a higher average deposit balance of the Company’s affiliate, CFSG, during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020.  Interest-bearing transaction accounts comprised 34.4% and 34.3%, respectively, of the interest-bearing liabilities for the three- and nine-month periods as of September 30, 2020 compared to 28.9% and 29.8%, respectively, for the same periods last year.

 

The average volume of money market accounts increased 10.6% and 9.0%, respectively, during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 compared to the same periods in 2019, while the average rate paid decreased 75 bps and 42 bps, respectively.

 

The average volume of savings accounts increased 19.7% and 13.3% for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 versus the same period in 2019, while the average rate paid decreased four bps and three bps, respectively.

 

The average volume of time deposits decreased 7.0% and 9.5%, respectively, during the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, compared to the same periods last year, and the average rate paid on these accounts decreased 20 bps and four bps, respectively, between periods.  The decrease in the average volume of time deposits between periods reflects the maturity of brokered deposits during the first month of 2020 that were only partially replaced during the third quarter.  Time deposits represented 19.4% and 19.8%, respectively, of average interest-bearing liabilities for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, compared to 23.8% and 23.9%, respectively, for the same periods last year.  Interest paid on time deposits represented 40.3% and 35.6%, respectively, of total interest expense for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020, compared to 34.3% and 32.7%, respectively for the same periods in 2019.  The average volume of retail time deposits increased 12.5% for the three-month period from $91.6 million at September 30, 2019 to $103.0 million at September 30, 2020, and 11.6% for the nine-month comparison periods from $91.3 million to $101.9 million, respectively.  Wholesale time deposits decreased 65.9% from an average volume of $30.3 million to $10.3 million for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and 69.6% for the nine-month period from an average volume of $32.0 million at September 30, 2019 to $9.7 million at September 30, 2020.  Refer to the “Liquidity and Capital Resources” section for more discussion on these changes.

 

The average volume of borrowed funds increased $1.9 million and $3.7 million, respectively, between the three- and nine-month comparison periods of 2020 and 2019, while the average rate paid on these borrowings decreased 50 bps and 21 bps, respectively, between periods.  The average balances are reflective of short-term borrowing needs earlier in the year.  Current balances at September 30, 2020 consist of only JNE funds at zero percent interest.

 

The average volume of repurchase agreements decreased 7.9% and 13.1%, respectively, for the three- and nine-month comparison periods of 2020 versus 2019, and the average rate paid decreased one bp and three bps, respectively.

 

In summary, between the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, the average yield on interest-earning assets decreased 75 bps and 59 bps, respectively, and the average rate paid on interest-bearing liabilities decreased 45 bps and 31 bps, respectively.  Net interest spread decreased 30 bps for the third quarter of 2020 versus 2019 and 28 bps between the nine-month comparison periods of 2020 versus 2019.  Net interest margin decreased 37 bps for the third quarter of 2020 versus 2019 and 31 bps for the nine-month comparison periods of 2020 and 2019.

 

 
40

Table of Contents

 

The reductions in the target federal funds rate, in response to the pandemic have placed pressure on the Company’s net interest margin and net interest spread and may continue to adversely affect them in future periods, although the extent and duration of such impacts cannot be predicted at this time.

 

The following table summarizes the variances in interest income and interest expense on a fully tax-equivalent basis for the periods presented for 2020 and 2019 resulting from volume changes in average assets and average liabilities and fluctuations in average rates earned and paid.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

Variance

 

 

Variance

 

 

 

 

Variance

 

 

Variance

 

 

 

 

 

Due to

 

 

Due to

 

 

Total

 

 

Due to

 

 

Due to

 

 

Total

 

 

 

Rate (1)

 

 

Volume (1)

 

 

Variance

 

 

Rate (1)

 

 

Volume (1)

 

 

Variance

 

Average Interest-Earning Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans

 

$(1,529,683)

 

$1,811,799

 

 

$282,116

 

 

$(3,382,926)

 

$3,878,471

 

 

$495,545

 

Taxable investment securities

 

 

(45,422)

 

 

(7,300)

 

 

(52,722)

 

 

(45,015)

 

 

12,093

 

 

 

(32,922)

Sweep and interest-earning accounts

 

 

(55,505)

 

 

4,395

 

 

 

(51,110)

 

 

(153,533)

 

 

(76,191)

 

 

(229,724)

Other investments

 

 

(7,074)

 

 

488

 

 

 

(6,586)

 

 

(16,311)

 

 

2,803

 

 

 

(13,508)

Total

 

$(1,637,684)

 

$1,809,382

 

 

$171,698

 

 

$(3,597,785)

 

$3,817,176

 

 

$219,391

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Interest-Bearing Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

$

(235,814)

 

 

$115,533

 

 

$

(120,281)

 

 

$

(549,584)

 

 

$287,899

 

 

$

(261,685)

 

Money market accounts

 

 

(200,585)

 

 

40,107

 

 

 

(160,478)

 

 

(322,167)

 

 

99,044

 

 

 

(223,123)

Savings deposits

 

 

(12,430)

 

 

7,756

 

 

 

(4,674)

 

 

(24,810)

 

 

16,159

 

 

 

(8,651)

Time deposits

 

 

(62,029)

 

 

(31,936)

 

 

(93,965)

 

 

(33,762)

 

 

(138,652)

 

 

(172,414)

Borrowed funds

 

 

(4,574)

 

 

2,735

 

 

 

(1,839)

 

 

(8,911)

 

 

14,936

 

 

 

6,025

 

Repurchase agreements

 

 

(1,380)

 

 

(5,802)

 

 

(7,182)

 

 

(6,607)

 

 

(27,936)

 

 

(34,543)

Finance lease obligations

 

 

(89)

 

 

(2,571)

 

 

(2,660)

 

 

(549)

 

 

(8,451)

 

 

(9,000)

Junior subordinated debentures

 

 

(67,174)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(67,174)

 

 

(157,053)

 

 

0

 

 

 

(157,053)

Total

 

$(584,075)

 

$125,822

 

 

$(458,253)

 

$(1,103,443)

 

$242,999

 

 

$

(860,444)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Changes in net interest income

 

$(1,053,609)

 

$1,683,560

 

 

$629,951

 

 

$(2,494,342)

 

$3,574,177

 

 

$1,079,835

 

  

 

1)  Items which have shown a year-to-year increase in volume have variances allocated as follows:

 

          Variance due to rate = Change in rate x new volume

 

          Variance due to volume = Change in volume x old rate

 

      Items which have shown a year-to-year decrease in volume have variances allocated as follows:

 

          Variance due to rate = Change in rate x old volume

 

          Variances due to volume = Change in volume x new rate

 

 
41

Table of Contents

 

NON-INTEREST INCOME AND NON-INTEREST EXPENSE

 

Non-interest Income

 

The components of non-interest income for the periods presented were as follows:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

Change

 

 

September 30,

 

 

Change

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

Income

 

 

Percent

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

Income

 

 

Percent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service fees

 

$794,381

 

 

$867,688

 

 

$(73,307)

 

 

-8.45%

 

$2,322,112

 

 

$2,478,711

 

 

$

(156,599)

 

 

 

-6.32%

Income from sold loans

 

 

601,825

 

 

 

203,175

 

 

 

398,650

 

 

 

196.21%

 

 

1,138,579

 

 

 

434,951

 

 

 

703,628

 

 

 

161.77%

Other income from loans

 

 

281,959

 

 

 

235,883

 

 

 

46,076

 

 

 

19.53%

 

 

803,555

 

 

 

598,136

 

 

 

205,419

 

 

 

34.34%

Net realized gain on sale of securities AFS

 

 

0

 

 

 

331

 

 

 

(331)

 

 

-100.00%

 

 

39,086

 

 

 

331

 

 

 

38,755

 

 

 

11708.46%

Other income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income from CFS Partners

 

 

151,796

 

 

 

148,826

 

 

 

2,970

 

 

 

2.00%

 

 

462,963

 

 

 

482,185

 

 

 

(19,222)

 

 

-3.99%

Exchange income

 

 

13,500

 

 

 

15,700

 

 

 

(2,200)

 

 

-14.01%

 

 

13,500

 

 

 

41,800

 

 

 

(28,300)

 

 

-67.70%

VISA card commission

 

 

18,662

 

 

 

23,099

 

 

 

(4,437)

 

 

-19.21%

 

 

55,986

 

 

 

69,297

 

 

 

(13,311)

 

 

-19.21%

Other miscellaneous income

 

 

79,172

 

 

 

102,630

 

 

 

(23,458)

 

 

-22.86%

 

 

221,323

 

 

 

244,759

 

 

 

(23,436)

 

 

-9.58%

Total non-interest income

 

$1,941,295

 

 

$1,597,332

 

 

$343,963

 

 

 

21.53%

 

$5,057,104

 

 

$4,350,170

 

 

$706,934

 

 

 

16.25%

  

Total non-interest income increased $343,963, or 21.5%, for the third quarter of 2020 and $706,934, or 16.3% for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same periods in 2019, with significant changes noted in the following:

 

 

A decrease in overdraft fees, which is attributable to the increases in consumer and commercial deposit account balances as a result of the federal government’s COVID-19 stimulus response package, is a primary reason for the decrease in service fees during both comparison periods.

 

 

 

 

The increase in income from sold loans in both comparison periods is due to an increase in residential mortgage lending activity which was spurred primarily by the drop in interest rates due to the action of the FRB earlier this year in response to the pandemic, resulting in a higher volume of loans being sold into the secondary market.

 

 

 

 

An uptick of commercial and residential loan volume, resulted in an increase in documentation fees collected at origination accounting for the increase in other income from loans in both comparison periods.

 

 

 

 

The Company sold a MBS from its investment portfolio during the second quarter of 2020, but there were no sales from the investment portfolio during the third quarter of 2020 and only one sale during the third quarter in 2019, accounting for the changes in the respective periods.

 

 

 

 

CFS Partners has a small portion of its equity capital invested in the stock market. It was necessary to mark-to-market the portfolio to reflect the stock market decline during the first quarter at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a $106,000 mark down and accounting for the decrease year over year in Income from CFS Partners. The stock market rebounded somewhat favorably during the third quarter accounting for the modest increase quarter over quarter.

 

 

 

 

Due in part to COVID-19 mandated shutdowns, the US/Canadian border is shut down to all non-essential travel, creating less demand for an exchange of Canadian cash, and accounting for the decrease in exchange income.

 

 

 

 

The Company entered into a VISA principal vendor agreement during 2019, resulting in higher first-year contractual incentive payments for 2019, accounting for the decrease in VISA card commission income in both 2020 comparison periods.

 

 
42

Table of Contents

 

Non-interest Expense

 

The components of non-interest expense for the periods presented were as follows:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

Change

 

 

September 30,

 

 

Change

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

Expense

 

 

Percent

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

Expense

 

 

Percent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salaries and wages

 

$1,958,754

 

 

$1,817,931

 

 

$140,823

 

 

 

7.75%

 

$5,773,491

 

 

$5,453,791

 

 

$319,700

 

 

 

5.86%

Employee benefits

 

 

791,172

 

 

 

785,187

 

 

 

5,985

 

 

 

0.76%

 

 

2,324,055

 

 

 

2,367,866

 

 

 

(43,811)

 

 

-1.85%

Occupancy expenses, net

 

 

601,093

 

 

 

606,629

 

 

 

(5,536)

 

 

-0.91%

 

 

1,921,597

 

 

 

1,939,742

 

 

 

(18,145)

 

 

-0.94%

Other expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service contracts - administrative

 

 

124,323

 

 

 

137,248

 

 

 

(12,925)

 

 

-9.42%

 

 

379,256

 

 

 

411,934

 

 

 

(32,678)

 

 

-7.93%

Telephone expense

 

 

22,857

 

 

 

68,478

 

 

 

(45,621)

 

 

-66.62%

 

 

154,322

 

 

 

196,851

 

 

 

(42,529)

 

 

-21.60%

Marketing expense

 

 

112,500

 

 

 

99,000

 

 

 

13,500

 

 

 

13.64%

 

 

337,500

 

 

 

376,002

 

 

 

(38,502)

 

 

-10.24%

Audit fees

 

 

109,506

 

 

 

98,625

 

 

 

10,881

 

 

 

11.03%

 

 

306,667

 

 

 

301,358

 

 

 

5,309

 

 

 

1.76%

Consultant services

 

 

57,552

 

 

 

43,071

 

 

 

14,481

 

 

 

33.62%

 

 

171,892

 

 

 

183,831

 

 

 

(11,939)

 

 

-6.49%

FDIC insurance

 

 

94,409

 

 

 

(65,806)

 

 

160,215

 

 

 

-243.47%

 

 

214,541

 

 

 

64,079

 

 

 

150,462

 

 

 

234.81%

Collection & non-accruing loan expense

 

 

18,342

 

 

 

36,942

 

 

 

(18,600)

 

 

-50.35%

 

 

55,990

 

 

 

146,712

 

 

 

(90,722)

 

 

-61.84%

Expense on OREO

 

 

(38,610)

 

 

3,562

 

 

 

(42,172)

 

 

-1183.94%

 

 

(37,382)

 

 

111,387

 

 

 

(148,769)

 

 

-133.56%

Overdraft Privilege Program Expense

 

 

0

 

 

 

5,172

 

 

 

(5,172)

 

 

-100.00%

 

 

0

 

 

 

46,302

 

 

 

(46,302)

 

 

-100.00%

Other miscellaneous expenses

 

 

1,252,819

 

 

 

1,227,677

 

 

 

25,142

 

 

 

2.05%

 

 

3,583,461

 

 

 

3,498,845

 

 

 

84,616

 

 

 

2.42%

Total non-interest expense

 

$5,104,717

 

 

$4,863,716

 

 

$241,001

 

 

 

4.96%

 

$15,185,390

 

 

$15,098,700

 

 

$86,690

 

 

 

0.57%

  

Total non-interest expense increased $241,001, or 5.0%, for the third quarter of 2020 and $86,690, or 0.6% for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 with significant changes noted in the following:

 

 

Salaries and wages increased in both periods primarily due to normal salary increases and a bonus totaling $156,000 paid to those employees who worked through the shutdown.

 

 

 

 

The decrease in employee benefits year over year was attributable to lower claims during the COVID-19 mandated shutdown.

 

 

 

 

Increased costs in 2019 to support information technology and branch infrastructure account for the decrease in service contracts – administrative in both comparison periods of 2020. More projects are scheduled for 2020, but have not been finalized.

 

 

 

 

Telephone expense decreased as a result of a renegotiated contract with the Company’s main connectivity vendor that was effective mid-year 2020.

 

 

 

 

Marketing activity picked up during the third quarter of 2020, while still under for the year, accounting for the variance in both comparison periods.

 

 

 

 

Information technology projects are starting to be scheduled during the second half of 2020 accounting for the increase in Consultant services between quarters and the decrease year over year.

 

 

 

 

FDIC insurance increased in both comparison periods mostly due to the Small Bank deposit-insurance assessment credits issued by the FDIC in the amount of $164,000 in 2019 while no credits were issued in 2020.

 

 

 

 

Collection & non-accruing loan expense decreased in both comparison periods of 2020, due in part to the recovery of collection expenses from the resolution of secondary market foreclosures earlier in the year. Collection expenses were also lower due to the impact of a legislative moratorium on ejectment and foreclosure actions during the COVID-19 emergency.

 

 

 

 

Expenses were recouped on an OREO property that was sold during the third quarter of 2020 and no write-downs have been recorded in 2020, accounting for the decrease in both comparison periods.

 

 

 

 

The decrease in overdraft privilege program expense was due to the end of a contract obligation at year-end 2019.

  

 
43

Table of Contents

 

APPLICABLE INCOME TAXES

 

The provision for income taxes increased in both comparison periods with an increase of $173,127, or 37.9%, to $629,722 for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $456,595 for the same period in 2019, and $253,224, or 19.4%, to $1.6 million for the first nine months of 2020 compared to $1.3 million for the same period in 2019.  These increases are due primarily to an increase in income before income taxes totaling $791,627 for the third quarter of 2020 versus 2019 and $1.4 million for the first nine months of 2020 versus 2019.  Tax credits related to limited partnership investments amounted to $108,492 and $103,776, respectively, for the third quarters of 2020 and 2019, and $325,476 and $311,328, respectively, for the first nine months of 2020 and 2019.

 

Amortization expense related to limited partnership investments is included as a component of income tax expense and amounted to $84,171 and $78,027, respectively, for the third quarters of 2020 and 2019, and $252,513 and $234,081, respectively for the first nine months of 2020 and 2019.  These investments provide tax benefits, including tax credits, and are designed to provide a targeted effective annual yield between 7% and 10%.

 

CHANGES IN FINANCIAL CONDITION

 

The following table reflects the composition of the Company's major categories of assets and liabilities as a percentage of total assets or liabilities and shareholders’ equity, as the case may be, as of the balance sheet dates:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans

 

$738,247,772

 

 

 

84.97%

 

$606,988,937

 

 

 

82.25%

AFS Securities

 

 

45,187,971

 

 

 

5.20%

 

 

45,966,750

 

 

 

6.23%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demand deposits

 

 

183,583,813

 

 

 

21.13%

 

 

125,089,403

 

 

 

16.95%

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

 

217,659,947

 

 

 

25.05%

 

 

185,102,333

 

 

 

25.08%

Money market accounts

 

 

106,051,718

 

 

 

12.21%

 

 

91,463,661

 

 

 

12.39%

Savings deposits

 

 

119,973,153

 

 

 

13.81%

 

 

97,167,652

 

 

 

13.17%

Time deposits

 

 

115,750,423

 

 

 

13.32%

 

 

116,198,319

 

 

 

15.75%

Long-term advances

 

 

2,800,000

 

 

 

0.32%

 

 

2,650,000

 

 

 

0.36%

  

The following table reflects the changes in the composition of the Company's major categories of assets and liabilities disclosed in the table above:

 

 

 

Change in Volume

 

 

Percentage Change

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans

 

$131,258,835

 

 

 

21.62%

AFS Securities

 

 

(778,779)

 

 

-1.69%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demand deposits

 

 

58,494,410

 

 

 

46.76%

Interest-bearing transaction accounts

 

 

32,557,614

 

 

 

17.59%

Money market accounts

 

 

14,588,057

 

 

 

15.95%

Savings deposits

 

 

22,805,501

 

 

 

23.47%

Time deposits

 

 

(447,896)

 

 

-0.39%

Long-term advances

 

 

150,000

 

 

 

5.66%

 

Contributing to loan growth during 2020 were increases in commercial loans of 99.8%, CRE loans of 13.9%, and 1st lien residential mortgage loans of 4.2%.  The primary reason for the significant increase in commercial loans was the $100.3 million of PPP loans that were booked during the second and third quarters of 2020.  These loans carry a 100% guarantee through SBA, so the Company does not anticipate any loss on this portfolio.  Also included in the commercial loan growth were originations of $3.4 million in commercial loans purchased through BHG.  The Company began purchasing loans through this program during the third quarter of 2019.  This portfolio will serve to support asset growth and provide geographic diversification, and with average duration expected to be slightly longer than the Company’s loan portfolio average, it is expected to reduce exposure to falling rates in the near term.  The Company has established conservative credit parameters and expects a low risk of default in this portfolio.  The decrease in the Company’s municipal portfolio was due to seasonal maturities of $28.3 million at June 30, 2020 and new municipal loans acquired through a bidding process totaling approximately $24.5 million that were booked in July, 2020.

 

 
44

Table of Contents

 

As assets have grown, management has sought to increase the securities AFS portfolio in order to maintain its size proportional to the overall asset base, as this portfolio serves an important role in the Company’s liquidity position.  As mentioned earlier in this discussion, during the first nine months of 2020, sales, maturities and calls exercised, as well as principal payments in the MBS portfolio, all within the AFS portfolio, were partially offset by purchases within the same portfolio, resulting in most of the decrease in the AFS portfolio between periods noted in the tables above.

 

Most of the fluctuation in demand deposits is due to a year to date increase in business checking accounts of $50.2 million, or 57.1%, which the Company believes is a result of the distribution of funds generated through the PPP loans.  The overall increase in interest-bearing transaction accounts reflects increases of $29.2 million, or 42.6% in consumer interest-bearing transaction accounts, $6.2 million, or 81.2% in ATS accounts, and $1.5 million, or 3.8% in ICS accounts.  These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $6.8 million, or 18.7%, in the Government Agency deposit accounts.  The increase of $14.6 million, or 50.5%, in consumer and business money market accounts year to date was offset, in part by a decrease in municipal deposits of $9.0 million, or 46.8%.  The decrease in time deposits was primarily driven by a decrease in wholesale time deposits of $7.1 million, or 39.8%, which was offset in part by a $6.7 million, or 6.8%, increase in retail time deposits.  There were outstanding long-term advances from the FHLBB of $2.8 million and $2.7 million as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.  See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” section for additional information on these advances.

 

Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management - Management actively monitors and manages the Company’s interest rate risk exposure and attempts to structure the balance sheet to maximize net interest income while controlling its exposure to interest rate risk.  The Company's ALCO is made up of the Executive Officers and certain Vice Presidents of the Bank representing major business lines.  The ALCO formulates strategies to manage interest rate risk by evaluating the impact on earnings and capital of such factors as current interest rate forecasts and economic indicators, potential changes in such forecasts and indicators, liquidity and various business strategies.  The ALCO meets at least quarterly to review financial statements, liquidity levels, yields and spreads to better understand, measure, monitor and control the Company’s interest rate risk.  In the ALCO process, the committee members apply policy limits set forth in the Asset Liability, Liquidity and Investment policies approved and periodically reviewed by the Company’s Board of Directors.  The ALCO's methods for evaluating interest rate risk include an analysis of the effects of interest rate changes on net interest income and an analysis of the Company's interest rate sensitivity "gap", which provides a static analysis of the maturity and repricing characteristics of the entire balance sheet.  The ALCO Policy also includes a contingency funding plan to help management prepare for unforeseen liquidity restrictions, including hypothetical severe liquidity crises.

 

Interest rate risk represents the sensitivity of earnings to changes in market interest rates.  As interest rates change, the interest income and expense streams associated with the Company’s financial instruments also change, thereby impacting NII, the primary component of the Company’s earnings.  Fluctuations in interest rates can also have an impact on liquidity.  The ALCO uses an outside consultant to perform rate shock simulations to the Company's net interest income, as well as a variety of other analyses.  It is the ALCO’s function to provide the assumptions used in the modeling process.  Assumptions used in prior period simulation models are regularly tested by comparing projected NII with actual NII.  The ALCO utilizes the results of the simulation model to quantify the estimated exposure of NII and liquidity to sustained interest rate changes.  The simulation model captures the impact of changing interest rates on the interest income received and interest expense paid on all interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities reflected on the Company’s balance sheet.  The model also simulates the balance sheet’s sensitivity to a prolonged flat rate environment. All rate scenarios are simulated assuming a parallel shift of the yield curve; however further simulations are performed utilizing non-parallel changes in the yield curve.  The results of this sensitivity analysis are compared to the ALCO policy limits which specify a maximum tolerance level for NII exposure over a 1-year horizon, assuming no balance sheet growth, given a 200 bps shift upward and a 100 bps shift downward in interest rates.

 

Under the Company’s interest rate sensitivity modeling, with the continued asset sensitive balance sheet, in a rising rate environment, interest income is expected to trend upward as the short-term asset base (cash and adjustable rate loans) quickly cycle upward.  However, as rates continue to rise, the cost of wholesale funds increases and pressure to increase rates paid on the retail funding base likewise increases, putting pressure on NII and reducing the benefit to rising rates.  In a falling rate environment, NII is expected to trend slightly downward compared with the current rate environment scenario for the first year of the simulation as asset yield erosion is not fully offset by decreasing funding costs.  Thereafter, net interest income is projected to experience sustained downward pressure as funding costs reach their assumed floors and asset yields continue to reprice into the lower rate environment.  The slope of the yield curve will be very important to the Company’s margins going forward.

 

 
45

Table of Contents

 

The following table summarizes the estimated impact on the Company's NII over a twelve month period, assuming a gradual parallel shift of the yield curve beginning September 30, 2020:

 

Rate Change

 

Percent Change in NII

 

 

 

 

 

Down 100 bps

 

 

0.5%

Up 200 bps

 

 

3.5%

 

The amounts shown in the table are well within the ALCO Policy limits.  However, those amounts do not represent a forecast and should not be relied upon as indicative of future results.  While assumptions used in the ALCO process, including the interest rate simulation analyses, are developed based upon current economic and local market conditions, and expected future conditions, the Company cannot provide any assurances as to the predictive nature of these assumptions, including how customer preferences or competitor influences might change, or the measures that the FRB may take in managing monetary policy in response to external events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

As of September 30, 2020, the Company had outstanding $12,887,000 in principal amount of Junior Subordinated Debentures due December 15, 2037, which bear a quarterly floating rate of interest equal to the 3-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), plus 2.85%.  During 2017, the financial authorities in the United Kingdom that administer LIBOR announced that LIBOR will be phased out by the end of 2021.  In May 2020, they announced that certain interim measures related to the LIBOR phase out may be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that the ultimate goal of LIBOR phase out by the end of 2021 remains unchanged.  The Company has reviewed the pertinent language in the Indenture governing the Debentures and believes that the Debenture Trustee has sufficient authority under the Indenture to establish a substitute interest rate benchmark without the need to amend the Indenture.  However, the Debenture Trustee has not yet informed the Company as to how it intends to proceed.  Aside from the Debentures, the Company does not have any other exposures to the phase out of LIBOR.  The Company has not generally utilized LIBOR as an interest rate benchmark for its variable rate commercial, residential or other loans and does not utilize derivatives or other financial instruments tied to LIBOR for hedging or investment purposes.  Accordingly, management expects that the Company’s exposure to the phase out of LIBOR will be limited to the effect on the interest rate paid on its Debentures.

 

Credit Risk - As a financial institution, one of the primary risks the Company manages is credit risk, the risk of loss stemming from borrowers’ failure to repay loans or inability to meet other contractual obligations.  The Company’s Board of Directors prescribes policies for managing credit risk, including Loan, Appraisal and Environmental policies.  These policies are supplemented by comprehensive underwriting standards and procedures.  The Company maintains a Credit Administration department whose function includes credit analysis and monitoring of and reporting on the status of the loan portfolio, including delinquent and non-performing loan trends.  The Company also monitors concentration of credit risk in a variety of areas, including portfolio mix, the level of loans to individual borrowers and their related interest, loans to industry segments, and the geographic distribution of commercial real estate loans.  Loans are reviewed periodically by an independent loan review firm to help ensure accuracy of the Company's internal risk ratings and compliance with various internal policies, procedures and regulatory guidance.

 

Residential mortgages represented 27.6% of the Company’s loan balances as of September 30, 2020, a level that has been on a gradual decline in recent years, consistent with the Company’s strategic shift to commercial lending.  The Company maintains a mortgage loan portfolio of traditional mortgage products and does not engage in higher risk loans such as option adjustable rate mortgage products, high loan-to-value products, interest only mortgages, subprime loans and products with deeply discounted teaser rates.  Residential mortgages with loan-to-values exceeding 80% are generally covered by PMI.  A 90% loan-to-value residential mortgage product without PMI is only available to borrowers with excellent credit and low debt-to-income ratios and has not been widely originated.  Junior lien home equity products make up 19.0% of the residential mortgage portfolio with maximum loan-to-value ratios (including prior liens) of 80%. The Company also originates some home equity loans greater than 80% under an insured loan program with stringent underwriting criteria. 

 

Consistent with the strategic focus on commercial lending, the commercial & industrial and CRE loan portfolios have seen solid growth over recent years.  Commercial & industrial and CRE loans together comprised 71.9% of the Company’s loan portfolio at September 30, 2020, compared to 66.1% at December 31, 2019.  This increase over year-end levels includes $100.3 million in SBA PPP loans at September 30, 2020.

 

Growth in the CRE portfolio in recent years has enhanced the geographic diversification of the loan portfolio as it has been principally driven by new loan volume in Chittenden County and northern Windsor County around the White River Junction, Vermont I91-I93 interchange area. Credits in the Chittenden County market are being managed by two commercial lenders out of the Company’s Burlington loan production office who know the area well, while Windsor County is being served through a loan production office in Lebanon, New Hampshire by a commercial lender from the St. Johnsbury office with previous lending experience serving the greater White River Junction-Lebanon area. Larger transactions continue to be centrally underwritten and monitored through the Company’s commercial credit department. The types of transactions driving the growth in the CRE portfolio have been a mix of construction, land and development, multifamily, and other non-owner occupied CRE properties including hotels, retail, office, and industrial properties. The largest components of the $280.5 million CRE portfolio at September 30, 2020 were approximately $100.8 million in owner-occupied CRE and $90.2 million in non-owner occupied CRE.

 

 
46

Table of Contents

 

The following table reflects the composition of the Company's loan portfolio, by portfolio segment, as a percentage of total loans as of the dates indicated:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$197,637,213

 

 

 

26.77%

 

$98,930,831

 

 

 

16.30%

Commercial real estate

 

 

280,495,907

 

 

 

37.99%

 

 

246,282,726

 

 

 

40.57%

Municipal

 

 

52,332,802

 

 

 

7.09%

 

 

55,817,206

 

 

 

9.20%

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

165,004,745

 

 

 

22.35%

 

 

158,337,296

 

 

 

26.09%

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

38,603,996

 

 

 

5.23%

 

 

43,230,873

 

 

 

7.12%

Consumer

 

 

4,173,109

 

 

 

0.57%

 

 

4,390,005

 

 

 

0.72%

     Total loans

 

 

738,247,772

 

 

 

100.00%

 

 

606,988,937

 

 

 

100.00%

Deduct (add):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL

 

 

6,788,108

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5,926,491

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred net loan fees (costs)

 

 

2,253,038

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(362,415)

 

 

 

 

      Net loans

 

$729,206,626

 

 

 

 

 

 

$601,424,861

 

 

 

 

 

  

Risk in the Company’s commercial & industrial and CRE loan portfolios is mitigated in part by government guarantees issued by federal agencies such as the SBA and RD.  At September 30, 2020, the Company had $129.5 million in guaranteed loans with guaranteed balances of $122.2 million, compared to $28.4 million in guaranteed loans with guaranteed balances of $21.1 million at December 31, 2019, an increase of $101.1 million in guaranteed loans and $98.9 million in guaranteed balances.  These increases are attributable to the SBA guarantees on loan originated through PPP loan program discussed throughout this quarterly report.  At September 30, 2020, the Company had booked $100.3 million in PPP loans, all of which carry a 100% guarantee through the SBA.

 

At September 30, 2020, loan balances in the retail, restaurant and bars, hotels and lodging, and breweries totaled $29.4 million, $5.4 million, $31.4 million, and $17.4 million, respectively.  These segments of the economy have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 business shutdowns and re-opening restrictions. While the Company has performed additional stress testing and oversight of these loan portfolios, the credit quality may deteriorate in future periods should COVID-19 business restrictions persist. 

 

The Company works actively with customers early in the delinquency process to help them to avoid default and foreclosure.  Commercial & industrial and CRE loans are generally placed on non-accrual status when there is deterioration in the financial position of the borrower, payment in full of principal and interest is not expected, and/or principal or interest has been in default for 90 days or more.  However, such a loan need not be placed on non-accrual status if it is both well secured and in the process of collection.  Residential mortgages and home equity loans are considered for non-accrual status at 90 days past due and are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  The Company obtains current property appraisals or market value analyses and considers the cost to carry and sell collateral in order to assess the level of specific allocations required.  Consumer loans are generally not placed in non-accrual but are charged off by the time they reach 120 days past due.  When a loan is placed in non-accrual status, the Company reverses the accrued interest against current period income and discontinues the accrual of interest until the borrower clearly demonstrates the ability and intention to resume normal payments, typically demonstrated by regular timely payments for a period of not less than six months.  Interest payments received on non-accrual or impaired loans are generally applied as a reduction of the loan book balance.

 

The Company’s non-performing assets decreased $618,696 or 10.2%, during the first nine months of 2020. Increases in residential mortgage loan delinquencies, both in the 90 days or more past due, and the non-accrual portfolio were more than offset by a decrease in the OREO portfolio.  There were claims receivable on related government guaranteed loans at September 30, 2020 totaling $39,889 compared to $38,377 at December 31, 2019.  Non-performing loans as of September 30, 2020 carried RD and SBA guarantees totaling $310,740, compared to $359,654 at December 31, 2019.

 

As of June 30, 2020, the Emergency “Stay Home/Stay Safe” Order issued by the Vermont Governor had been lifted and a phased opening was in effect.  Customers are benefiting from stimulus payments, loan payment modifications and forbearances. So far the Company has experienced minimal impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.  However, we expect that in future periods, unless the economic strain from the COVID-19 shutdown is alleviated quickly, our loan asset quality will likely be adversely affected, including possible increases in past due loans and other nonperforming assets and reversal of interest accrual on past due loans that move to nonaccrual status, with a resulting charge to earnings.

 

 
47

Table of Contents

 

The following table reflects the composition of the Company's non-performing assets, by portfolio segment, as a percentage of total non-performing assets as of the dates indicated:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

Loans past due 90 days or more

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 and still accruing (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

$8,559

 

 

 

0.16%

 

$0

 

 

 

0.00%

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

741,610

 

 

 

13.67%

 

 

530,046

 

 

 

8.77%

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

74,900

 

 

 

1.38%

 

 

112,386

 

 

 

1.86%

Total

 

 

825,069

 

 

 

15.21%

 

 

642,432

 

 

 

10.63%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-accrual loans (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

402,287

 

 

 

7.42%

 

 

480,083

 

 

 

7.95%

Commercial real estate

 

 

1,735,572

 

 

 

31.99%

 

 

1,600,827

 

 

 

26.49%

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

2,243,632

 

 

 

41.36%

 

 

2,112,267

 

 

 

34.95%

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

217,844

 

 

 

4.02%

 

 

240,753

 

 

 

3.98%

Total

 

 

4,599,335

 

 

 

84.79%

 

 

4,433,930

 

 

 

73.37%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OREO

 

 

0

 

 

 

0.00%

 

 

966,738

 

 

 

16.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Non-Performing Assets

 

$5,424,404

 

 

 

100.00%

 

$6,043,100

 

 

 

100.00%

 

1)

No CRE loans, municipal loans or consumer loans were past due 90 days or more and accruing, and no municipal loans or consumer loans were in non-accrual status as of the consolidated balance sheet dates presented. In accordance with Company policy, delinquent consumer loans are charged off at 120 days past due.

  

The Company’s OREO portfolio consisted of no properties at September 30, 2020 compared to three commercial properties and one residential property at December 31, 2019. The Company took control of the commercial properties held at December 31, 2019, rather than obtaining them through the normal foreclosure process.  All of these properties were sold during the first nine months of 2020.

 

The Company’s TDRs are principally a result of extending loan repayment terms to relieve cash flow difficulties.  The Company has only infrequently reduced interest rates below the current market rate.  The Company has not forgiven principal or reduced accrued interest within the terms of original restructurings.  Management evaluates each TDR situation on its own merits and does not foreclose the granting of any particular type of concession.

 

The non-performing assets in the table above include the following TDRs that were past due 90 days or more or in non-accrual status as of the dates presented:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Principal

 

 

Number of

 

 

Principal

 

 

 

Loans

 

 

Balance

 

 

Loans

 

 

Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

6

 

 

$297,546

 

 

 

6

 

 

$331,767

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

4

 

 

 

729,396

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

772,894

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

17

 

 

 

1,879,039

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

1,468,415

 

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

50,095

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

55,011

 

     Total

 

 

28

 

 

$2,956,076

 

 

 

25

 

 

$2,628,085

 

 

 
48

Table of Contents

 

The remaining TDRs were performing in accordance with their modified terms as of the dates presented and consisted of the following:

 

 

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

December 31, 2019

 

 

 

Number of

 

 

Principal

 

 

Number of

 

 

Principal

 

 

 

Loans

 

 

Balance

 

 

Loans

 

 

Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

2

 

 

$94,440

 

 

 

2

 

 

$106,913

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

32

 

 

 

2,492,107

 

 

 

30

 

 

 

2,459,649

 

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

1

 

 

 

5,080

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

6,101

 

     Total

 

 

35

 

 

$2,591,627

 

 

 

33

 

 

$2,572,663

 

  

As of the balance sheet dates, the Company evaluates whether it is contractually committed to lend additional funds to debtors with impaired, non-accrual or modified loans.  The Company is contractually committed to lend on one SBA guaranteed line of credit to a borrower whose lending relationship was previously restructured.

 

On March 22, 2020, the federal banking agencies issued an “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus”, which was subsequently revised in April.  This guidance encourages financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers that may be unable to meet their contractual obligations because of the effects of COVID-19.  The guidance explains that in consultation with the FASB staff the federal banking agencies have concluded that short-term modifications (e.g. six months or less) made on a good faith basis to borrowers who were current as of the implementation date of a relief program are not TDRs.  Section 4013 of the CARES Act also addressed COVID-19 related modifications and provides that COVID-19 related modifications made between March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the President declares an end to the COVID-19 national emergency on loans that were current as of December 31, 2019 will not require the loans to be treated as TDRs under GAAP.  Through September 30, 2020, the Company had applied this guidance and modified 435 individual loans with aggregate principal balances totaling $110.5 million.  More of these types of modifications are likely to be executed in the fourth quarter of 2020.  The majority of these modifications involved three-month extensions of interest-only periods.  The Company intends to continue to work with its borrowers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide short-term debt relief where prudent and appropriate.

 

ALL and provisions - The Company maintains an ALL at a level that management believes is appropriate to absorb losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of the measurement date (See Note 6 to the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements).  Although the Company, in establishing the ALL, considers the inherent losses in individual loans and pools of loans, the ALL is a general reserve available to absorb all credit losses in the loan portfolio.  No part of the ALL is segregated to absorb losses from any particular loan or segment of loans.

 

When establishing the ALL each quarter, the Company applies a combination of historical loss factors to loan segments, including residential first and junior lien mortgages, commercial real estate, commercial & industrial, and consumer loan portfolios, other than the municipal loans as there has never been a loss recorded in that loan segment.  The Company applies numerous qualitative factors to each segment of the loan portfolio.  Those factors include the levels of and trends in delinquencies and non-accrual loans, criticized and classified assets, volumes and terms of loans, and the impact of any loan policy changes.  Experience, ability and depth of lending personnel, levels of policy and documentation exceptions, national and local economic trends, the competitive environment, and concentrations of credit are also factors considered.  In the third quarter of 2020, the Company adjusted its ALL analysis to include application of qualitative factors to the municipal portfolio and certain purchased commercial loans, for which no historical loss data exist for either of those portfolios. (See Note 6 to the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the impact to the current year provision.)

 

Specific allocations to the ALL are made for certain impaired loans.  Impaired loans include all troubled debt restructurings regardless of amount, and all loans to a borrower that in aggregate are greater than $100,000 and that are in non-accrual status.  A loan is considered impaired when it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due, including interest and principal, according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement.  The Company reviews all the facts and circumstances surrounding non-accrual loans and on a case-by-case basis may consider loans below the threshold as impaired when such treatment is material to the financial statements.  See Note 6 to the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for information on the recorded investment in impaired loans and their related allocations. 

 

 
49

Table of Contents

 

The following table summarizes the Company's loan loss experience for the periods presented:

 

As of or for the Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loans outstanding, end of period

 

$738,247,772

 

 

$604,107,288

 

Average loans outstanding during period

 

$685,896,774

 

 

$585,983,458

 

Non-accruing loans, end of period

 

$4,599,335

 

 

$5,338,884

 

Non-accruing loans, net of government guarantees

 

$4,288,595

 

 

$4,983,484

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL, beginning of period

 

$5,926,491

 

 

$5,602,541

 

Loans charged off:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

(34,565)

 

 

(10,368)

Commercial real estate

 

 

(2,200)

 

 

(116,186)

Municipal

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

(134,196)

 

 

(242,244)

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

(28,673)

 

 

(102,000)

Consumer

 

 

(50,458)

 

 

(70,959)

Total loans charged off

 

 

(250,092)

 

 

(541,757)

Recoveries:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

1,087

 

 

 

10,768

 

Commercial real estate

 

 

20,000

 

 

 

0

 

Municipal

 

 

0

 

 

 

0

 

Residential real estate - 1st lien

 

 

10,552

 

 

 

11,131

 

Residential real estate - Jr lien

 

 

5,280

 

 

 

1,486

 

Consumer

 

 

28,289

 

 

 

32,805

 

Total recoveries

 

 

65,208

 

 

 

56,190

 

Net loans charged off

 

 

(184,884)

 

 

(485,567)

Provision charged to income

 

 

1,046,501

 

 

 

766,668

 

ALL, end of period

 

$6,788,108

 

 

$5,883,642

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net charge offs to average loans outstanding

 

 

0.027%

 

 

0.083%

Provision charged to income as a percent of average loans

 

 

0.153%

 

 

0.131%

ALL to average loans outstanding

 

 

0.990%

 

 

1.004%

ALL to non-accruing loans

 

 

147.589%

 

 

110.204%

ALL to non-accruing loans net of government guarantees

 

 

158.283%

 

 

118.063%

 

The provision for loan losses increased $279,833, or 36.5%, for the first nine months of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.  Increases to the provision were partially due to loan growth, other than PPP loans, which bear a 100% SBA guarantee, as well as adjustments to the qualitative factors used to estimate the allowance for loan losses, particularly factors related to the economic impact to borrowers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Further increases in the provision in future periods will be necessary if economic conditions and credit quality continue to deteriorate due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Company has an experienced collections department that continues to work actively with borrowers to resolve problem loans and manage the OREO portfolio, and management continues to monitor the loan portfolio closely.

 

The third quarter ALL analysis shows the reserve balance of $6.8 million at September 30, 2020 is appropriate in management’s view to cover losses that are probable and estimable as of the measurement date, with an unallocated reserve of $298,406 compared to $178,038 at December 31, 2019.  The reserve balance and unallocated amount continue to be directionally consistent with the overall risk profile of the Company’s loan portfolio and credit risk appetite.  The portion of the ALL termed "unallocated" is established to absorb inherent losses that exist as of the measurement date although not specifically identified through management's process for estimating credit losses.  While the ALL is described as consisting of separate allocated portions, the entire ALL is available to support loan losses, regardless of category.  Unallocated reserves are considered by management to be appropriate in light of the unknown impact to borrowers due to COVID-19, the Company’s continued growth strategy and shift in the portfolio from residential loans to commercial and industrial and CRE loans and the risk associated with the relatively new, unseasoned loans in those portfolios.  The adequacy of the ALL is reviewed quarterly by the risk management committee of the Board and then presented to the full Board for approval.

 

 
50

Table of Contents

 

In addition to credit risk in the Company’s loan portfolio and liquidity risk in its loan and deposit-taking operations, the Company’s business activities also generate market risk.  Market risk is the risk of loss in a financial instrument arising from adverse changes in market prices and rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices and equity prices.  Declining capital markets can result in fair value adjustments necessary to record decreases in the value of the investment portfolio for other-than-temporary-impairment.  The Company does not have any market risk sensitive instruments acquired for trading purposes.  The Company’s market risk arises primarily from interest rate risk inherent in its lending and deposit taking activities.  During recessionary periods, a declining housing market can result in an increase in loan loss reserves or ultimately an increase in foreclosures.  Interest rate risk is directly related to the different maturities and repricing characteristics of interest-bearing assets and liabilities, as well as to loan prepayment risks, early withdrawal of time deposits, and the fact that the speed and magnitude of responses to interest rate changes vary by product.  As discussed above under "Interest Rate Risk and Asset and Liability Management", the Company actively monitors and manages its interest rate risk through the ALCO process.  However, sudden and dramatic changes in prevailing interest rates, such as those adopted by the FRB in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, create challenges for interest rate risk management.

 

COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND OFF-BALANCE-SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

 

The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers.  These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit and risk-sharing commitments on certain sold loans.  Such instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet.  The contract or notional amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments. During the first nine months of 2020, the Company did not engage in any activity that created any additional types of off-balance sheet risk.

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

Managing liquidity risk is essential to maintaining both depositor confidence and stability in earnings.  Liquidity management refers to the ability of the Company to adequately cover fluctuations in assets and liabilities.  Meeting loan demand (assets) and covering the withdrawal of deposit funds (liabilities) are two key components of the liquidity management process.  The Company’s principal sources of funds are deposits, amortization and prepayment of loans and securities, maturities of investment securities, sales of loans available-for-sale, and earnings and funds provided from operations.  Maintaining a relatively stable funding base, which is achieved by diversifying funding sources, competitively pricing deposit products, and extending the contractual maturity of liabilities, reduces the Company’s exposure to rollover risk on deposits and limits reliance on volatile short-term borrowed funds.  Short-term funding needs arise from declines in deposits or other funding sources and from funding requirements for loan commitments.  The Company’s strategy is to fund assets to the maximum extent possible with core deposits that provide a sizable source of relatively stable and low-cost funds.

 

The Company recognizes that, at times, when loan demand exceeds deposit growth or the Company has other liquidity demands, it may be desirable to utilize alternative sources of deposit funding to augment retail deposits and borrowings.  One-way deposits acquired through the CDARS program provide an alternative funding source when needed.  At September 30, 2020, the Company had no one-way CDARS outstanding, compared to $4.0 million at December 31, 2019.  In addition, two-way (that is, reciprocal) CDARS deposits, as well as reciprocal ICS money market and demand deposits, allow the Company to provide FDIC deposit insurance to its customers in excess of account coverage limits by exchanging deposits with other participating FDIC-insured financial institutions.  At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company reported approximately $5.3 million and $6.8 million, respectively, in reciprocal CDARS deposits.  The balance in ICS reciprocal money market deposits was $21.0 million at September 30, 2020, compared to $22.6 million at December 31, 2019, and the balance in ICS reciprocal demand deposits as of those dates was $41.2 million and $39.7 million, respectively.

  

 
51

Table of Contents

 

During the third quarter of 2018, the Company issued two blocks of DTC Brokered CDs totaling $20.0 million and $10 million with maturities in January, 2019 and August, 2019, respectively.  In January, 2019, the Company partially replaced the $20.0 million block with purchases of two blocks of DTC Brokered CDs totaling $15.0 million with maturities in July, 2019 and January, 2020.  The Company did not replace the blocks that matured in July and August, 2019, leaving a $6.2 million block maturing in January, 2020, outstanding as of December 31, 2019.  Upon maturity, this block was not replaced, however, during the July, 2020 the Company issued three blocks of DTC Brokered CDs totaling $1.3 million, $2.3 million, and $1.4 million with maturities in October, 2020, January, 2021 and April, 2021, respectively, for a total outstanding of $5.0 million at September 30, 2020.  Wholesale deposit funding through DTC is an important supplemental source of liquidity that has proven efficient, flexible and cost-effective when compared with other borrowing methods.

 

At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, borrowing capacity of $89.9 million and $97.4 million, respectively, was available through the FHLBB, secured by the Company's qualifying loan portfolio (generally, residential mortgage and commercial loans), reduced by outstanding advances and by collateral pledges securing FHLBB letters of credit collateralizing public unit deposits.  The Company also has an unsecured Federal Funds credit line with the FHLBB with an available balance of $500,000 and no outstanding advances during any of the respective comparison periods.  Interest is chargeable at a rate determined daily, approximately 25 bps higher than the rate paid on federal funds sold.

 

The Company has a BIC arrangement with the FRBB secured by eligible commercial & industrial loans, CRE loans and home equity loans, resulting in an available credit line of $45.0 million and $56.9 million, respectively, at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.  Credit advances under this FRBB lending program are overnight advances with interest chargeable at the primary credit rate (generally referred to as the discount rate), currently 25 bps.  The Company had no outstanding advances at September 30, 2020 or December 31, 2019.

 

On April 20, 2020, the Company became eligible to borrow through the FRB’s PPPLF under a lending arrangement with the FRBB to support its PPP lending activities.  Under the PPPLF, advances from the FRBB carry a fixed interest rate of 35 bps and must be secured by pledges of loans to small businesses guaranteed by the SBA. As of September 30, 2020, the Company had no PPPLF advances. 

 

The following table reflects the Company’s outstanding FHLBB and FRBB advances against the respective lines as of the dates indicated:

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Long-Term Advances(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due January 07, 2021

 

$150,000

 

 

$0

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due February 26, 2021

 

 

350,000

 

 

 

350,000

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due November 22, 2021

 

 

1,000,000

 

 

 

1,000,000

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due September 22, 2023

 

 

200,000

 

 

 

200,000

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due November 12, 2025

 

 

300,000

 

 

 

300,000

 

FHLBB term advance, 0.00%, due November 13, 2028

 

 

800,000

 

 

 

800,000

 

 

 

$2,800,000

 

 

$2,650,000

 

 

1)

All long-term advances are pursuant to the JNE program, through which the FHLBB provides a subsidy, funded by the FHLBB’s earnings, to write down interest rates to zero percent on advances that finance qualifying loans to small businesses. JNE advances must support small business in New England that create and/or retain jobs, or otherwise contribute to overall economic development activities.

 

 
52

Table of Contents

 

The Company has unsecured lines of credit with three correspondent banks with aggregate available borrowing capacity totaling $21.5 million as of the balance sheet dates presented in this quarterly report.  The Company had no outstanding advance against these credit lines as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

 

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase provide another funding source for the Company.  At September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had outstanding repurchase agreement balances of $30.6 million and $33.2 million, respectively.  These repurchase agreements mature and are repriced daily.

 

The following table illustrates the changes in shareholders' equity from December 31, 2019 to September 30, 2020:

 

Balance at December 31, 2019 (book value $12.86 per common share)

 

$68,894,679

 

    Net income

 

 

7,583,992

 

    Issuance of stock through the DRIP

 

 

779,910

 

    Dividends declared on common stock

 

 

(2,997,403)

    Dividends declared on preferred stock

 

 

(42,188)

    Change in AOCI on AFS securities, net of tax

 

 

711,315

 

Balance at September 30, 2020 (book value $13.85 per common share)

 

$74,930,305

 

  

The primary objective of the Company’s capital planning process is to balance appropriately the retention of capital to support operations and future growth, with the goal of providing shareholders an attractive return on their investment.  To that end, management monitors capital retention and dividend policies on an ongoing basis.

 

The Company’s equity capital at September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 reflects the redemption in 2019 at par of five shares of the Company’s Series A non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock on March 31, 2019, at an aggregate redemption price of $500,000, plus accrued dividends.  Partial redemptions of the Company’s preferred stock began in 2018, and are at the discretion of management and voted on by the Board. The Company chose to not redeem any additional preferred shares during the first nine months of 2020, but may consider further redemptions later this year or in future periods.

 

As described in more detail in Note 21 to the audited consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under the caption “LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES” in the MD&A section of that report, the Company (on a consolidated basis) and the Bank are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies pursuant to which they must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of their assets, liabilities and certain off-balance-sheet items.  Capital amounts and classifications are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings and other factors.

 

Under the 2018 Regulatory Relief Act, these capital requirements have been simplified for qualifying community banks and bank holding companies.  In September 2019, the OCC and the other federal bank regulators approved a final joint rule that permits a qualifying community banking organization to opt in to a simplified regulatory capital framework.  A qualifying institution that elects to utilize the simplified framework must maintain a Tier 1 leverage ratio, or CBLR in excess of 9%, and will thereby be deemed to have satisfied the generally applicable risk-based and other leverage capital requirements and (if applicable) the FDIC’s prompt corrective action framework.  In order to utilize the CBLR framework, in addition to maintaining a CBLR of over 9%, a community banking organization must have less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets and must meet certain other criteria such as limitations on the amount of off-balance sheet exposures and on trading assets and liabilities.  The CBLR is calculated by dividing tangible equity capital by average total consolidated assets.  The final rule became effective on January 1, 2020 for capital calculations as of March 31, 2020 and thereafter. 

 

Pursuant to the CARES Act, the federal banking agencies adopted an interim rule temporarily lowering the CBLR benchmark to, in excess of 8%, rather than 9%, with a phased increase of the CBLR back to the 9% level by the end of 2021.  The Company and Bank continued to qualify to utilize the CBLR framework as of September 30, 2020, but have not elected to do so.

 

As of September 30, 2020, the Bank was considered well capitalized under the regulatory capital framework for Prompt Corrective Action and the Company exceeded currently applicable consolidated regulatory guidelines for capital adequacy. While we believe that the Company has sufficient capital to withstand an extended economic downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, our regulatory capital ratios could be adversely impacted by future credit losses and other operational impacts related to COVID-19.

 

 
53

Table of Contents

 

The following table shows the Company’s actual capital ratios and those of its subsidiary, as well as currently applicable regulatory capital requirements, as of the dates indicated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum

 

 

Minimum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minimum

 

 

For Capital

 

 

To Be Well

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Capital

 

 

Adequacy Purposes

 

 

Capitalized Under

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adequacy

 

 

with Conservation

 

 

Prompt Corrective

 

 

 

Actual

 

 

Purposes:

 

 

Buffer(1):

 

 

Action Provisions(2):

 

 

 

Amount

 

 

Ratio 

 

 

Amount

 

 

Ratio

 

 

Amount

 

 

Ratio

 

 

Amount

 

 

Ratio

 

 

 

(Dollars in Thousands)

 

September 30, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common equity tier 1 capital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$75,174

 

 

 

13.83%

 

$24,456

 

 

 

4.50%

 

$38,043

 

 

 

7.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$74,481

 

 

 

13.72%

 

$24,432

 

 

 

4.50%

 

$38,006

 

 

 

7.00%

 

$35,291

 

 

 

6.50%

Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$75,174

 

 

 

13.83%

 

$32,608

 

 

 

6.00%

 

$46,195

 

 

 

8.50%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$74,481

 

 

 

13.72%

 

$32,576

 

 

 

6.00%

 

$46,150

 

 

 

8.50%

 

$43,435

 

 

 

8.00%

Total capital (to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$81,969

 

 

 

15.08%

 

$43,478

 

 

 

8.00%

 

$57,065

 

 

 

10.50%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$81,269

 

 

 

14.97%

 

$43,435

 

 

 

8.00%

 

$57,009

 

 

 

10.50%

 

$54,294

 

 

 

10.00%

Tier 1 capital (to average assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$75,174

 

 

 

9.06%

 

$33,184

 

 

 

4.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$74,481

 

 

 

8.98%

 

$33,165

 

 

 

4.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

$41,456

 

 

 

5.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common equity tier 1 capital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$69,947

 

 

 

13.48%

 

$23,352

 

 

 

4.50%

 

$36,325

 

 

 

7.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$69,330

 

 

 

13.38%

 

$23,325

 

 

 

4.50%

 

$36,283

 

 

 

7.00%

 

$33,691

 

 

 

6.50%

Tier 1 capital (to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$69,947

 

 

 

13.48%

 

$31,135

 

 

 

6.00%

 

$44,108

 

 

 

8.50%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$69,330

 

 

 

13.38%

 

$31,099

 

 

 

6.00%

 

$44,057

 

 

 

8.50%

 

$41,466

 

 

 

8.00%

Total capital (to risk-weighted assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$75,943

 

 

 

14.63%

 

$41,514

 

 

 

8.00%

 

$54,487

 

 

 

10.50%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$75,326

 

 

 

14.53%

 

$41,466

 

 

 

8.00%

 

$54,424

 

 

 

10.50%

 

$51,832

 

 

 

10.00%

Tier 1 capital (to average assets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

$69,947

 

 

 

9.57%

 

$29,223

 

 

 

4.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

Bank

 

$69,330

 

 

 

9.50%

 

$29,201

 

 

 

4.00%

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

$36,501

 

 

 

5.00%

 

1)

Conservation Buffer is calculated based on risk-weighted assets and does not apply to calculations of average assets.

2)

Applicable to banks, but not bank holding companies.

 

 
54

Table of Contents

 

The Company's ability to pay dividends to its shareholders is largely dependent on the Bank's ability to pay dividends to the Company.  In general, a national bank may not pay dividends that exceed net income for the current and preceding two years regardless of statutory restrictions, as a matter of regulatory policy, banks and bank holding companies should pay dividends only out of current earnings and only if, after paying such dividends, they remain adequately capitalized.

 

ITEM 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

 

Omitted, in accordance with the regulatory relief available to smaller reporting companies in SEC Release Nos. 33-10513 and 34-83550.

   

ITEM 4. Controls and Procedures

 

Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act.  As of September 30, 2020, an evaluation was performed under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures.  Based on that evaluation, management concluded that its disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2020 were effective in ensuring that material information required to be disclosed in the reports it files with the Commission under the Exchange Act was recorded, processed, summarized, and reported on a timely basis.

 

For this purpose, the term “disclosure controls and procedures” means controls and other procedures of the Company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by it in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.  Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2020 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 
55

Table of Contents

 

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 1. Legal Proceedings

 

In the normal course of business, the Company is involved in litigation that is considered incidental to their business.  Management does not expect that any such litigation will be material to the Company's consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

 

ITEM 1A. Risk Factors

 

Except for the additional risks discussed below related to the COVID-19 pandemic, in management’s view there are no new risk factors relating to the Company in addition to the risk factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, although the severity of those risk factors may be heightened as a result of COVID-19 related risks.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is disruptive to us and our customers, employees and third-party service providers, and the adverse impacts on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be significant.  Moreover, the ultimate impacts of the pandemic on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects will depend on future developments and other factors that are highly uncertain and will be affected by the scope and duration of the pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities in response to the pandemic.

 

The ongoing COVID-19 global and national health emergency has caused significant disruption in the national and global economies and financial markets.   The spread of COVID-19 initially caused illness, quarantines, cancellation of business and social events and travel, business and school shutdowns, reduction in business activity and financial transactions, supply chain interruptions and overall economic and financial market instability throughout our Vermont markets and nationwide. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Vermont, as well as the governments in most other states, took preventative or protective actions, such as imposing restrictions on travel and in-person business operations, advising or requiring individuals to limit or forego their time outside of their homes, and ordering temporary closures of businesses that have been deemed to be non-essential. These restrictions and other consequences of the pandemic resulted in significant adverse effects for many different types of businesses, including, among others, those in the travel, hospitality and food and beverage industries, real estate and the health care industry, and resulted in a significant number of layoffs and furloughs of employees in Vermont and nationwide.

 

 
56

Table of Contents

 

While the CARES Act provided fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses helping to minimize the immediate impact of the pandemic, the ultimate effects of COVID-19 on the broader economy and our markets are not known, nor is the ultimate duration or impacts of the economic and social restrictions described above. Moreover, the responsive actions taken by the FRB to lower the Federal Funds rate may negatively affect our interest income and, therefore, earnings, financial condition, results of operation and prospects in future periods.  Additional impacts of COVID-19 on our business could be widespread and material, and may include, or exacerbate, among other consequences, the following:

 

 

decline in the credit quality of our loan portfolio, owing to the effects of COVID-19 in the markets we serve, leading to a need to increase our allowance for loan losses;

 

declines in value of collateral for loans, including real estate collateral;

 

declines in the net worth and liquidity of borrowers and loan guarantors, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us;

 

declines in demand resulting from businesses being deemed to be “non-essential” by governments in the markets we serve, and from “non-essential” and “essential” businesses suffering adverse effects from reduced levels of economic activity in our markets.

 

our employees contracting COVID-19;

 

reductions in our operating effectiveness as our employees work from home;

 

a work stoppage, forced quarantine, or other interruption of our business;

 

unavailability of key personnel necessary to conduct our business activities;

 

effects on key employees, including operational management personnel and those charged with preparing, monitoring and evaluating our financial reporting and internal controls;

 

sustained closures of our branch lobbies or the offices of our customers;

 

declines in demand for loans and other banking services and products;

 

substantial increases in unemployment in our markets;

 

reduced consumer spending due to job losses and other effects attributable to COVID-19;

 

unprecedented volatility in U.S. financial markets ;and

 

volatile performance of our investment securities portfolio.

 

These factors, together or in combination with other factors, events or occurrences that may not yet be known or anticipated, may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, in both the short-term and the long-term. The further spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as ongoing or new governmental, regulatory and private sector responses to the pandemic, may continue to materially disrupt banking and other economic activity generally and in the areas in which we operate. This could result in further decline in demand for our banking products and services, and could negatively impact, among other things, our asset quality, liquidity, regulatory capital, net income and growth prospects.

 

We are taking precautions to protect the safety and well-being of our employees and customers. However, no assurance can be given that the steps being taken will be adequate or deemed to be appropriate, nor can we predict the level of disruption which will occur to our employees’ ability to provide customer support and service. If we are unable to recover from a business disruption on a timely basis, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. We may also incur additional costs to remedy damages caused by such disruptions, which could further adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

As a participating lender in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), the Company is subject to additional risks that the SBA may not fund some or all PPP loan guaranties and risks of litigation from our customers or other parties regarding the processing of PPP loans.

 

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the CARES Act, which included a $349 billion loan program administered through the SBA referred to as the PPP.  Congress subsequently approved $321 billion in additional funding for the PPP, including $60 billion earmarked for community banks and other small lenders.  Under the PPP, small businesses and other entities and individuals can apply for loans from existing SBA lenders and other approved regulated lenders that enroll in the program, subject to numerous limitations and eligibility criteria. The Company’s subsidiary Bank is participating as a lender in the PPP. The PPP opened on April 3, 2020; however, because of the short timeframe between passage of the CARES Act and the opening of the PPP, there is some ambiguity in the laws, rules and guidance regarding the operation of the PPP and documentation of PPP loans, which could expose the Company to risks relating to noncompliance with the PPP. For example, as a PPP lender, the Company has credit risk on PPP loans if a determination is made by the SBA that there was a deficiency in the manner in which the loan was originated, funded, or serviced by the Bank, such as an issue with the eligibility of a borrower to receive a PPP loan, which may or may not be related to the ambiguity in the laws, rules and guidance regarding the operation of the PPP. In the event of a loss resulting from a default on a PPP loan and a determination by the SBA that there was a deficiency in the manner in which the PPP loan was originated, funded, or serviced by the Company, the SBA may deny its liability under the loan guaranty, reduce the amount of the guaranty, or, if it has already paid under the guaranty, seek recovery of any loss related to the deficiency from the Company.  If any such deficiency or noncompliance with PPP requirements is systemic to all or a substantial portion of the Company’s PPP loan portfolio, the Company’s credit risk exposure could be severe.

 

 
57

Table of Contents

 

In addition, since inception of the PPP, several large banks have been subject to litigation regarding their processes and procedures used in processing PPP loan applications. The Company could be exposed to similar risk of litigation, from both customers and non-customers who sought PPP loans from us, regarding our processes and procedures for processing PPP loan applications. If such litigation were to occur and not be resolved in a manner favorable to the Company, it could result in significant financial liability or adversely affect the Company’s reputation.

 

In management’s view, the Risk Factors identified in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and the additional Risk Factors associated with COVID-19 identified and updated above, continue to represent the most significant risks to the Company's future results of operations and financial condition as of September 30, 2020. 

 

ITEM 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

The following table provides information as to the purchases of the Company’s common stock during the three months ended September 30, 2020, by the Company or by any affiliated purchaser (as defined in SEC Rule 10b-18).  During the monthly periods presented, the Company did not have any publicly announced repurchase plans or programs.

 

 

 

Total Number

 

 

Average

 

 

 

of Shares

 

 

Price Paid

 

For the period:

 

Purchased(1)(2)

 

 

Per Share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 1 - July 31

 

 

0

 

 

$0.00

 

August 1 - August 31

 

 

0

 

 

 

0.00

 

September 1 - September 30

 

 

5,373

 

 

 

13.00

 

     Total

 

 

5,373

 

 

$13.00

 

  

(1)  All 5,373 shares were purchased for the account of participants invested in the Company Stock Fund under the Company’s Retirement Savings Plan by or on behalf of the Plan Trustee, the Human Resources Committee of the Bank.  Such share purchases were facilitated through CFSG, which provides certain investment advisory services to the Plan.  Both the Plan Trustee and CFSG may be considered affiliates of the Company under Rule 10b-18.

 

 
58

Table of Contents

 

ITEM 6. Exhibits

 

The following exhibits are filed with, or incorporated by reference in, this report:

 

Exhibit 3.1 -

Amended and Restated Bylaws (amended and restated through July 15, 2020), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 20, 2020

Exhibit 31.1 -

Certification from the Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) of the Company pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Exhibit 31.2 -

Certification from the Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) of the Company pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Exhibit 32.1 -

Certification from the Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) of the Company pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*

Exhibit 32.2 -

Certification from the Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) of the Company pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*

 

 

Exhibit 101-

The following materials from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020 formatted in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL): (i) the unaudited consolidated balance sheets, (ii) the unaudited consolidated statements of income for the three-month and nine-month interim periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, (iii) the unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income, (iv) the unaudited consolidated statements of cash flows and (v) related notes.

 

*This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act.

 

 
59

Table of Contents

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

COMMUNITY BANCORP.

 

 

DATED:  November 9, 2020

/s/ Kathryn M. Austin

 

 

Kathryn M. Austin, President

 

 

& Chief Executive Officer

 

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

DATED: November 9, 2020

/s/ Louise M. Bonvechio

 

 

Louise M. Bonvechio, Corporate

 

 

Secretary & Treasurer

 

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 
60

Table of Contents

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, DC  20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

☒  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2020

 

COMMUNITY BANCORP.

 

EXHIBITS

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

  

Exhibit 3.1

Amended and Restated Bylaws (amended and restated through July 15, 2020), incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 20, 2020

 

 

Exhibit 31.1

Certification from the Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) of the Company pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

 

Exhibit 31.2

Certification from the Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) of the Company pursuant to section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

 

Exhibit 32.1

Certification from the Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) of the Company pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*

 

 

Exhibit 32.2

Certification from the Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer) of the Company pursuant to 18 U.S.C., Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*

 

 

Exhibit 101

The following materials from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 formatted in Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL): (i) the unaudited consolidated balance sheets, (ii) the unaudited consolidated statements of income for the three-month and nine-month interim periods ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, (iii) the unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income, (iv) the unaudited consolidated statements of cash flows and (v) related notes.

  

*  This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Exchange Act.

 

 
61