UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

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

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022

o  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 001-38884

FRANKLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(717) 264-6116

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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

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

NONE

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

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

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 periods that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes  x No  o

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act) Yes o No x

The aggregate market value of the 3,992,103 shares of the Registrant's common stock held by nonaffiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2022 based on the price of such shares was $120,401,826.

There were 4,398,823 outstanding shares of the Registrant's common stock as of February 28, 2023.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the definitive annual proxy statement to be filed, pursuant to Reg. 14A within 120 days after December 31, 2022, are incorporated into Part III.

FRANKLIN FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION

FORM 10-K

INDEX

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Part I

Item 1. Business

General

Franklin Financial Services Corporation (the “Corporation”) was organized as a Pennsylvania business corporation on June 1, 1983 and is a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”). On January 16, 1984, pursuant to a plan of reorganization approved by the shareholders of Farmers and Merchants Trust Company of Chambersburg (“F&M Trust” or “the Bank”) and the appropriate regulatory agencies, the Corporation acquired all the shares of F&M Trust and issued its own shares to former F&M Trust shareholders on a share-for-share basis.

The Corporation’s common stock is listed under the symbol “FRAF” on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The Corporation’s internet address is www.franklinfin.com. Electronic copies of the Corporation’s 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available free of charge by visiting the “Investor Information” section of www.franklinfin.com. Electronic copies of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K are also available at this internet address. These reports are posted as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This reference to the Corporation’s internet address shall not, under any circumstances, be deemed to incorporate the information available at such internet address into this Form 10-K or other SEC filings. The information available at the Corporation’s internet address is not part of this Form 10-K or any other report filed by the Corporation with the SEC. The Corporation’s SEC filings can also be obtained on the SEC’s website on the Internet at http://www.sec.gov.

The Corporation conducts substantially all of its business through its wholly owned direct banking subsidiary, F&M Trust. F&M Trust, established in 1906, is a full-service, Pennsylvania-chartered commercial bank and trust company, which is not a member of the Federal Reserve System. F&M Trust operates twenty-two community banking offices in Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania; and Washington County, Maryland. It also has a location in Dauphin County, PA that serves as a regional support center for Commercial, and Investment and Trust services. The Bank engages in general commercial, retail banking and trust services normally associated with community banks and its deposits are insured (up to applicable legal limits) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). F&M Trust offers a wide variety of banking services to businesses, individuals, and governmental entities. These services include, but are not necessarily limited to, accepting and maintaining checking, savings, and time deposit accounts, providing investment and trust services, making loans and providing safe deposit facilities. Franklin Future Fund Inc., a direct subsidiary of the Corporation, is a non-bank investment company that makes venture capital investments, limited to 5% or less of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of any company, within the Corporation’s primary market area. Franklin Financial Properties Corp. is a “qualified real estate subsidiary,” a wholly owned subsidiary of F&M Trust and was established to hold real estate assets used by F&M Trust in its banking operations.

F&M Trust is not dependent upon a single customer or a few customers for a material part of its business. Thus, the loss of any customer or identifiable group of customers would not materially affect the business of the Corporation or the Bank in an adverse manner. Also, none of the Bank’s business is seasonal. The Bank’s lending activities consist primarily of commercial real estate, construction and land development, agricultural, commercial and industrial loans, installment and revolving loans to consumers and residential mortgage loans. Secured and unsecured commercial and industrial loans, including accounts receivable and inventory financing, and commercial equipment financing, are made to small and medium-sized businesses, individuals, governmental entities, and non-profit organizations.

The Bank classifies loans in this report by the type of collateral, primarily residential or commercial and agricultural real estate. Loans secured by residential real estate loans may be further broken down into consumer or commercial purposes. Consumer purpose residential real estate loans represent traditional residential mortgages and home equity products. Both of these products are underwritten in generally the same manner; however, home equity products may present greater risk since many of these loans are secured by a second lien position where the Bank may or may not hold the first lien position. Commercial purpose residential real estate loans represent loans made to businesses but are secured by residential real estate. These loans are underwritten as commercial loans and the repayment ability may be dependent on the business operation, despite the residential collateral. In addition to the real estate collateral, it is possible that personal guarantees or other business assets provide additional security. In certain situations, the Bank acquires properties through foreclosure on delinquent loans. The Bank initially records these properties at the estimated fair value less cost to sell with subsequent adjustments to fair value recorded as needed.

Commercial and agricultural real estate loans are secured by properties such as hotels, office buildings, apartment buildings, retail sites, and farmland or agricultural related properties. These loans are highly dependent on the business operations for repayment. Compared to residential real estate, this collateral may be more difficult to sell in the event of a default.

Construction loans are made to finance the purchase of land and the construction of residential and commercial buildings and are secured by mortgages on real estate. These loans are primarily comprised of loans to consumers to build a home, and loans to contractors and developers to construct residential properties for resale or rental. Construction loans present various risks that include, but are not limited to: schedule delays, cost overruns, changes in economic conditions during the construction period, and the inability to sell or rent the property upon completion.

Commercial loans are made to businesses and government municipalities of various sizes for a variety of purposes including operations, property, plant and equipment, and working capital. These loans are highly dependent on the business operations for repayment and are generally secured by business assets and personal guarantees. As such, this collateral may be more difficult to sell in the event of a delinquency. Commercial lending, including commercial real estate, is concentrated in the Bank’s primary market, but also includes purchased loan participations originated primarily in south-central Pennsylvania.

Consumer loans are comprised of unsecured personal lines of credit and installment loans. While some of these loans are secured, the collateral behind the loans is often comprised of assets that lose value quickly (e.g., automobiles) and if repossessed, may not fully satisfy the loan in the event of default. Repayment of these loans is highly dependent on the borrowers’ financial condition that can be affected by economic factors beyond their control and personal circumstances.

The Bank offers numerous deposit products including demand deposits (noninterest and interest-bearing accounts), savings, money management accounts, and time deposits (certificates of deposits/CDs) to retail, commercial, and municipal customers.

F&M Trust’s Investment and Trust Services Department offers all of the personal and corporate trust services normally associated with community bank trust departments including: estate planning and administration, corporate and personal trust fund management, pension, profit sharing and other employee benefit funds management, and custodial services. F&M Trust through licensed members of its Investment and Trust Services Department sells mutual funds, annuities and selected insurance products.

Competition

The Corporation and its banking subsidiary operate in a highly competitive environment. The principal market of F&M Trust is in south central Pennsylvania, primarily the counties of Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton and Huntingdon, and Washington County, MD. There are 33 competing commercial banks that have offices within the Corporation’s primary market area. These banks range from large regional banks to independent community banks. In addition, credit unions, mortgage banks, brokerage firms and other on-line competitors compete within the market.

The following table shows the Bank’s market share in its primary market as reported on the June 30, 2022 FDIC Summary of Deposits Report:

With increasing competition, many nonbanking institutions offer services similar to those offered by the Bank. Some competitors may have access to resources (e.g., financial and technological) sooner than they are available to the Bank, or that may be unavailable to the Bank, thereby creating a competitive disadvantage for the Bank in terms of product, service pricing and delivery. In addition, credit unions increasingly compete with banks for deposits and certain types of loans. The Bank utilizes various strategies including its long history of local customer service and convenience as part of a relationship management culture, a wide variety of products and services and, to a lesser extent, the pricing of loans and deposits, to compete. F&M Trust is the largest financial institution headquartered in Franklin County and had total assets of approximately $1.7 billion on December 31, 2022.

Human Capital

Company Overview and Values. F&M Trust is committed to remaining independent by growing our Bank to meet the increasing financial needs of our customers, communities, and shareholders. While our desire is apparent, we also understand that we must be intentional in how we conduct ourselves and expect to continually earn the right to maintain our independence as a community Bank. With over 117 years of stability, we have a history of making decisions with the long-term view in mind and collaborating internally to achieve the goals and results set forth in the Bank’s strategic plan. Our employees are critical to achieving our vision and executing upon ongoing strategy. As such, fostering and maintaining a strong, healthy organizational culture is a key strategic focus for us. Our core values of integrity, excellence, accountability, teamwork, and concern for our customers and communities reflect who we are

collectively and guide our employees as they conduct business and during their interactions with one another, our customers, communities, and shareholders.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). We are committed to our continued efforts to increase the diversity of our workforce, ensure equity in all our employment practices, and foster an inclusive work environment that supports our employees and the communities we serve. We hire the most qualified individuals for positions within the Bank regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or other protected traits, and it is our policy to fully comply with all laws applicable to discrimination in the workplace. As of December 31, 2022, we had 298 employees on our team, nearly all of whom were full-time and of which the majority were women.

At the core of our DEI efforts is a belief that when employees bring forward their own brand of thought and perspective, it creates a more positive and innovative environment for everyone. This belief enables us to leverage the strengths of our workforce to meet the needs of the Bank’s key constituents and achieve its growth objectives. We continue to enhance our DEI efforts, which are fully endorsed by our Senior Management team and Board of Directors. Key initiatives include fostering an inclusive employee experience, training employees on DEI concepts, developing leaders to embody the traits of inclusive leadership, partnering with non-profit and community organizations to support and develop a diverse talent pipeline, and acquiring the best available talent. The Bank ensures accountability for making progress in this area by embedding DEI objectives in the annual performance goals of the President/CEO and other key officers.

Engagement. To ensure we provide a positive and productive working environment for all employees, an internal Employee Engagement Committee comprised of 14 individuals from throughout the organization meets regularly to help shape the Bank’s employee engagement initiative. This initiative enables us to obtain feedback from all Bank employees to better understand and improve their employee experience and identify opportunities to strengthen our culture. We annually engage an independent third party to conduct employee engagement surveys that provide us with feedback on key engagement drivers (i.e., Organization, Job & Career, Co-worker/Team, Leader, and DEI engagement). In 2022, we had a survey response rate of 94%, representing the fifth year the Bank achieved a best-in-class participation level according to our employee engagement partner. We have been able to maintain such high levels of survey participation because we believe employees feel safe providing their feedback and they also know appropriate action will be considered and/or taken. The highest scores on our key engagement drivers from our last survey administration occurred in the Co-worker/Team, Job & Career, and Leader indices, with over 80% of employees indicating they are engaged by these drivers at work. Each of our key engagement driver scores exceeded the available benchmarks for the financial services industry provided by our employee engagement partner. We consider the candid and robust feedback we receive from our employees to be a gift, so we not only act when appropriate, but we are also transparent with employees when changes are made based on their feedback to reinforce the influence their voice has within the Bank.

Competitive Pay and Benefits. F&M Trust’s compensation program is designed to align the compensation of our employees with the Bank’s performance and to provide the proper incentives to attract, retain, and motivate employees to achieve the Bank’s strategic growth objectives. Specifically,

The Bank’s compensation philosophy for executives and employees is to provide pay opportunities at the median level of prevailing industry practices among community banking companies of similar asset size and market type.

We engage a reputable outside compensation consulting firm to independently evaluate the effectiveness of our executive and employee compensation program and provide benchmarking against our peers within the industry.

We strive to pay all employees equitably by providing wages that are competitive and consistent with their positions, skill levels, relevant experience, knowledge, and geographic location. Annual increases are determined based on merit and employees’ compensation compared to the mid-point of their salary range.

We align our executives’ long-term equity compensation with our shareholders’ interests by linking realizable pay with company performance.

Our short-term incentive plan provides a bonus to executives and salaried employees based on company performance and progress on functional goals that tie to the Bank’s strategic plan.

We provide comprehensive benefit options that enable our employees and their families to live healthier and more secure lives. Some examples of F&M Trust’s wide-ranging benefits offered are medical insurance, prescription drug benefits, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, paid time off, flexible spending accounts, tuition assistance, employee assistance plan, and access to other voluntary benefit offerings and perks.

Employee Training and Development. Our recruiting practices and decisions on whom to hire are among the most important activities to shaping and maintaining our organizational culture. To empower employees to unleash their potential, we provide a range of training and development programs, opportunities, and resources they need to be successful. Employees joining the Bank are immersed in the Bank’s culture and practices through a structured orientation and onboarding process. We offer training programs based on a variety of factors including the Bank’s strategic initiatives, current regulatory environment, and employee needs and/or desires for growth and development. The Bank’s current training curriculum includes education tracks in the areas of leadership, engagement, sales, operations, and compliance. We encourage employees to discuss their professional development with their

supervisors during coaching sessions to identify interests or possible cross-training areas. Opportunities for on-the-job growth for Bank employees include a variety of approaches such as stretch assignments, temporary projects outside of an employee’s typical responsibilities, and internal and external training classes. A tuition aid program exists for educational pursuits related to employees’ present work or possible future positions within the Bank.

We are intentional about identifying and developing the talents of our next generation leaders. Our succession planning activities aid us in identifying high potential employees who demonstrate the capacity to advance into key positions within the Bank. The succession plan for the executive team is updated annually. A Management Trainee program was implemented in 2022 that provides incumbents with an opportunity to gain comprehensive, hands-on experience in a variety of departments across the Bank while completing specific learning objectives and preparing a capstone project. Internship programs have also been established with local universities to broaden our talent pipeline as needed. This thorough and consistent focus on employee training and development helps to prepare our workforce to respond to the evolving needs of the organization.

Wellness. The success of our Bank is fundamentally connected to the well-being of our employees. We show our employees we care about them as people through our focus on a holistic wellness program, which began in 2001. Today, we continue to promote a healthy work-life balance and provide our employees and their families with access to a variety of flexible and convenient programs designed to improve or maintain their physical, mental, and social well-being. We enjoy a high level of employee participation in our wellness program. For example, over 65% of our workforce completed a health risk assessment and biometric screening in 2022. These employees were then eligible to receive a reduction in the amount of health insurance premiums they paid if they met certain wellness targets. Additionally, there are a variety of wellness challenges that are promoted throughout each year, and which are easily accessed by our employees in an app where they can see their own progress toward their goal as well as where they fall on the leader board with other employees. Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider provides the Bank with resources and training classes related to mental health and resilience. The EAP program is regularly promoted to employees, and they are encouraged to seek assistance for issues impacting their work performance or engagement when needed. We also have a certified Wellness Coach who can provide tools and resources as well as serve as an accountability partner to help employees reach their personal wellness goals. The return on investment related to our wellness program results in overall health care cost-savings and high levels of productivity from our employees who possess the drive and stamina to achieve the long-term goals of the Bank.

Retention. We continually monitor employee turnover rates as our success depends upon retaining our talented and committed personnel. Our Total Voluntary Turnover for 2022 was 13.99%. The “Intent to Stay” metric from our last employee engagement survey indicated that 81% of our workforce planned to stay with the Bank for at least three years or more, with over 40% indicating they would remain with the bank more than ten years. While the competition for talent remains intense for all positions, we believe the competitive compensation and benefits package our employees receive, combined with the Bank’s culture and available growth and development opportunities, will help us to attract new talent, extend employee tenure, and reduce voluntary turnover.

Community Involvement. The Bank’s commitment to community service reflects our core values and is a key driver for attracting and retaining employees. We aim to give back to the communities where we live and work and believe this commitment helps in our efforts to attract and retain employees. We encourage our employees at all levels to volunteer and/or serve on boards of non-profit organizations. The Bank also provides financial support for various fundraising activities and programs offered by non-profit organizations in our communities, which are reviewed and approved by our Community Investment Committee. In 2022, F&M Trust donated over $419 thousand to 255 organizations in our communities and contributed over $192 thousand and 342 scholarships to Kindergarten through 12th grade and Pre-Kindergarten schools and organizations through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. In addition, employees of the Bank provided 1,309 volunteer hours to 62 different service organizations.

Supervision and Regulation

Various requirements and restrictions under the laws of the United States and under Pennsylvania law affect the Corporation and its subsidiaries.

General

The Corporation is registered as a bank holding company and is subject to supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve) under the Bank Holding Act of 1956, as amended. The Corporation has also made an effective election to be treated as a "financial holding company." Financial holding companies are bank holding companies that meet certain minimum capital and other standards and are therefore entitled to engage in financially related activities on an expedited basis as further discussed below. Bank holding companies are required to file periodic reports with and are subject to examination by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve has issued regulations under the Bank Holding Company Act that require a bank holding company to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks. As a result, the Federal Reserve, pursuant to such regulations, may require the Corporation to stand ready to use its resources to provide adequate capital funds to its Bank subsidiary during periods of financial stress or adversity. In addition to the impact of regulation, commercial banks are affected significantly by the actions of the Federal Reserve Board as it attempts to control the money supply and credit availability in order to influence the economy.

The Bank Holding Company Act prohibits the Corporation from acquiring direct or indirect control of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting stock, or substantially all of the assets of any bank, or from merging or consolidating with another bank holding company, without prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board. Additionally, the Bank Holding Company Act prohibits the Corporation from engaging in or from acquiring ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting stock of any company engaged in a non-banking business, unless such business is determined by the Federal Reserve to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. Federal law and Pennsylvania law also require persons or entities desiring to acquire certain levels of share ownership (generally, 10% or more, or 5% or more for another bank holding company) of the Corporation to first obtain prior approval from the Federal Reserve and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.

As a Pennsylvania bank holding company for purposes of the Pennsylvania Banking Code, the Corporation is also subject to regulation and examination by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.

The Bank is a state-chartered bank that is not a member of the Federal Reserve System, and its deposits are insured (up to applicable legal limits) by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Accordingly, the Bank's primary federal regulator is the FDIC, and the Bank is subject to extensive regulation and examination by the FDIC and the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. The Bank is also subject to requirements and restrictions under federal and state law, including requirements to maintain reserves against deposits, restrictions on the types and amounts of loans that may be granted and the interest that may be charged thereon, and limitations on the types of investments that may be made and the types of services that may be offered. The Bank is subject to extensive regulation and reporting requirements in a variety of areas, including helping to prevent money laundering, to preserve financial privacy, and to properly report late payments, defaults, and denials of loan applications.

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

In 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) became law. Dodd-Frank is intended to affect a fundamental restructuring of federal banking regulation. Among other things, Dodd-Frank created a new Financial Stability Oversight Council to identify systemic risks in the financial system and gives federal regulators new authority to take control of and liquidate financial firms. Dodd-Frank additionally created a new independent federal regulator to administer federal consumer protection laws. Dodd-Frank is expected to have a significant impact on our business operations as its provisions take effect. Among the provisions that are likely to affect the Corporation are the following:

FDIC Insurance. The insurance limit was increased to $250,000 per depositor. In addition, the assessment base was changed from a deposit-based calculation to an asset-based calculation. Dodd-Frank also eliminated the federal statutory prohibition against the payment of interest on business checking accounts.

Compensation. At least once every three years, companies must conduct a non-binding shareholder vote (say-on-pay) to approve the compensation of the CEO and the company’s “named executive officers.” At least once every 6 years, shareholders must also vote on whether to hold the non-binding vote on executive compensation every 1, 2, or 3 years. Additionally, banking regulators have established guidance that prohibits incentive-based compensation arrangements that encourage inappropriate risks that could lead to material financial loss to the institution.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Dodd-Frank created a new, independent federal agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which is granted broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers under various federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and certain other statutes. The CFPB has examination and primary enforcement authority with respect to depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. Smaller institutions are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and supervised by federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes. The CFPB has authority to prevent unfair, deceptive or abusive practices in connection with the offering of consumer financial products. Dodd-Frank authorizes the CFPB to establish certain minimum standards for the origination of residential mortgages including a determination of the borrower’s ability to repay. In addition, Dodd-Frank will allow borrowers to raise certain defenses to foreclosure if they receive any loan other than a “qualified mortgage” as defined by the CFPB. Dodd-Frank permits states to adopt consumer protection laws and standards that are more stringent than those adopted at the federal level and, in certain circumstances, permits state attorneys general to enforce compliance with both the state and federal laws and regulations.

Most of the Dodd-Frank rules and regulations have been implemented. These new rules and regulations have and will continue to significantly change the current bank regulatory structure and affect the lending, deposit and operating activities of financial institutions, including the Corporation. It remains difficult to anticipate or predict the overall future financial impact the Dodd-Frank Act will have on the Corporation, our customers, our financial condition and results of operations. The Corporation continues to monitor and implement rules and regulations as they are adopted and modified, and to evaluate their application to our current and future operations.

Community Reinvestment Act

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) requires the Bank to help meet the credit needs of the entire community where the Bank operates, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods. The Bank's rating under the Community Reinvestment Act, assigned by the FDIC pursuant to an examination of the Bank, is important in determining whether the bank may receive approval for, or utilize certain streamlined procedures in applications to engage in new activities. The Bank’s present CRA rating is “satisfactory.” Various consumer laws and regulations also affect the operations of the Bank.

Capital Adequacy Guidelines

The Corporation, as a bank holding company, is required to comply with the capital adequacy standards established by Federal Reserve Board. The Bank is required to comply with capital adequacy standards established by the FDIC. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities also requires state-chartered banks to maintain minimum capital ratios, defined substantially the same as the federal regulations.

Capital adequacy for the Bank is currently defined by regulatory agencies through the use of several minimum required ratios. The capital ratios to be considered “well capitalized” are: (1) Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) of 6.5%, (2) Tier 1 Leverage of 5%, (3) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital of 8%, and (4) Total Risk-Based Capital of 10%. In addition, a capital conservation buffer of 2.50% is applicable to all of the capital ratios except for the Tier 1 Leverage ratio. The capital conservation buffer is equal to the lowest value of the three applicable capital ratios less the regulatory minimum (“adequately capitalized”) for each respective capital measurement. The Bank’s capital conservation buffer at December 31, 2022 was 7.88%. Compliance with the capital conservation buffer is required in order to avoid limitations on certain capital distributions, especially dividends. As of December 31, 2022, the Bank was “well capitalized’ under the Basel III requirements. For additional information on the capital ratios see the section titled Shareholders’ Equity, and Table 13.

In 2019, the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (CBLR) was approved by federal banking agencies as an optional capital measure available to Qualifying Community Banking Organizations (QCBO). If a bank qualifies as a QCBO and maintains a CBLR of 9% or greater, the bank would be considered “well-capitalized” for regulatory capital purposes and exempt from complying with the risk-based capital rule described above. The CBLR rule took effect January 1, 2020 and banks could opt-in through an election in the first quarter 2020 regulatory filing. The Bank met the criteria of a QCBO but did not opt-in to the CBLR.

Prompt Corrective Action Rules

The federal banking agencies have regulations defining the levels at which an insured institution would be considered "well capitalized," "adequately capitalized," "undercapitalized," "significantly undercapitalized" and "critically undercapitalized." The applicable federal bank regulator for a depository institution could, under certain circumstances, reclassify a "well-capitalized" institution as "adequately capitalized" or require an "adequately capitalized" or "undercapitalized" institution to comply with supervisory actions as if it were in the next lower category. Such a reclassification could be made if the regulatory agency determines that the institution is in an unsafe or unsound condition (which could include unsatisfactory examination ratings). At December 31, 2022, the Bank satisfied the criteria to be classified as "well capitalized" within the meaning of applicable regulations.

Regulatory Restrictions on Dividends

Dividend payments by the Bank to the Corporation are subject to the Pennsylvania Banking Code, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, and the regulations of the FDIC. Under the Banking Code, no dividends may be paid except from "accumulated net earnings" (generally, retained earnings). The Federal Reserve and the FDIC have formal and informal policies which provide that insured banks and bank holding companies should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings, with some exceptions. The Prompt Corrective Action Rules and the Basel III rules, described above, may further limit the ability of banks to pay dividends or make capital distributions if regulatory capital requirements are not met. There are currently no restrictions on the payments of dividends by either the Bank or the Corporation.

Volker Rule

In December 2013, Federal banking regulators issued rules for complying with the Volker Rule provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Bank does not engage in, or expect to engage in, any transactions that are considered “covered activities” as defined by the Volker Rule. Therefore, the Bank does not have any compliance obligations under the Volker Rule.

Consumer Laws and Regulations

The CFPB was created under the Dodd-Frank Act to centralize responsibility for consumer financial protection with broad rulemaking, supervision, and enforcement authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that would apply to all banks and thrifts, including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Act, the Consumer Financial Privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and certain other statues. Violations of consumer protection laws may result in litigation and liability from consumers and regulators. It is likely that future CFPB rulemaking action will affect the Bank. Banks with total assets less than $10 billion are not subject to examination by the CFPB. However, the CFPB can require any bank to submit reports it deems necessary to fulfill its mission and it can request to be part of any bank examination.

Ability to Repay / Qualified Mortgages

In July 2013, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau adopted the final rules that implement the Ability to Repay (ATR) / Qualified Mortgages (QM) provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Regulators believe that the ATR/QM rules will prevent many of the loose underwriting practices that contributed to the mortgage crisis in 2008. The ATR/QM rule applies to almost all closed-end consumer credit transactions secured by a dwelling. The ATR rule provides eight specific factors that must be considered during the underwriting process. QMs generally have three types of requirements: restrictions on loan features, points and fees, and underwriting criteria. A QM is presumed to comply with the ATR requirements. The ATR/QM rule was effective January 10, 2014.

Commercial Real Estate Guidance

In December 2015, the federal banking agencies released a “Statement on Prudent Risk Management for Commercial Real Estate Lending” (the “CRE Statement”). The agencies stated that financial institutions should review their policies and practices related to CRE lending and should maintain risk management practices and capital levels commensurate with the level and nature of their CRE concentration risk, including maintaining underwriting discipline and exercising prudent risk management practices that identify, measure, monitor and manage the risks arising from their CRE lending activity. Financial institutions were directed to review the interagency guidance on “Concentrations in Commercial Real Estate Lending, Sound Risk Management Practices” issued in 2006 providing that a financial institution is potentially exposed to significant CRE concentration risk, and should employ enhanced risk management practices where (1) total CRE loans represent 300% or more of total capital, and (2) the outstanding balance of the CRE loan portfolio has increased by 50% or more during the prior 36 months. The agencies state in the CRE Statement that they will focus on those financial institutions that have recently experienced, or whose lending strategy plans for, substantial growth in CRE lending activity, or that operate in markets or loan segments with increasing growth or risk fundamentals.

Pennsylvania Regulation and Supervision

In December 2012, the “Banking Law Modernization Package” became effective. The law permits banks to disclose formal enforcement actions initiated by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, clarifies that the Department has examination and enforcement authority over subsidiaries as well as affiliates of regulated banks, and bolsters the Department’s enforcement authority over its regulated institutions by clarifying its ability to remove directors, officers and employees from institutions for violations of laws or orders or for any unsafe or unsound practice or breach of fiduciary duty. The Department also may assess civil money penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.

FDIC Insurance

The Bank is a member of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF), which is administered by the FDIC. The FDIC insures deposit accounts at the Bank, generally up to a maximum of $250,000 for each separately insured depositor. The FDIC charges a premium to depository institutions for deposit insurance. This rate is based on the risk category of the institution and the total premium is based on average total assets less average tangible equity. As of December 31, 2022, the Bank was considered well capitalized and its assessment rate was approximately 4.4 basis points of the assessment base.

Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC. We do not currently know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of our deposit insurance.

Tax Reform

On December 22, 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Act) was signed into law. This comprehensive tax legislation provided for significant changes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, that impact corporate taxation such as the reduction in the federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018. The Act repealed the corporate alternative minimum tax, provides for earlier recognition of certain revenue, accelerates expensing of investments in tangible property and limits several deductions such as FDIC premiums, certain executive compensation and meals and entertainment expenses.

New Legislation

Congress is often considering new financial industry legislation, and the federal banking agencies routinely propose new regulations. The Corporation cannot predict how any new legislation, or new rules adopted by the federal banking agencies, may affect its business in the future.

Selected Statistical Information

Certain statistical information is included in this report as part of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors

The following is a summary of the primary risks associated with the Corporation’s business, financial condition and results of operations, and common stock.

Risk Factors Relating to the Corporation

Real estate related loans are a significant portion of our loan portfolio.

The Bank offers a variety of loan products, including residential mortgage, consumer, construction and commercial loans. The Bank requires real estate as collateral for many of its loans. At December 31, 2022, approximately 77% ($809.2 million) of its loans were secured by real estate. These real estate loans are located primarily in the Bank’s market area of south-central Pennsylvania. Real estate values tend to follow changes in general economic cycles. If a loan becomes delinquent as the result of an economic downturn and the Bank becomes dependent on the real estate collateral as a source of repayment, it is likely that the value of the real estate collateral has also declined. A decline in real estate values means it is possible that the real estate collateral may be insufficient to cover the outstanding balance of a delinquent or foreclosed loan, resulting in a loss to the Bank. In addition, the real estate collateral is concentrated in a small market area of south-central Pennsylvania. Localized events such as plant closures or layoffs may affect real estate prices and collateral values and could have a more negative affect on the Bank as compared to other competitors with a more geographically diverse portfolio. As the Bank grows, it is expected that real estate secured loans will continue to comprise a significant part of its balance sheet. Risk of loan default is unavoidable in the banking industry, and Management tries to limit exposure to this risk by carefully monitoring the amount of loans in specific industries and by exercising prudent lending practices and securing appropriate collateral. However, this risk cannot be eliminated, and substantial credit losses could result in reduced earnings or losses.

Commercial loans are a significant portion of our loan portfolio.

The Bank continues to grow its commercial loan portfolio. Commercial purpose loans account for 84% ($878.6 million) of the total loan portfolio. These loans are made to businesses for a variety of commercial purposes and may include fixed and variable rate loans, term loans, and lines of credit. Commercial purpose loans may be secured by real estate, business assets and equipment, personal guarantees, or non-real estate collateral. Commercial purpose loans secured by real estate were $643.0 million at December 31, 2022 and account for 73% of the total commercial loan portfolio. These loans contain all the risks associated with real estate lending as discussed above. In addition, commercial real estate collateral may be more difficult to liquidate for repayment purposes than residential real estate. The repayment of commercial loans is highly dependent upon the success of the business activity and as such maybe more susceptible to risk of loss during a downturn in the economy. Because the Bank’s commercial loan portfolio is concentrated in south-central Pennsylvania, the ability to repay these loans could be affected by deterioration of the economy in this region. As commercial lending continues to be the primary driver of loan growth, these new loans may present additional risk due to a lack of repayment history with the Bank. The Bank attempts to mitigate these risks through its underwriting and loan review process; however, this risk cannot be eliminated, and substantial credit losses could result in reduced earnings or losses.

The allowance for loan losses may prove to be insufficient to absorb inherent losses in our loan portfolio.

The Bank maintains an allowance for loan losses that Management believes is appropriate to provide for any inherent losses in the loan portfolio. The amount of the allowance is determined through a periodic review and consideration of several factors, including an ongoing review of the quality, size and diversity of our loan portfolio; evaluation of nonperforming loans; historical loan loss experience; and the amount and quality of collateral, including guarantees, securing the loan. This evaluation is inherently subjective, as it requires material assumptions and estimates that may be susceptible to significant change.

Although Management believes the loan loss allowance is adequate to absorb inherent losses in the loan portfolio, such losses cannot be predicted, and the allowance may not be adequate. Excessive loan losses could have a material adverse effect on the Bank’s financial condition and results of operations.

The Bank’s lending limit is smaller than many of our competitors, which affects the size of the loans it can offer customers.

The Bank’s lending limit is approximately $44.0 million. Accordingly, the size of the loans that can be offered to customers is less than the size of loans that many of our competitors, with larger lending limits, can offer. This limit affects the Bank’s ability to seek relationships with larger businesses in its market area. Loan amounts in excess of the lending limits can be accommodated through the sale of participations in such loans to other banks. However, there can be no assurance that the Bank will be successful in attracting or maintaining customers seeking larger loans or that it will be able to engage in participation of such loans or on terms favorable to the Bank.

There is strong competition in the Bank’s primary market areas and its geographic diversification is limited.

The Bank encounters strong competition from other financial institutions in its primary market area, which consists of Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania; and Washington County, MD. In addition, established financial institutions not already operating in the Bank’s primary market area may open branches there at future dates or can compete in the market via the Internet. In the conduct of certain aspects of banking business, the Bank also competes with credit unions, mortgage banking companies, consumer finance companies, insurance companies and other institutions, some of which are not subject to the same degree of regulation or restrictions as are imposed upon the Bank. Many of these competitors have substantially greater resources and lending limits and can offer services that the Bank does not provide. In addition, many of these competitors have numerous branch offices located throughout their extended market areas that provide them with a competitive advantage. No assurance can be given that such competition will not have an adverse effect on the Bank’s financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in interest rates could have an adverse impact upon our results of operations.

The Bank’s profitability is in part a function of the spread between interest rates earned on investments, loans and other interest-earning assets and the interest rates paid on deposits and other interest-bearing liabilities. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond the Bank’s control, including general economic conditions and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies and, in particular, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, will influence not only the interest received on loans and investment securities and the amount of interest we pay on deposits and borrowings, but will also affect the Bank’s ability to originate loans and obtain deposits and the value of our investment portfolio. If the rate of interest paid on deposits and other borrowings increases more than the rate of interest earned on loans and other investments, the Bank’s net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected. Likewise, recent changes in market interest rates have caused the Bank to quickly raise its rates on deposits. Earnings could also be adversely affected if the rates on loans and other investments fall more quickly than those on deposits and other borrowings. While Management takes measures to guard against interest rate risk, there can be no assurance that such measures will be effective in minimizing the exposure to interest rate risk.

Uncertainty about the future of LIBOR may adversely affect our business.

In December 2022, the Federal Reserve Board published Regulation ZZ, a final regulation that provides default rules for certain contracts that use LIBOR as the benchmark reference interest rate index. Regulation ZZ implements the “Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act” (“the “LIBOR Act”), and establishes a clear and uniform process for replacing LIBOR as the benchmark reference interest rate index in existing contracts that do not contain a clearly defined or practicable replacement benchmark for when LIBOR is discontinued. Under Regulation ZZ, references to the most common tenors of LIBOR in these contracts will be replaced as a matter of law, without the need to be amended, to instead reference the benchmark interest rate indices identified by the Federal Reserve Board in the regulation.

The replacement benchmark interest rate indices identified by the Federal Reserve Board in Regulation ZZ are based on SOFR and include appropriate “tenor spread adjustments” to reflect historical spreads between LIBOR and SOFR. The LIBOR Act and Regulation ZZ establish a safe harbor for market participants that act in accordance with such legislation and regulation, shielding them from litigation for selecting and implementing the Federal Reserve-selected replacement indices and related conforming changes. As a result, the LIBOR Act and Regulation ZZ reduce the risks to us associated with the approaching cessation of LIBOR use. The Bank’s transition to these replacement indices will occur no later than the day after June 30, 2023, the last date on which all remaining tenors of USD LIBOR will be published.

Our operational or security systems may experience interruption or breach in security, including cyber-attacks.

We rely heavily on communications and information systems to conduct our business. These systems include our internal network and data systems, as well as those of third-party vendors. Any failure, interruption or breach in security or these systems, including a cyber-attack, could result in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information. Cyber security risks for financial institutions have significantly increased in recent years in part because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists and other external parties, including foreign state actors. Financial services institutions have been subject to, and are likely to continue to be the target of, cyber-attacks, including computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, phishing attacks, denial of service or information or other security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information of the institution, its employees or customers or of third parties, or otherwise materially disrupt network access or business operations. Cyber threats could result in unauthorized access, loss or destruction of customer data, unavailability, degradation or denial of service, introduction of computer viruses and other adverse events, causing the Corporation to incur additional costs (such as repairing systems or adding new personnel or protection technologies). Cyber threats may also subject the Corporation to regulatory investigations, litigation or enforcement, require the payment of regulatory fines or penalties or undertaking costly remediation efforts. While we have systems, policies and

procedures designed to prevent or limit the effect of the failure, interruption or security breach of our information systems, there can be no assurance that any such failures, interruptions or security breaches will not occur or, if they do occur, that they will be adequately addressed. The occurrence of any failures, interruptions or security breaches of our information systems could damage our reputation, result in a loss of client business, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A large component of fee income is dependent on stock market values.

Fee income from the Bank’s Investment and Trust Services Department comprises a large percentage of total noninterest income. Fee income from Investment and Trust Services is comprised primarily of asset management fees as measured by the market value of assets under management. As such, the market values are directly related to stock market values. Therefore, any significant negative change in the value of assets under management due to stock market fluctuations could greatly reduce fee income and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

A large component of fee income is dependent on two deposit services.

Fee income from the Bank’s debit card is a significant contributor of fee income. As technology changes and consumer payment preferences change it is possible that debit card income does not continue to grow or may decline. The Bank’s overdraft protection program has also been a significant contributor of fee income. If usage of this product slows or regulatory changes negatively affect the fees that can be charged for such services, it may greatly reduce fee income and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

A large percentage of deposits may be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates.

Thirty-seven percent ($569.6 million) of all deposits are in the Bank’s money management product. The interest rate on these deposits generally follows market rates. A large or continuous increase in market rates could result in a rapid increase in the interest expense of these deposits. While the interest rate on this product generally follows market rates, the product is not indexed to a market rate, thereby giving the Bank more control over any rate increases. Nonetheless, interest expense could materially increase and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Liquidity contingency funding is highly concentrated.

The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLB). Access to funding through the FHLB is the largest component of the Bank’s liquidity stress testing and contingency funding plans. The ability to access funding from FHLB may be critical if a funding need arises. However, there can be no assurance that the FHLB will be able to provide funding when needed, nor can there be assurance that the FHLB will provide funds to the Bank if its financial condition deteriorates. The inability to access FHLB funding, through a restriction on credit or the failure of the FHLB, could have a materially adverse effect on the Bank’s liquidity management.

Unrealized losses in the Bank’s investment portfolio could affect liquidity.

As market interest rates increased during 2022, the unrealized losses on the Bank’s investment portfolio also increased. The increase in unrealized losses is reflected in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI) on the balance sheet and reduces book capital and therefore its tangible common equity ratio. Unrealized losses do not affect regulatory capital ratios.

The Bank’s access to liquidity sources could be affected by unrealized losses if investments must be sold at a loss, tangible capital ratios continue to decline from an increase in unrealized losses or realized credit losses, the FHLB or other sources reduce capacity, or bank regulators impose restrictions on the Bank such as a limit on interest rates it may pay on deposits or its ability to access brokered deposits.

Our business and financial results could be impacted materially by adverse results in legal proceedings.

The nature of the Corporation’s business generates a certain amount of litigation involving matters arising in the ordinary course of business (and, in some cases, from the activities of companies we have acquired). These legal proceedings, whether founded or unfounded, could result in reputation damage and have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation if they are not resolved in a manner favorable to the Corporation. Although we establish legal accruals for legal proceedings when information related to the loss contingencies represented by these matters indicates that both a loss is probable and that the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated, we do not have accruals for all legal proceedings where we face a risk of loss. In addition, due to the inherent subjectivity of the assessments and unpredictability of outcomes of legal proceedings, any amounts that may be accrued or included in estimates of possible losses or ranges of possible losses may not represent the actual loss to the Corporation. We discuss these matters further in Part I Item 3 Legal Proceedings and in Note 21 Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II Item 8 of this Report.

Public health crisis such as epidemics or pandemics could materially and adversely impact our business.

An epidemic or pandemic (such as COVID-19) may cause prolonged global, national, or regional recessionary economic conditions or longer lasting effects on economic conditions than currently exist, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

As a result, the demand for our products and services may be significantly impacted, which could adversely affect our revenue and results of operations. Furthermore, the effects of an epidemic or pandemic could result in the recognition of credit losses in our loan portfolios and an increase in our allowance for credit losses, particularly if businesses are restricted or are required to close. Similarly, because of changing economic and market conditions affecting issuers, we may be required to recognize impairments on the securities we hold as well as reductions in other comprehensive income. Our business operations may also be disrupted if significant portions of our workforce are unable to work effectively, including because of illness, quarantines, government actions, or other restrictions in connection with the pandemic. The extent to which an epidemic or pandemic impacts our business, results of operations, and financial conditions, as well as our regulatory capital and liquidity ratios, will depend on factors which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of an epidemic or pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to the epidemic or pandemic.

The Corporation’s operations could be affected by climate change.

The Corporation’s business, as well as the operations and activities of our clients, could be negatively impacted by climate change. Climate change presents both immediate and long-term risks to the Corporation and its clients, and these risks are expected to increase over time. Climate change presents multi-faceted risks, including: operational risk from the physical effects of climate events on the Corporation and its clients’ facilities and other assets; credit risk from borrowers with significant exposure to climate risk; transition risks associated with the transition to a less carbon-dependent economy; and reputational risk from stakeholder concerns about our practices related to climate change, the Corporation’s carbon footprint, and the Corporation’s business relationships with clients who operate in carbon-intensive industries.

Federal and state banking regulators and supervisory authorities, investors, and other stakeholders have increasingly viewed financial institutions as important in helping to address the risks related to climate change both directly and with respect to their clients, which may result in financial institutions coming under increased pressure regarding the disclosure and management of their climate risks and related lending and investment activities. Given that climate change could impose systemic risks upon the financial sector, either via disruptions in economic activity resulting from the physical impacts of climate change or changes in policies as the economy transitions to a less carbon-intensive environment, the Corporation may face regulatory risk of increasing focus on the Corporation’s resilience to climate-related risks, including in the context of stress testing for various climate stress scenarios. Ongoing legislative or regulatory uncertainties and changes regarding climate risk management and practices may result in higher regulatory, compliance, credit, and reputational risks and costs.

Severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, and other external events could negatively impact the Corporation’s business.

The unpredictable nature of events such as severe weather, natural disasters, acts of war or terrorism, and other adverse external events could have a significant impact on the Corporation’s ability to conduct business. If any of its financial, accounting, network or other information processing systems fail or have other significant shortcomings due to external events, the Corporation could be materially adversely affected. Third parties with which the Corporation does business could also be sources of operational risk to the Corporation, including the risk that the third parties' own network and information processing systems could fail. Any of these occurrences could materially diminish the Corporation's ability to operate one or more of its businesses, or result in potential liability to customers, reputational damage, and regulatory intervention, any of which could materially adversely affect the Corporation. Such events could affect the stability of the Corporation's deposit base, impair the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair the value of collateral securing loans, impair the Corporation's liquidity, cause significant property damage, result in loss of revenue, and/or cause the Corporation to incur additional expenses.

The Corporation may be subject to disruptions or failures of the financial, accounting, network and/or other information processing systems arising from events that are wholly or partially beyond the Corporation's control, which may include, for example, computer viruses, electrical or telecommunications outages, natural disasters, disease epidemics or pandemics, damage to property or physical assets, or terrorist acts. While the Corporation believes its business continuity plan and efforts to evaluate the business continuity plans of critical third-party service providers help mitigate risks, disruptions or failures affecting any of these systems may cause interruptions in service to customers, damage to the Corporation's reputation, and loss or liability to the Corporation.

Risk Factors Relating to the Common Stock

The stock market can be volatile, and fluctuations in our operating results and other factors could cause our stock price to decline.

The stock market has experienced, and may continue to experience, fluctuations that significantly impact the market prices of securities issued by many companies and financial institutions specifically. Market fluctuations could adversely affect our stock price. These fluctuations have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, systemic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, loss of investor confidence, interest rate changes, government shutdowns, trade wars, pandemics or epidemics, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock. Moreover, our operating results may fluctuate and vary from period to period due to the risk factors set forth herein. As a result, period-to-period comparisons should not be relied upon as an indication of future performance. Our stock price could fluctuate significantly in response to our quarterly or annual results, annual projections and the impact of these risk factors on our operating results or financial position.

Although the Company’s common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market, the volume of trades on any given day has been limited historically, as a result of which shareholders might not have been able to sell or purchase the Company’s common stock at the volume, price or time desired. From time to time, our Common Stock may be included in certain and various stock market indices. Inclusion in these indices may positively impacted the price, trading volume, and liquidity of our Common Stock, in part, because index funds or other institutional investors often purchase securities that are in these indices. Conversely, if our market capitalization falls below the minimum necessary to be included in any of the indices at any annual reconstitution date, the opposite could occur. Further, our inclusion in indices may be weighted based on the size of our market capitalization, so even if our market capitalization remains above the amount required to be included on these indices, if our market capitalization is below the amount it was on the most recent reconstitution date, our Common Stock could be weighted at a lower level. If our Common Stock is weighted at a lower level, holders attempting to track the composition of these indices will be required to sell our Common Stock to match the reweighting of the indices.

The Bank's ability to pay dividends to the Corporation is subject to regulatory limitations that may affect the Corporation’s ability to pay dividends to its shareholders.

As a holding company, the Corporation is a separate legal entity from the Bank and does not have significant operations of its own. It currently depends upon the Bank's cash and liquidity to pay dividends to its shareholders. The Corporation cannot assure you that in the future the Bank will have the capacity to pay dividends to the Corporation. Various statutes and regulations limit the availability of dividends from the Bank. It is possible; depending upon the Bank's financial condition and other factors, that the Bank’s regulators could assert that payment of dividends by the Bank to the Corporation would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice. In the event that the Bank is unable to pay dividends to the Corporation, the Corporation may not be able to pay dividends to its shareholders.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None

Item 2. Properties

The Corporation’s headquarters is located at 1500 Nitterhouse Drive, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. This location also houses F&M Trust’s sales and operations center. The Corporation owns or leases thirty-six properties in Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, and Washington County, Maryland, for banking operations, as described below:

The Bank’s properties are adequate for the purposes intended.

Included in Other Properties is a property leased for future use.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The nature of the Corporation’s business generates a certain amount of litigation.

We establish accruals for legal proceedings when information related to the loss contingencies represented by those matters indicates both that a loss is probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. When we are able to do so, we also determine estimates of possible losses, whether in excess of any accrued liability or where there is no accrued liability.

These assessments are based on our analysis of currently available information and are subject to significant judgment and a variety of assumptions and uncertainties. As new information is obtained, we may change our assessments and, as a result, take or adjust the amounts of our accruals and change our estimates of possible losses or ranges of possible losses. Due to the inherent subjectivity of the assessments and the unpredictability of outcomes of legal proceedings, any amounts that may be accrued or included in estimates of possible losses or ranges of possible losses may not represent the actual loss to the Corporation from any legal proceeding. Our exposure and ultimate losses may be higher, possibly significantly higher, than amounts we may accrue or amounts we may estimate.

In management’s opinion, we do not anticipate, at the present time, that the ultimate aggregate liability, if any, arising out of all litigation to which the Corporation is a party will have a material adverse effect on our financial position. We cannot now determine, however, whether or not any claim asserted against us will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in any future reporting period, which will depend on, amount other things, the amount of loss resulting from the claim and the amount of income otherwise reported for the reporting period. Thus, at December 31, 2022, we are unable to provide an evaluation of the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or an estimate of the amount or range of potential loss with respect to such other matters and, accordingly, have not yet established any specific accrual for such other matters.

No material proceedings are pending or are known to be threatened or contemplated against us by governmental authorities.

In management’s opinion, there are no other proceedings pending to which the Corporation is a party or to which its property is subject which, if determined adversely to the Corporation, would be material.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not Applicable 

Part II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Market and Dividend Information

The Corporation had 1,574 shareholders of record as of December 31, 2022.

 Restrictions on the Payment of Dividends

For limitations on the Corporation’s ability to pay dividends, see “Supervision and Regulation – Regulatory Restrictions on Dividends” in Item 1 above.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

The information related to equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference to the materials set forth under the heading “Executive Compensation – Compensation Tables” in the Corporation’s Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Common Stock Repurchases

The Board of Directors, from time to time, authorizes the repurchase of the Corporation’s $1.00 par value common stock. The repurchased shares will be held as Treasury shares available for issuance in connection with future stock dividends and stock splits, employee benefit plans, executive compensation plans, the Dividend Reinvestment Plan and other appropriate corporate purposes.

The following table shows stock repurchase activity under approved plans:

In December 2022, an open market repurchase plan was approved to repurchase 150,000 shares over a one-year period.

Performance Graph

The following graph compares the cumulative total return to shareholders of Franklin Financial with selected market indices and a bank peer group, consisting of Mid-Atlantic Banks with assets between $1 billion - $2 billion as of September 30, 2022; for the five-year period ended December 31, 2022, in each case assuming an initial investment of $100 on December 31, 2017 and the reinvestment of all dividends. Information is provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

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Shareholders’ Information

Dividend Reinvestment Plan:

Franklin Financial Services Corporation offers a dividend reinvestment program whereby shareholders of the Corporation’s common stock may reinvest their dividend, or make optional cash payment, to purchase additional shares of the Corporation. Beneficial owners of shares of the Corporation’s common stock may participate in the program by making appropriate arrangements through their bank, broker or other nominee. Information concerning this optional program is available by contacting the Corporate Secretary at 717-264-6116, or:

Corporate Secretary

1500 Nitterhouse Drive, P.O. Box 6010

Chambersburg, PA 17201-6010

Dividend Direct Deposit Program:

Franklin Financial Services Corporation offers a dividend direct deposit program whereby shareholders of the Corporation’s common stock may choose to have their dividends deposited directly into the bank account of their choice on the dividend payment date. Information concerning this optional program is available by contacting the Corporate Secretary at 717-264-611, or:

     Corporate Secretary

     1500 Nitterhouse Drive, P.O. Box 6010

     Chambersburg, PA 17201-6010

Annual Meeting:

The Annual Meeting of the shareholders of Franklin Financial Services Corporation will be held Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. at The Orchards Restaurant, 1580 Orchard Drive, Chambersburg, PA. Only shareholders will be granted access to the meeting as described in the Franklin Financial Services Corporation 2023 Proxy Statement.

Websites:

Franklin Financial Services Corporation: www.franklinfin.com

Farmers & Merchants Trust Company: www.fmtrust.bank

Stock Information:

The Corporation’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “FRAF”.

The registrar and transfer agent for Franklin Financial Services Corporation is:

Computershare

P.O. Box 30170

College Station, TX 77842-3170

1-800-368-5948

Item 6. [Reserved]

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements appearing herein which are not historical in nature are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements refer to a future period or periods, reflecting Management’s current views as to likely future developments, and use words “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” or similar terms. Because forward-looking statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors over which the Corporation has no direct control, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated in such statements. These factors include (but are not limited to) the following: general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, changes in the rate of inflation and product and service prices, change in the Corporation’s cost of funds, changes in government monetary policy, changes in government regulation and taxation of financial institutions, effects of government shutdowns and budget negotiations, impacts of the interruption, degradation or breach in security of our information and technology systems or other technological risks and attacks, acts of war, terrorism or geopolitical instabilities, changes in accounting policies or practices, changes in technology, the intensification of competition within the Corporation’s market area, and other similar factors.

Application of Critical Accounting Policies:

Disclosure of the Corporation’s significant accounting policies is included in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements. These policies are particularly sensitive requiring significant judgments, estimates and assumptions to be made by Management. Senior management has discussed the development of such estimates, and related Management Discussion and Analysis disclosure, with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

The following accounting policy is identified by management to be critical to the results of operations: Allowance for Loan Losses and the Annual Goodwill Impairment Evaluation.

GAAP versus non-GAAP Presentations – The Corporation supplements its traditional GAAP measurements with certain non-GAAP measurements to evaluate its performance and to eliminate the effect of intangible assets.  By eliminating intangible assets, the Corporation believes it presents a measurement that is comparable to companies that have no intangible assets or to companies that have eliminated intangible assets in similar calculations. However, not all companies may use the same calculation method for each measurement. The Efficiency Ratio measures the cost to generate one dollar of revenue. The non-GAAP measurements are not intended to be used as a substitute for the related GAAP measurements and should not be read in isolation or relied upon as a substitute for GAAP measures. The following table shows the calculation of the non-GAAP measurements.

Results of Operations:

Management’s Overview

The following discussion and analysis is intended to assist the reader in reviewing the financial information presented and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and other financial data presented elsewhere herein.

Summary

Franklin Financial Services Corporation reported consolidated earnings of $14.9 million ($3.36 per diluted share) for 2022 compared with $19.6 million ($4.42 per diluted share) for the same period in 2021.

Year-to-date, net interest income was $51.6 million (including $388 thousand of PPP interest and fees), an increase of 15.5% compared to $44.7 million for the same period in 2021 (including $3.3 million of PPP interest and fees). On a year-over-year comparison, the net interest margin was 3.11% for 2022 compared to 2.88% in 2021. The increase in the 2022 net interest margin was due primarily to a 0.34% increase in the yield on earning assets from 3.06% in 2021 to 3.40% in 2022 as all asset classes had higher yields in 2022. This increase was primarily the result of action by the Federal Reserve to increase short-term interest rates in 2022. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased from 0.16% for 2021 to 0.29% for 2022. Likewise, the cost of all deposits increased from 0.12% in 2021 to 0.23% in 2022. 
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Average earning assets for 2022 were $1.7 billion compared to $1.6 billion in 2021, an increase of 6.1%. In 2022, the average balance of interest-earning cash balances increased $50.3 million (46.1%), the average balance of the investment portfolio increased $23.7 million (4.9%) and the average balance of the loan portfolio increased $24.5 million (2.4%), over the prior year averages. Within the loan portfolio, average commercial loan balances increased $20.3 million during the year, net of a $39.5 million decrease in the average balance of PPP loans year over year. Total deposits averaged $1.6 billion for 2022, an increase of $143.2 million (9.6%) over the average balance for 2021. All deposit categories reported a year-over-year increase in average balances, except for time deposits. 
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Year-to-date, the provision for loan loss expense was $650 thousand compared to a $2.1 million provision expense reversal for the same period in 2021. The allowance for loan loss ratio was 1.35% of gross loans as of December 31, 2022, compared to 1.51% at December 31, 2021 due to continued improvement in the credit quality of the loan portfolio.

Noninterest income was $15.3 million compared to $19.5 million in 2021. Significant year-over-year variances that contributed to the decrease include the $1.8 million gain on the sale of the Bank’s former headquarters building in 2021, a decrease in gains on the sale of mortgages ($1.7 million) and a decrease in debit card income ($302 thousand).  
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Noninterest expense was $48.7 million in 2022 compared to $43.2 million in 2021. The following categories contributed to the year-over-year increase: salaries and benefits increased $3.3 million (primarily incentive compensation and health insurance), net occupancy increased $489 thousand (primarily depreciation on the new headquarters building and rent expense from a new community office opened in July 2022 in Hagerstown, MD), and data processing expense increased $725 thousand (implementation of a customer relationship management system).
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The effective tax rate was 14.6% for 2022.  

Total assets at December 31, 2022 were $1.700 billion compared to $1.774 billion at December 31, 2021, a decrease of 4.2%. Significant balance sheet changes since December 31, 2021, include:  

Short-term interest-bearing deposits in other banks decreased $117.7 million (71.5%) and the investment portfolio decreased $43.0 million (8.1%). 
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The net loan portfolio increased $53.1 million over the year-end 2021 balance, with commercial purpose loans increasing $33.4 million from year-end 2021. 
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Deposits decreased $32.9 million (2.1%) over year-end 2021 with decreases in commercial money management and interest-bearing accounts, and time deposit balances.  
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Shareholders’ equity decreased $42.9 million from December 31, 2021. Retained earnings increased $9.3 million in 2022 but was offset by a decrease of $50.7 million in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) as the fair value of the investment portfolio declined during the year. At December 31, 2022, the book value of the Corporation’s common stock was $26.01 per share and tangible book value was $23.96 per share. In December 2022, an open market

repurchase plan was approved to repurchase 150,000 shares over a one-year period. The Bank is considered to be well-capitalized under the regulatory guidance as of December 31, 2022.

Other key performance measurements are presented in Item 7 of this report.

A more detailed discussion of the areas that had the greatest effect on the reported results follows.

Net Interest Income

The most important source of the Corporation’s earnings is net interest income, which is defined as the difference between income on interest-earning assets and the expense of interest-bearing liabilities supporting those assets. Principal categories of interest-earning assets are loans and securities, while deposits, short-term borrowings and long-term debt are the principal categories of interest-bearing liabilities. For the purpose of this discussion, balance sheet items refer to the average balance for the year and net interest income is adjusted to a fully taxable-equivalent basis. This tax-equivalent adjustment facilitates performance comparisons between taxable and tax-free assets by increasing the tax-free income by an amount equivalent to the Federal income taxes that would have been paid if this income were taxable at the Corporation’s 21% Federal statutory rate. The components of net interest income are detailed in Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Table 1 shows the change in tax-equivalent net interest income year over year. Changes in interest income and expense are driven by changes in balance (volume) and changes in the average rate on interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The changes attributable to rate or volume are shown in Table 2. The yield on earning assets (Table 3) increased to 3.40% for 2022 from 3.06% for 2021. The benefit provided by tax-exempt income was $1.4 million in 2022.

Table 1. Net Interest Income

Table 2 identifies increases and decreases in tax equivalent net interest income due to either changes in average volume or to changes in average rates for interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Numerous and simultaneous balance and rate changes occur during the year. The amount of change that is not due solely to volume or rate is allocated proportionally to both.

Table 2. Rate-Volume Analysis of Tax Equivalent Net Interest Income