Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

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For the transition period from          to         

Commission file number: 001-38282

METROPOLITAN BANK HOLDING CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

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Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 659-0600

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

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

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. YES ⌧   NO ◻

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. YES ◻   NO ⌧

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). YES ⌧   NO ◻

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

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐

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

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

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant on June 30, 2021, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange, was approximately $475.0 million.

As of March 7, 2022, there were issued and outstanding 10,931,697 shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock.

DOCUMENTS INCOPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the Registrant’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders (Part III).

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Table of Contents

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GLOSSARY OF COMMON TERMS AND ACRONYMS

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NOTE ABOUT FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which may be identified by the use of such words as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “consider,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue,” “probable,” and “potential” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. (the “Company”) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the “Bank”), and the Company’s strategies, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K that are not historical facts. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors (many of which are beyond the Company’s control) that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ from those results expressed or implied include those factors listed under Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and as described in Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this report. In addition, these factors include but are not limited to:

Further, given its ongoing and dynamic nature, including the rate of vaccine acceptance and the development of new variants, it is difficult to predict the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business. The extent of such

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impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including when the coronavirus can be controlled and abated. As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related adverse local and national economic consequences, we could be subject to any of the following risks, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations: the demand for our products and services may decline, making it difficult to grow assets and income; if the economy worsens, loan delinquencies, problem assets, and foreclosures may increase, resulting in increased charges and reduced income; collateral for loans, especially real estate, may decline in value, which could cause loan losses to increase; our ALLL may increase if borrowers experience financial difficulties, which will adversely affect our net income; the net worth and liquidity of loan guarantors may decline, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us; our cyber security risks may increase if a significant number of our employees are forced to work remotely; and FDIC premiums may increase if the agency experiences additional resolution costs.

The Company’s ability to predict results or the actual effects of its plans or strategies is inherently uncertain. As such, forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions made or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect conditions only as of the date of this filing. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions which may be made to any forward-looking statements to reflect anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances occurring after the date of such statements, except as required by the law.

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PART I

Item 1.  Business

The Company is a bank holding company headquartered in New York, New York and registered under the BHC Act. Through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank, a New York state chartered bank, the Company provides a broad range of business, commercial and retail banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and affluent individuals primarily in the New York metropolitan area. The Company’s founding members, including its Chief Executive Officer, Mark DeFazio, recognized a need in the New York metropolitan area for a solutions-oriented, relationship bank focused on middle market companies and real estate entrepreneurs whose financial needs are often overlooked by larger financial institutions. The Bank was established in 1999 with the goal of helping these under-served clients build and sustain wealth. Its motto, “The Entrepreneurial Bank,” is a reflection of the Bank’s aspiration to develop a middle-market bank that shares the same entrepreneurial spirit as its clients. By combining the high-tech service and relationship-based focus of a community bank with an extensive suite of financial products and services, the Company is well-positioned to continue to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities available in the New York metropolitan area. See the “Glossary of Common Terms and Acronyms” for the definition of certain terms and acronyms used throughout this Form 10-K.

In addition to traditional commercial banking products, the Company offers corporate cash management and retail banking services, and is an established leader in BaaS through its Global Payments Group (“global payments business”). The Global Payments Group provides global payments infrastructure to its fintech partners, which includes serving as an issuing bank for third-party debit card programs nationwide and providing other financial infrastructure, including cash settlement and custodian deposit services. The Company has developed various deposit gathering strategies, which generate the funding necessary to operate without a large branch network. These activities, together with six strategically located banking centers, generate a stable source of deposits and a diverse loan portfolio with attractive risk-adjusted yields. As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s assets, loans, deposits and stockholders’ equity totaled $7.1 billion, $3.7 billion, $6.4 billion and $557.0 million, respectively.

As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to the supervision of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. The Company is required to file with the FRB reports and other information regarding its business operations and the business operations of its subsidiaries. As a state-chartered bank that is a member of the FRB, the Bank is subject to FDIC regulations as well as primary supervision, periodic examination and regulation by the NYSDFS as the state regulator and by the FRB as its primary federal regulator.

Amendments to the SEC’s Smaller Reporting Company Definition

In 2018, the SEC adopted amendments to its regulations that raise the thresholds by which entities would be defined as a SRC, which permits reduced disclosure and later filing deadlines. Under the new definition of SRC, a company with less than $250 million of public float will be eligible to provide reduced disclosures. Additionally, companies with less than $100 million in annual revenues and either no public float or a public float that is less than $700 million will also be eligible to provide reduced disclosures. A reporting company will determine whether it qualifies as a SRC annually as of the last business day of its second fiscal quarter. A company must reflect its SRC status in its Form 10-Q for the first fiscal quarter of the next year.

The Company qualified as a SRC for the 2021 fiscal year due to having a public float of less than $250 million as of June 30, 2020 and has elected to take advantage of certain exemptions allowed as an EGC and SRC. See “Business – Emerging Growth Company Status. However, the Company exceeded the $250 million public float threshold as of June 30, 2021 and accordingly will no longer qualify as a SRC beginning with its Form 10-Q for the quarter ending March 31, 2022. In addition, the Company has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards as permitted by the JOBS Act.

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Available Information

The SEC maintains an internet site, www.sec.gov, that contains the Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments thereto, and other reports electronically filed with the SEC. The Company makes these documents filed with the SEC available free of charge through the Company’s website, www.mcbankny.com, by clicking the Investor Relations tab and selecting “SEC Filings” under the “Filings & Financials” tab. Information included on the Company’s website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Market Area

The Company’s primary market includes the New York metropolitan area, specifically Manhattan and the outer boroughs, and Nassau County. This market is well-diversified and represents the largest market for middle market businesses in the country (defined as businesses with annual revenue of $5 million to $200 million). Middle-market businesses have changed in type, but not in substance, with respect to banking needs in recent decades following a commercial trend out of manufacturing and into services. This has been to the advantage of the middle-market business in the New York metropolitan area, which has continued to grow at a better than average pace relative to other metropolitan regions in the United States. In addition, the Company’s Global Payments Group issues prepaid debit cards to debit card program managers nationwide and administers global payment settlements for its fintech partners globally.

The Company operates six banking centers strategically located within close proximity to target clients. There are four banking centers in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn, New York, and one in Great Neck, Long Island. The 99 Park Avenue banking center, adjacent to the Company headquarters, is located at the center of one of the largest markets for bank deposits in the New York Metropolitan Statistical Area due to the abundance of corporate and high net worth clients. The Manhattan banking centers are centrally located in the heart of neighborhoods strongly identified with specific business sectors, with which the Company has strong existing relationships. The Brooklyn banking center is in the active Boro Park neighborhood, which is home to many small- and medium-sized businesses, and where several important existing lending clients live and work. The banking center in Great Neck, Long Island represents a natural extension of the Company’s efforts to establish a physical footprint in areas where many of its existing and prospective commercial clients are located, and also serves as a central hub for philanthropic and community events.

Competitors

The bank and non-bank financial services industry in the Company’s markets and surrounding areas is highly competitive. The Company competes with a wide range of regional and national banks located in its market areas as well as non-bank commercial finance companies on a nationwide basis. The Company faces competition in both lending and attracting funds as well as merchant processing services from commercial banks, savings associations, credit unions, consumer finance companies, pension trusts, mutual funds, insurance companies, mortgage bankers and brokers, brokerage and investment banking firms, non-bank lenders, government agencies and certain other non-financial institutions. Many of these competitors have higher lending limits and more assets, capital and resources than the Company, and may be able to conduct more intensive and broader-based promotional efforts to reach both commercial and individual customers. Competition for deposit products can depend heavily on pricing because of the ease with which customers can transfer deposits from one institution to another.

The Company’s primary market consists of the New York metropolitan area, specifically Manhattan and the outer boroughs, and Nassau County. The Company’s market area has a diversified economy typical of most urban population centers, with the majority of employment provided by services, wholesale/retail trade, finance/insurance/real estate (“FIRE”), technology companies and construction. The services industry accounts for the largest employment sector across the two primary market area counties, while wholesale/retail trade accounts for the second largest employment sector in Nassau and New York Counties. FIRE is the third largest employment sector in New York County.

Accessibility, tailored product offerings, disciplined underwriting and differentiated execution create a unique opportunity for the Company to distinguish itself in the market of its target clients, which the Company views as under-served by today’s global financial services industry. Establishing banking centers in close proximity to a “critical mass” of its clients

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has advanced the Company’s ability to retain and grow deposits, provided opportunities to deepen client relationships, and enhance franchise value.

Business Strategy

The Company’s strategy is to continue to build a relationship-oriented commercial bank by organically growing its existing client relationships and developing new long-term clients. The Company focuses on New York metropolitan area middle-market businesses with annual revenues of $200 million or less and New York metropolitan area real estate entrepreneurs with a net worth of $5 million or more. The Company originates and services CRE and C&I loans of generally between $2 million and $20 million, which it believes is an under-served segment of the market. Management believes that the Company is positioned in a market area offering significant growth opportunities. As it grows, the Company plans to continue its success in converting many of its lending clients into full retail relationships.

The Company differentiates itself in the marketplace by offering excellent service, competitive products, innovative solutions, access to senior management, and an ability to make lending decisions in a timely manner combined with certainty of execution. The Company’s lending team has developed industry expertise that enables it to better understand its clients’ businesses and differentiates it from other banks in the market.

On-going relationships and tailored products

Management believes that the focus on servicing all aspects of the clients’ businesses, including cash management and lending solutions, positions the Company to be able to provide a host of services designed to meet clients’ current and future needs. The Company has the flexibility and commitment to create solutions tailored to the needs of each client. For example, the Company entered the healthcare lending space in 2001 and built out processes, procedures, and customized infrastructure to support its clients in this industry. Management intends to continue leveraging the quality of its team, existing relationships and its client-centered approach to further grow its tailored banking solutions, build deeper relationships and increase penetration in its market area. Additionally, the Company is always working to expand its team by attracting and developing individuals that embody its spirit as “The Entrepreneurial Bank.” This ensures that it continues to meet its high standard of excellence, which drives relationships and loan growth.

Strong deposit franchise

The strength of the Company’s deposit franchise comes from its long-standing relationships with clients and the strong ties it has in its market area. The Company provides commercial clients with convenient solutions such as remote deposit capture, business online banking and various other retail services and products. The Company has also developed a diversified funding strategy, which affords it the opportunity to be less reliant on branches. Deposit funding is provided by the following deposit verticals:

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Products and Services

The Company provides a comprehensive set of commercial and retail banking products and services customized to meet the needs of its clients. The Company offers a broad range of lending products, primarily CRE and C&I loans.

Lending Products

The Company’s CRE products include acquisition loans, loans to refinance or return borrower equity on income producing properties, renovation loans, loans on owner-occupied properties and construction loans. The Company lends against a variety of asset classes, including multi-family, mixed use, retail, office, hospitality and warehouse.

The Company’s C&I products consist primarily of working capital lines of credit secured by business assets, self-liquidating term loans generally made for the acquisition of equipment and other long-lived company assets, trade finance and letters of credit. The majority of C&I loans carry the personal guarantee of the principals of the borrowing entity.

Commercial Real Estate

Non-owner occupied CRE comprises the largest component of the Company’s real estate loan portfolio. These mortgage loans are secured by mixed-use properties, office buildings, commercial condominium units, retail properties, hotels and warehouses. In underwriting these loans, the Company generally relies on the income generated by the property as the primary means of repayment. However, the personal guarantee of the principals will frequently be required as a credit enhancement, particularly when the collateral property is in transition (i.e., under renovation and/or in the lease-up stage). A Phase I Environmental Report is generally required for all new CRE loans.

Loans are generally written for terms of three to five years, although loans with longer terms are occasionally written. Interest rates may be fixed or floating, and repayment schedules are generally based on a 25- to 30-year amortization schedule although interest only loans are also offered.

Factors considered in the underwriting include: the stability of the projected cash flows from the real estate based on operating history, tenancy, and current rental market conditions; development and property management experience of the principals; financial wherewithal of the principals, including an analysis of global cash flows; and credit history of the principals. Maximum LTVs range from 50% to 75%, depending on the property type. The minimum debt coverage ratio is 1.20x, with higher coverage required for hospitality and special use properties.

At December 31, 2021, $856.0 million, or 30.1% of the Company’s real estate loan portfolio consisted of loans to the healthcare industry, all of which were made to nursing and residential care facilities. These loans are made to borrowers with strong cash flows and the Company generally obtains the personal guarantee of high net worth sponsors. The Company has lenders who are well experienced in lending to the healthcare industry, and particularly to skilled nursing homes. They generally originate loans with very experienced operators who typically have over 1,000 beds under management. In addition to being secured by real estate, these loans are also generally secured by the assets of the operating company, and in almost all cases the credit facilities are personally guaranteed by principals of the company, who are typically high net worth individuals. The Company also originates term loans to standalone medical facilities such as radiology and dialysis centers and medical practices, which are secured by the assets of the company and the personal guaranties of the sponsors/owners of the practice.

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Multi-family

The multi-family loan portfolio consists of loans secured by multi-tenanted residential properties primarily located in the New York City or the greater New York area. In underwriting multi-family loans, the Company employs the same underwriting standards and procedures as are employed for non-owner occupied CRE.

During the second quarter of 2019, new rent regulations were signed into law by the State of New York. These laws mostly impact rent stabilized units in the New York City boroughs. The laws limit rent increases for rent stabilized multi-family properties, which may make it difficult for owners of these properties to offset increasing property expenses and generate excess cash flows. If expense growth exceeds revenue growth, the property may not generate sufficient cash flows to cover debt service. See “Risk Factors – Risk Relating to Lending Activities – The performance of the Company’s multi-family and mixed-use loans could be adversely impacted by regulation.”

The Company analyzed its portfolio of rent-stabilized multi-family loans, including free market or combinations of rent controlled and free market multi-family properties, to determine if any of the business plans of the properties could be adversely affected by the new regulations in a way that the Company’s underwritten debt service coverage levels could be meaningfully lower than those which might ultimately be achieved. The Company has concluded that the recent New York City rent regulations had a very modest impact on its rent-stabilized multi-family loan portfolio because the Company’s multi-family loans are underwritten to current cash flows. The weighted average debt coverage ratio on rent-regulated stabilized multi-family properties was 2.12x at December 31, 2021. The properties had an average LTV of 33.9% at December 31, 2021, which provides a cushion against potential declines in value.

Construction Loans

Construction lending involves additional risks when compared to permanent loans. These risks include completion risk, which is impacted by unanticipated delays and/or cost overruns, and market risk, i.e., the risk that market rental rates and/or market sales prices may decline before the project is completed. Therefore, the Company only originates construction loans on a very selective basis. The types of construction loans the Company may originate are both extensive renovation loans as well as ground-up construction loans. At December 31, 2021, construction loans comprised 4.0% of the Company’s loan portfolio. In all cases the owner/developer will have extensive construction experience, sufficient equity in the transaction (maximum loan to cost of 65%) and personal recourse on the loan. The Company has established limits for construction lending as a percentage of risk-based capital.

Commercial and Industrial Loans

C&I credit facilities are made to a wide range of industries. The principals of the companies have extensive experience in acquiring and operating their business. The industries include healthcare with a specialty in skilled nursing facilities, auto leasing firms, wholesalers, manufacturers and importers and exporters of a wide range of products. The loans are secured by the assets of the company including accounts receivable, inventory and equipment and, in most cases, are personally guaranteed. Collateral may also include owner-occupied real estate. The Company targets companies that have $200 million of revenues or less.

The Company’s lines of credit are generally reviewed on an annual basis. Term loans typically have terms of two to five years and are also reviewed on an annual basis. The credit facilities may be made with either fixed or floating rates.

C&I loans are subject to risk factors that are unique to each business. In underwriting these loans, the Company seeks to gain an understanding of each client’s business in order to accurately assess the reliability of the company’s cash flows. The Company lends to borrowers who are well capitalized, and have an established track record in their business, with predictable growth and cash flows.

At December 31, 2021, $207.6 million, or 31.7% of the Company’s C&I loan portfolio, consisted of loans to the healthcare industry, of which $101.9 million, or 49.1%, of these loans were made to nursing and residential care facilities. These loans are made to borrowers with strong cash flows and the Company generally obtains the personal guarantee of high net worth sponsors. Within the C&I lending group, the Company has lenders who are well experienced in lending to the

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healthcare industry, and particularly to skilled nursing homes. They generally originate loans with very experienced operators who typically have over 1,000 beds under management. In all cases these loans are secured by the assets of the operating company, and in almost all cases the credit facilities are personally guaranteed by principals of the company, who are typically high net worth individuals. The Company also originates term loans to standalone medical facilities such as radiology and dialysis centers and medical practices, which are secured by the assets of the company and the personal guaranties of the sponsors/owners of the practice.

Deposit Products and Services

The Company’s retail products and services are similar to those of mid-to-large competitive banks in its market, and include, but are not limited to, online banking, mobile banking, ACH, and remote deposit capture. The Company has and will continue to make investments in technology to meet the needs of its customers.

Global Payments Business

The Company administers domestic and international digital payment settlements on behalf of its fintech clients, provides cash management solutions to its digital currency clients and serves as an issuing bank for third-party debit card programs nationwide. The Company acts as the depository institution for the processing of credit and debit card payments made to various businesses.  The Company has designed products that enable clients to process electronic payments more easily and to better manage their risk of loss. These client accounts are a source of demand deposits and fee income. The Company maintains a robust risk management program that is designed to ensure safe and sound operations in compliance with applicable laws, rules and guidance around its global payments products.

Corporate Cash Management Deposit Accounts

The Company’s entrepreneurial approach has encouraged management to find alternatives to traditional retail bank services, such as corporate cash management deposit accounts. These accounts belong to clients who are in possession of or have discretion over large deposits such as, but not limited to, property management companies, title companies and bankruptcy trustees. The accounts provide a significant source of deposits. At December 31, 2021, deposits in these accounts amounted to $2.2 billion, which was 33.9% of total deposits. These accounts included money market accounts, demand accounts and other interest-bearing transaction accounts.

Asset Quality

Non-Performing Assets

Non-performing assets consist of non-accrual loans, consumer loans placed in forbearance with payments past due over 90 days and still accruing, and non-accrual TDRs. Non-performing loans exclude TDRs that are accruing and have been performing in accordance with the terms of their restructure agreement for at least six months. Non-performing loans also exclude loan modifications that were not considered TDRs under the CARES Act. See NOTE 2 - BASIS OF PRESENTATION - Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

The past due status on all loans is based on the contractual terms of the loan. It is generally the Company’s policy that a loan 90 days past due be placed on non-accrual status unless factors exist that would eliminate the need to place a loan on this status. A loan may also be designated as non-accrual at any time if payment of principal or interest in full is not expected due to deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower. At the time loans are placed on non-accrual status, the accrual of interest is discontinued and previously accrued interest is reversed. All payments received on non-accrual loans are generally applied to principal. Loans are considered for return to accrual status when they become current as to principal and interest and remain current for a period of six consecutive months or when, in the opinion of management, the Company expects to receive all of its original principal and interest. In the case of non-accrual loans where a portion of the loan has been charged off, the remaining balance is kept on non-accrual status until the entire principal balance has been recovered.

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Allowance for Loan Losses

The ALLL is maintained at an amount management deems adequate to cover probable incurred credit losses. In determining the level to be maintained, management evaluates many factors, including current economic trends, industry experience, historical loss experience, loan concentrations, the borrower’s ability to repay and repayment performance and estimated collateral values. Loan losses are charged-off against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance.

The allowance for non-impaired loans is based on historical loss experience adjusted for current factors. The historical loss experience is determined by portfolio segment and is based on the actual loss history experienced by the Company over a rolling two-year period. This actual loss experience is supplemented with other qualitative and economic factors based on the risks present for each portfolio segment. These qualitative and economic factors include economic and business conditions, the nature and volume of the portfolio, and lending terms and volume and severity of past due loans.

A loan is considered to be impaired when it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all principal and interest amounts according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining impairment include payment status, collateral value, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Loans that experience insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls generally are not classified as impaired. Management determines 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 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.

If a loan is impaired, impairment is measured at the present value of estimated future cash flows using the loan’s effective interest rate or at the fair value of collateral if repayment is expected solely from the collateral. The majority of the Company’s impaired loans are secured and measured for impairment based on collateral valuations. An impairment measurement is performed based upon the most recent appraisal on file. In determining the amount of any impairment, the Company will make adjustments to reflect the estimated costs to sell the collateral. It is the Company’s policy to obtain updated appraisals by independent third parties on loans secured by real estate at the time a loan is determined to be impaired. Upon receipt and review of the updated appraisal, an additional impairment measurement is performed. Impaired loans are reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine if any changes in credit quality or market conditions have occurred that would impact the impairment measurement. Non-real estate collateral may be valued using (i) an appraisal, (ii) net book value of the collateral per the borrower’s financial statements, or (iii) accounts receivable aging reports, that may be adjusted based on management’s knowledge of the client and client’s business. If market conditions warrant, future appraisals are obtained for both real estate and non-real estate collateral.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date be based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The Company is required to implement the ASU by January 1, 2023. See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Accounting Matters – The FASB issued an accounting standard update that will result in a significant change in how the Company recognizes credit losses, which may have a material impact on its financial condition or results of operations.”

Troubled Debt Restructurings

The Company works closely with borrowers that have financial difficulties to identify viable solutions that minimize the potential for loss. In that regard, the Company modifies the terms of certain loans to maximize their collectability. Loans for which the terms have been modified resulting in a concession, and for which the borrower is experiencing financial difficulties, are considered TDRs under current accounting guidance. Modifications generally involve short-term deferrals of principal and/or interest payments, reductions of scheduled payment amounts, interest rates or principal of the loan, and forgiveness of accrued interest.

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Credit Risk Management

The Company controls credit risk both through disciplined underwriting of each transaction, as well as active credit management processes and procedures to manage risk and minimize loss throughout the life of a transaction. It seeks to maintain a broadly diversified loan portfolio in terms of type of customer, type of loan product, geographic area and industries in which business customers are engaged. The Company has developed tailored underwriting criteria and credit management processes for each of the various loan product types it offers customers.

Underwriting

In evaluating each potential loan relationship, the Company adheres to a disciplined underwriting evaluation process including, but not limited to the following:

Loan Approval Authority

The Company’s lending activities follow written, non-discriminatory, underwriting standards and loan origination procedures established by its Board of Directors and management. The Company has established several levels of lending authority that have been delegated by the Board of Directors to the Credit Committee and other personnel in accordance with the Lending Authority in the Commercial Loan Policy. Authority limits are based upon the individual loan size and the total exposure of the borrower and are conditioned on the loan conforming to the policies contained in the Commercial Loan Policy. All loans over $7.5 million go to the Credit Committee for approval. The Credit Committee is comprised of Board members and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. There are four Board members who are permanent members of the Credit Committee; and a minimum of two other Board members rotate quarterly. Loans less than $7.5 million are approved by management subject to individual officer approval limits. However, for all group relationships with total exposure in excess of 20% of risk-based capital, approval of the Credit Committee will be required for loans of any size; except that a loan will not require Credit Committee approval if the loan request is no greater than 10% of the relationship, to a maximum of $1 million, whereby Lending Officers approval will be required.

Any loan policy exceptions are fully disclosed to the approving authority.

Loans to One Borrower

In accordance with loans-to-one-borrower regulations promulgated by the NYSDFS, the Company is generally limited to lending no more than 15% of its capital stock, surplus fund and undivided profits to any one borrower or borrowing entity. Management understands the importance of concentration risk and continuously monitors the Company’s loan portfolio to ensure that risk is balanced between such factors as loan type, industry, geography, collateral, structure, maturity and risk rating, among other things. The Company’s Commercial Loan Policy establishes detailed concentration limits and sub-limits by loan type and geography.

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Ongoing Credit Risk Management

In addition to the underwriting process described above, the Company performs ongoing risk monitoring and reviews processes for all credit exposures. While the Company grades and classifies its loans internally, it also engages an independent third-party firm to perform regular loan reviews and confirm loan classifications. The Company strives to identify potential problem loans early in an effort to aggressively seek resolution of these situations before the loans result in a loss, record any necessary charge-offs promptly and maintain adequate allowance levels for probable loan losses incurred in the loan portfolio.

In general, whenever a particular loan or overall borrower relationship is classified as to pass-watch, special mention or substandard based on one or more standard loan grading factors, the Company’s credit officers engage in active evaluation of the asset to determine the appropriate resolution strategy. On a quarterly basis, management and the Board of Directors review the status of the watch list and classified assets portfolio as well as the larger credits in the portfolio.

Investments

The Company’s investment objectives are primarily to provide and maintain liquidity, establish an acceptable level of interest rate risk and safely invest excess funds when demand for loans is less than deposit growth. Subject to these primary objectives, the Company also seeks to generate a favorable return. The Board of Directors has the overall responsibility for the investment portfolio, including approval of the Investment Policy. The ALCO and management are responsible for implementation of the Company’s investment policy and monitoring its investment performance. The ALCO reviews the status of its investment portfolio quarterly.

The Company has legal authority to invest in various types of investment securities and liquid assets, including U.S. Treasury obligations, securities of various government-sponsored agencies, mortgage-backed and municipal government securities, deposits at the FHLBNY, certificates of deposit of federally insured institutions, investment grade corporate bonds and investment grade money market mutual funds. It is also required to maintain an investment in FHLBNY stock, which investment is based primarily on the level of its FHLBNY borrowings. Additionally, the Company is required to maintain an investment in FRBNY stock equal to six percent of its capital and surplus.

The majority of the Company’s investments are classified as AFS and HTM and can be used to collateralize FHLBNY borrowings, FRB borrowings, public funds deposits or other borrowings. At December 31, 2021, the investment portfolio consisted primarily of residential mortgage-backed securities and, to a lesser extent, U.S. Government Agency and treasury securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and municipal securities.

In the first quarter of 2020, the Company entered into an interest rate cap derivative contract as a part of its asset liability management strategy to help manage its interest rate risk position. The interest rate cap has a notional amount of $300.0 million and matures on March 1, 2025. The notional amount does not represent the amount exchanged by the parties. The amount exchanged is determined by reference to the notional amount and the other terms of the derivative contract. The interest rate subject to the cap is 30-day LIBOR.

Sources of Funds

Deposits

Deposits have traditionally been the Company’s primary source of funds for use in lending and investment activities. The Company generates deposits from prepaid third-party debit card programs, digital currency customers, its cash management platform offered to bankruptcy trustees, property management companies and others, local businesses, individuals through client referrals and other relationships and through its retail branch network. The Company believes that it has a very stable deposit base as it successfully encourages its business borrowers to maintain their operating banking relationship with it. The Company’s deposit strategy primarily focuses on developing borrowing and other service-oriented relationships with customers rather than competing with other institutions on rate. It has established deposit concentration thresholds to avoid the possibility of dependence on any single depositor base for funds.

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Borrowings

The Company maintains diverse funding sources including borrowing lines at the FHLB and the FRB discount window. The Company may, from time to time, utilize advances from the FHLB to supplement its funding sources. The FHLB provides a central credit facility primarily for its member financial institutions. As a member, the Company is required to own capital stock in the FHLB and is authorized to apply for advances collateralized by the security of such stock and certain of its whole first mortgage loans and other assets (principally securities which are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the full faith and credit of the United States), provided certain standards related to creditworthiness have been met. Advances are made under several different programs, each having its own interest rate and range of maturities. Depending on the program, limitations on the amount of advances are based either on a fixed percentage of an institution’s net worth or on the FHLB’s assessment of the institution’s creditworthiness. The Company maintains a borrowing line with the FRB discount window primarily for contingency funding sources.

As of December 31, 2021, the Company did not have any borrowings from the FHLB or the FRB.

Human Capital Resources

Our employees are vital to the success and growth of the Company and are considered one of our greatest assets. The experience, knowledge, and customer service excellence they bring everyday differentiates us from our competitors. As of December 31, 2021, the Company employed 202 full time employees, none of whom are represented by a collective bargaining unit. We consider our relationship with our employees to be good. This represents an increase of 13 employees, or approximately 7%, from December 31, 2020. Headcount growth to support our expanding businesses occurred in the Company’s Lending and Global Payments business lines, as well as in the Compliance, BSA/Anti-Money Laundering, Technology and Risk Management groups.

Talent Acquisition and Retention  

The Company employs a business model that combines high-touch service, emerging technologies, and the relationship-based focus of a community bank. We offer a suite of banking and financial services to businesses and individuals that includes a growing emphasis on BaaS. Management seeks to hire, develop, promote, and retain well-qualified employees who are aligned with the Company’s business model and community.

The Company’s selection and promotion processes are without bias and include the active recruitment of minorities and women. The percentages of women and men in the Company are 48% and 52% respectively. Approximately 29.7% of the employees identify as minorities and, within that percentage, 17.3% are women. The Company uses the U.S. Department of Labor Affirmative Action definition to define minorities, which includes: Black or African American, Hispanic, or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and American Indians/Alaskan Natives.

The New York City labor market is very competitive. To attract and retain high performing talent, the Company offers a competitive, performance-based compensation program and a benefits plan that includes comprehensive health care coverage, a 401(k) Plan with a Company match, life and disability insurance, wellness programs, an Employee Assistance Program, and paid time off and leave policies, including paid maternity/paternity leave. The Company also offers an Employee Referral Program that allows employees to earn a referral bonus by recommending candidates for open positions.

Training and Development

The Company encourages and supports the growth and development of its employees and, whenever possible, seeks to fill positions by promotion and transfer from within the organization. The training and development of employees is a priority.

The Company conducts a comprehensive New Employee Orientation for all new hires. All employees are required to complete a minimum of 6.5 hours of compliance and technical training annually. The Company provides in-house training to employees on topics such as, cybersecurity, risk, compliance, and technology. In addition, informal learning opportunities are available for employees such as attending committee meetings to better understand the business, meet

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with senior level staff and cross-train within their own department. To further their education, employees are encouraged to attend external business-related training seminars, conferences, and networking opportunities which are paid for by the Company.

The Company developed and implemented an Employee Career Path Program that empowers employees to have direct input over their career path. The employee and their manager meet one on one to define a pathway for learning and career progression. Employees and their managers have regular check-ins throughout the year to ensure the employee is on track to accomplish the goals identified. A template is provided to the manager by the Human Resources Department so both the manager and the employee have the opportunity to document the goals they establish together, identify strengths and areas for development, as well as document their next meeting dates. This allows for clear and consistent communication throughout the process.

In 2021, the Board of Directors attended an on-site training program focused on Diversity and Inclusion. This will continue to be a focus of the Company not only for the Directors but for employees.

The Company has an Employee Engagement Committee comprised of employees from various departments who organize events to support community-based functions, employee interests, educational sessions around different cultures and volunteering for charities, among others.

Safety, Health and Welfare

The safety, health and wellness of our employees is a top priority. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company continued to responsibly serve the needs of its customers while prioritizing the health and safety of employees.  

The Company created a COVID-19 Committee that was and continues to be responsible for the administration of the pandemic response for the Company. It took steps to protect the employees by hiring a dedicated cleaning staff, so all workspaces, common areas and offices were cleaned throughout the day, constantly monitored the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York City Department of Health, as well as received guidance from outside counsel regarding policy and procedure.

The COVID-19 Committee identified the potential threat of COVID-19 in February 2020 and activated its Pandemic Plan in March 2020. The workforce was fully remote by early April 2020. In September 2020, the Company implemented its Return-to-Work Plan by bringing staff back incrementally subject to the recommended health protocols. In March 2021, a full return to premises was achieved. The Pandemic Plan and Return-to-Work Plan incorporate guidance from the regulatory and health communities, defined by the Company’s Business Continuity Response Team, the Company’s COVID-19 Committee and the actions taken from the business lines up through the Board of Directors. The COVID-19 Committee continues to closely monitor the protocols and guidance issued and takes the appropriate action.

As of December 27, 2021, the Company adopted New York City’s mandate that all private employers require proof of vaccination from all workers or visitors entering the workplace. The Company continues to monitor this mandate and current guidance, and the Human Resources Department works closely with the employees to assist and provide accurate information in this fluid and changing environment.

Subsidiaries

Metropolitan Commercial Bank is the sole subsidiary of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. and there are no subsidiaries of Metropolitan Commercial Bank.

Federal, State and Local Taxation

The following is a general description of material tax matters and does not purport to be a comprehensive review of the tax rules applicable to the Company.

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For federal income tax purposes, the Company files a consolidated income tax return on a calendar year basis using the accrual method of accounting. The Company is subject to federal income taxation in the same manner as other corporations. For its 2021 taxable year, the Company is subject to a maximum Federal income tax rate of 21%.

The Company is subject to New York State, New York City and Connecticut income taxes on a consolidated basis. The Bank is subject to Missouri and Kentucky income taxes on a separate company basis.

Regulation

General

The Bank is a commercial bank organized under the laws of the state of New York. It is a member of the Federal Reserve System and its deposits are insured under the DIF of the FDIC up to applicable legal limits. The lending, investment, deposit-taking, and other business authority of the Company is governed primarily by state and federal law and regulations and the Company is prohibited from engaging in any operations not authorized by such laws and regulations. The Company is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by, and the enforcement authority of, the NYSDFS and FRB, and to a lesser extent by the FDIC, as its deposit insurer. The Company is also subject to federal financial consumer protection and fair lending laws and regulations of the CFPB, though, because it has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, the FRB and NYSDFS are responsible for examining and supervising the Company’s compliance with these laws. The regulatory structure establishes a comprehensive framework of activities in which a state member bank may engage and is primarily intended for the protection of depositors, customers and the DIF. The regulatory structure gives the regulatory agencies extensive discretion in connection with their supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of adequate loan loss reserves for regulatory purposes.

The Company is a bank holding company, due to its control of the Bank, and is therefore subject to the requirements of the BHCA, and regulation and supervision by the FRB. The Company files reports with and is subject to periodic examination by the FRB.

Any change in the applicable laws and regulations could have a material adverse impact on the Company and the Bank and their operations and the Company’s stockholders.

On May 24, 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (the “Economic Growth Act”) was enacted to modify or remove certain financial reform rules and regulations, including some of those implemented under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”). While the Economic Growth Act maintains most of the regulatory structure established by the Dodd-Frank Act, it amends certain aspects of the regulatory framework for small depository institutions with assets of less than $10 billion and for large banks with assets of more than $50 billion. Many of these changes could result in meaningful regulatory changes for banks and their holding companies.

In addition, the Economic Growth Act includes regulatory relief for community banks regarding regulatory examination cycles, call reports, the Volcker Rule, mortgage disclosures and risk weights for certain high-risk CRE loans.

What follows is a summary of some of the laws and regulations applicable to the Bank and the Company. The summary is not intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual laws and regulations.

Regulations of the Bank

Loans and Investments

State commercial banks have authority to originate and purchase any type of loan, including commercial, CRE, residential mortgages or consumer loans. Aggregate loans by a state commercial bank to any single borrower or group of related borrowers are generally limited to 15% of a bank’s capital stock, surplus fund and undivided profits, plus an additional 10% if secured by specified readily marketable collateral.

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Federal and state law and regulations limit a bank’s investment authority. Generally, a state member bank is prohibited from investing in corporate equity securities for its own account other than the equity securities of companies through which the bank conducts its business. Under federal and state regulations, a New York state member bank may invest in investment securities for its own account up to specified limits depending upon the type of security. “Investment securities” are generally defined as marketable obligations that are investment grade and not predominantly speculative in nature. The NYSDFS classifies investment securities into five different types and, depending on its type, a state commercial bank may have the authority to deal in and underwrite the security. The NYSDFS has also permitted New York state member banks to purchase certain non-investment securities that can be reclassified and underwritten as loans.

Lending Standards and Guidance

The federal banking agencies adopted uniform regulations prescribing standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens or interests in real estate or made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate. Under these regulations, all insured depository institutions, such as the Bank, must adopt and maintain written policies establishing appropriate limits and standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens or interests in real estate or are made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate. These policies must establish loan portfolio diversification standards, prudent underwriting standards (including LTV limits) that are clear and measurable, loan administration procedures, and documentation, approval and reporting requirements. The real estate lending policies must reflect consideration of the federal bank regulators’ Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies that have been adopted.

The FDIC, the OCC and the FRB have also jointly issued the CRE Guidance. The CRE Guidance, which addresses land development, construction, and certain multi-family loans, as well as CRE loans, does not establish specific lending limits but rather reinforces and enhances these agencies’ existing regulations and guidelines for such lending and portfolio management. Specifically, the CRE Guidance provides that a bank has a concentration in CRE lending if  (1) total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 100% or more of total risk-based capital; or (2) total reported loans secured by multi-family properties, non-farm non-residential properties (excluding those that are owner-occupied), and loans for construction, land development, and other land represent 300% or more of total risk-based capital and the bank’s CRE loan portfolio has increased 50% or more during the prior 36 months. If a concentration is present, management must employ heightened risk management practices that address key elements, including board and management oversight and strategic planning, portfolio management, development of underwriting standards, risk assessment and monitoring through market analysis and stress testing, and maintenance of increased capital levels as needed to support the level of CRE lending.

Federal Deposit Insurance

Deposit accounts at the Bank are insured up to applicable legal limits by the FDIC’s DIF. Effective July 22, 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act permanently raised the deposit insurance available on all deposit accounts to $250,000.

Under the FDIC’s risk-based assessment system, insured depository institutions were assigned a risk category based on supervisory evaluations, regulatory capital levels and certain other factors. An institution’s rate depended upon the category to which it is assigned, and certain adjustments specified by FDIC regulations. Institutions deemed less risky pay lower FDIC assessments. The Dodd-Frank Act required the FDIC to revise its procedures to base its assessments upon each insured depository institution’s total assets less tangible equity instead of deposits. The FDIC finalized a rule, effective April 1, 2011, that set the assessment range at 2.5 to 45 basis points of total assets less tangible equity. Effective July 1, 2016, the FDIC adopted changes that eliminated the risk categories and base assessments for most banks on financial measures and supervisory ratings derived from statistical modeling estimating the probability of failure over three years. In conjunction with the DIF reserve ratio achieving 1.5%, the assessment range (inclusive of possible adjustments) was also reduced for small institutions to a range of 1.5 to 30 basis points of total assets less tangible equity.

The FDIC may adjust its assessment scale uniformly, except that no adjustment can deviate more than two basis points from the base scale without notice and comment. No insured depository institution may pay a dividend if in default of the federal deposit insurance assessment.

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The FDIC may terminate deposit insurance 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. The Company does not know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of the Company’s deposit insurance.

Capitalization

The FRB regulations require state member banks, such as the Bank, to meet several minimum capital standards: a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio, a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio, a total capital to risk-based assets and a Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio. The existing capital requirements were effective January 1, 2015 and are the result of a final rule implementing regulatory amendments based on recommendations of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and certain requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act.

The capital standards require the maintenance of a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio and total capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of at least 4.5%, 6% and 8%, respectively, and a leverage ratio of at least 4% Tier 1 capital. Common equity Tier 1 capital consists primarily of common stockholders’ equity and related surplus, plus retained earnings, less any amounts of goodwill, other intangible assets, and other items required to be deducted. Tier 1 capital consists primarily of common equity Tier 1 and Additional Tier 1 capital. Additional Tier 1 capital generally includes certain noncumulative perpetual preferred stock and related surplus and minority interests in equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries. Total capital includes Tier 1 capital (common equity Tier 1 capital plus Additional Tier 1 capital) and Tier 2 capital. Tier 2 capital primarily includes capital instruments and related surplus meeting specified requirements and may include cumulative preferred stock and long-term perpetual preferred stock, mandatory convertible securities, intermediate preferred stock and subordinated debt. Also included in Tier 2 capital is the allowance for loan losses limited to a maximum of 1.25% of risk-weighted assets. Calculation of all types of regulatory capital is subject to deductions and adjustments specified in the regulations.

In determining the amount of risk-weighted assets for purposes of calculating risk-based capital ratios, a bank’s assets, including certain off-balance sheet assets (e.g., recourse obligations, direct credit substitutes, residual interests), are multiplied by a risk weight factor assigned by the regulations based on perceived risks inherent in the type of asset. Higher levels of capital are required for asset categories believed to present greater risk. For example, a risk weight of 0% is assigned to cash and U.S. government securities, a risk weight of 50% is generally assigned to prudently underwritten first lien one-to four-family residential mortgages, a risk weight of 100% is assigned to commercial and consumer loans, a risk weight of 150% is assigned to certain past due loans or are on non-accrual status and a risk weight of between 0% to 600% is assigned to permissible equity interests, depending on certain specified factors.

In addition to establishing the minimum regulatory capital requirements, the regulations limit capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments to management if the institution does not hold a “capital conservation buffer” consisting of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets above the amount necessary to meet its minimum risk-based capital requirements. The Company’s capital conservation buffer was at 2.5% of risk-weighted assets at December 31, 2021.

As a result of the Economic Growth Act, banking regulatory agencies adopted a revised definition of “well capitalized” for eligible financial institutions and holding companies with assets of less than $10 billion (a “Qualifying Community Bank”). The new rule establishes a community bank leverage ratio (“CBLR”) equal to the tangible equity capital divided by the average total consolidated assets. Regulators have established the CBLR to be set at 8.5% through calendar year 2021 and 9% thereafter. The CARES Act, signed into law in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, temporarily reduced the CBLR to 8%. The Company did not elect into the CBLR framework and at December 31, 2021, the Company’s capital exceeded all applicable requirements.

Safety and Soundness Standards

Each federal banking agency, including the FRB, has adopted guidelines establishing general standards relating to, among other things, internal controls, information and internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, asset quality, earnings, compensation, fees and benefits and information security standards.

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In general, the guidelines set forth the safety and soundness standards that the federal banking agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions before capital becomes impaired, and require appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risks and exposures specified in the guidelines. The guidelines prohibit excessive compensation as an unsafe and unsound practice and describe compensation as excessive when the amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director, or principal stockholder. The FDIC also has issued guidance on risks banks may face from third-party relationships (e.g., relationships under which the third-party provides services to the bank). The guidance generally requires the Company to perform adequate due diligence on the third-party, appropriately document the relationship, and perform adequate oversight and auditing, in order to the limit the risks to the Company.

Prompt Corrective Regulatory Action

Federal law requires that federal bank regulatory authorities take “prompt corrective action” with respect to institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. For these purposes, the statute establishes five capital tiers: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized.

State member banks that have insufficient capital are subject to certain mandatory and discretionary supervisory measures. For example, a bank that is “undercapitalized” (i.e., fails to comply with any regulatory capital requirement) is subject to growth, capital distribution (including dividend) and other limitations, and is required to submit a capital restoration plan; a holding company that controls such a bank is required to guarantee that the bank complies with the restoration plan. If an undercapitalized institution fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is “significantly undercapitalized.” A “significantly undercapitalized” bank is subject to additional restrictions. State member banks deemed by the FRB to be “critically undercapitalized” also may not make any payment of principal or interest on certain subordinated debt, extend credit for a highly leveraged transaction, or enter into any material transactions outside the ordinary course of business after 60 days of obtaining such status, and are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator within 270 days after obtaining such status.

The final rule that increased regulatory capital standards also adjusted the prompt corrective action tiers as of January 1, 2015 to conform to the new capital standards. The various categories now incorporate the newly adopted common equity Tier 1 capital requirement, an increase in the Tier 1 to risk-based assets requirement and other changes. Under the revised prompt corrective action requirements, insured depository institutions are required to meet the following in order to qualify as “well capitalized:” (1) a common equity Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.5%; (2) a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8%; (3) a total risk-based capital ratio of 10% and (4) a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 5%.

Dividends

Under federal and state law and applicable regulations, a state member bank may generally declare a dividend, without approval from the NYSDFS or FRB, in an amount equal to its year-to-date net income plus the prior two years’ net income that is still available for dividend. Dividends exceeding those amounts require application to and approval by the NYSDFS or FRB. To pay a cash dividend, a state member bank must also maintain an adequate capital conservation buffer under the new capital rules discussed above.

Incentive Compensation Guidance

The FRB, OCC, FDIC and other federal banking agencies have issued comprehensive guidance intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations, including state member banks and bank holding companies, do not undermine the safety and soundness of those organizations by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The incentive compensation guidance sets expectations for banking organizations concerning their incentive compensation arrangements and related risk-management, control and governance processes. In addition, under the incentive compensation guidance, a banking organization’s federal supervisor, which for the Bank and the Company is the FRB, may initiate enforcement action if the organization’s incentive compensation arrangements pose a risk to the safety and soundness of the organization. Further, provisions of the Basel III regime described above limit discretionary bonus payments to bank and bank holding company executives if the institution’s regulatory capital ratios fail to exceed certain thresholds. The scope and content of the banking regulators’ policies on incentive compensation are likely to continue evolving.

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Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders

Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act govern transactions between an insured depository institution and its affiliates, which includes the Company. The FRB has adopted Regulation W, which implements and interprets Sections 23A and 23B, in part by codifying prior FRB interpretations.

An affiliate of a bank is any company or entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the bank. A subsidiary of a bank that is not also a depository institution or a “financial subsidiary” under federal law is not treated as an affiliate of the bank for the purposes of Sections 23A and 23B; however, the FRB has the discretion to treat subsidiaries of a bank as affiliates on a case-by-case basis. Section 23A limits the extent to which a bank or its subsidiaries may engage in “covered transactions” with any one affiliate to an amount equal to 10% of the bank’s capital stock and surplus. There is an aggregate limit of 20% of the bank’s capital stock and surplus for such transactions with all affiliates. The term “covered transaction” includes, among other things, the making of a loan to an affiliate, a purchase of assets from an affiliate, the issuance of a guarantee on behalf of an affiliate and the acceptance of securities of an affiliate as collateral for a loan. All such transactions are required to be on terms and conditions that are consistent with safe and sound banking practices and no transaction may involve the acquisition of any “low quality asset” from an affiliate unless certain conditions are satisfied. Certain covered transactions, such as loans to or guarantees on behalf of an affiliate, must be secured by collateral in amounts ranging from 100 to 130 percent of the loan amount, depending upon the type of collateral. In addition, Section 23B requires that any covered transaction (and specified other transactions) between a bank and an affiliate must be on terms and conditions that are substantially the same, or at least as favorable, to the bank, as those that would be provided to a non-affiliate.

A bank’s loans to its executive officers, directors, any owner of more than 10% of its stock (each, an “insider”) and certain entities affiliated with any such person (an insider’s “related interest”) are subject to the conditions and limitations imposed by Section 22(h) of the Federal Reserve Act and the FRB’s Regulation O. The aggregate amount of a bank’s loans to any insider and the insider’s related interests may not exceed the loans-to-one-borrower limit applicable to state member banks. Aggregate loans by a bank to its insiders and insiders’ related interests may not exceed 15% of the bank’s unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus plus an additional 10% of unimpaired capital and surplus in the case of loans that are fully secured by readily marketable collateral, or when the aggregate amount on all of the extensions of credit outstanding to all of these persons would exceed the bank’s unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus. With certain exceptions, such as education loans and certain residential mortgages, a bank’s loans to its executive officers may not exceed the greater of $25,000 or 2.5% of the bank’s unimpaired capital and unimpaired surplus, but in no event more than $100,000. Regulation O also requires that any loan to an insider or a related interest of an insider be approved in advance by a majority of the board of directors of the bank, with any interested director not participating in the voting, if the loan, when aggregated with any existing loans to that insider or the insider’s related interests, would exceed the higher of $25,000 or 5% of the bank’s unimpaired capital and surplus. Generally, such loans must be made on substantially the same terms as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are no less stringent than, those that are prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with other persons and must not involve more than a normal risk of repayment. An exception is made for extensions of credit made pursuant to a benefit or compensation plan of a bank that is widely available to employees of the bank and that does not give any preference to insiders of the bank over other employees of the bank.

Enforcement

The NYSDFS and the FRB have extensive enforcement authority over state member banks to correct unsafe or unsound practices and violations of law or regulation. Such authority includes the issuance of cease and desist orders, assessment of civil money penalties and removal of officers and directors. The FRB may also appoint a conservator or receiver for a state member bank under specified circumstances, such as where (i) the bank’s assets are less than its obligations to creditors, (ii) the bank is likely to be unable to pay its obligations or meet depositors’ demands in the normal course of business, or (iii) a substantial dissipation of bank assets or earnings has occurred due to a violation of law or regulation or unsafe or unsound practices. Separately, the Superintendent of the NYSDFS also has the authority to appoint a receiver or liquidator of any state-chartered bank under specified circumstances, including where (i) the bank is conducting its business in an unauthorized or unsafe manner, (ii) the bank has suspended payment of its obligations, or (iii) the bank cannot with safety and expediency continue to do business.

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Federal Reserve System

Under FRB regulations, the Company is required to maintain reserves at the FRB against its transaction accounts, including checking and Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (“NOW”) accounts. The regulations currently require that banks maintain average daily reserves of 3% on aggregate transaction accounts over $16.3 million and up to $124.2 million and 10% against that portion of total transaction accounts in excess of $124.2 million. The first $16.3 million of otherwise reservable balances are exempted from the reserve requirements. The Company is in compliance with these requirements. The requirements are adjusted annually by the FRB and the FRB began paying interest on reserves in 2008.

Examinations and Assessments

The Company is required to file periodic reports with and is subject to periodic examination by the NYSDFS and FRB. Federal and state regulations generally require periodic on-site examinations for all depository institutions. The Company is required to pay an annual assessment to the NYSDFS and FRB to fund the agencies’ operations.

Community Reinvestment Act and Fair Lending Laws

Federal Regulation

Under the CRA, the Company has a continuing and affirmative obligation consistent with its safe and sound operation to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial institutions nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community. The CRA requires the FRB to assess the Company’s record of meeting the credit needs of its community and to take that record into account in its evaluation of certain applications by the Company. For example, the regulations specify that a bank’s CRA performance will be considered in its expansion (e.g., branching or merger) proposals and may be the basis for approving, denying or conditioning the approval of an application. As of the date of its most recent FRB examination during 2020, the Company was rated “Satisfactory” with respect to its CRA compliance.

New York State Regulation

The Company is also subject to provisions of the New York State Banking Law that impose continuing and affirmative obligations upon a banking institution organized in New York State to serve the credit needs of its local community. Such obligations are substantially similar to those imposed by the CRA. The latest New York State CRA rating received by the Company is “Satisfactory.”

USA PATRIOT Act and Money Laundering

The Company is subject to the BSA, which incorporates several laws, including the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, or the USA PATRIOT Act and related regulations. The USA PATRIOT Act gives the federal government powers to address money laundering and terrorist threats through enhanced domestic security measures, expanded surveillance powers, increased information sharing, and broadened anti-money laundering requirements. By way of amendments to the BSA, Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act implemented measures intended to encourage information sharing among bank regulatory agencies and law enforcement bodies. Further, certain provisions of Title III impose affirmative obligations on a broad range of financial institutions, including banks, thrifts, brokers, dealers, credit unions, money transfer agents and parties registered under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Among other things, Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act and the related regulations require:

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The USA PATRIOT Act also includes prohibitions on correspondent accounts for foreign shell banks and requires compliance with record keeping obligations with respect to correspondent accounts of foreign banks.

The bank regulatory agencies have increased the regulatory scrutiny of the BSA and anti-money laundering programs maintained by financial institutions. Significant penalties and fines, as well as other supervisory orders may be imposed on a financial institution for non-compliance with these requirements. In addition, for financial institutions engaging in a merger transaction, federal bank regulatory agencies must consider the effectiveness of the financial institution’s efforts to combat money laundering activities.

The Company has adopted policies and procedures to comply with these requirements.

Privacy Laws

The Company is subject to a variety of federal and state privacy laws, which govern the collection, safeguarding, sharing and use of customer information, and require that financial institutions have in place policies regarding information privacy and security. For example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires all financial institutions offering financial products or services to retail consumer customers to provide such customers with the financial institution’s privacy policy and practices for sharing nonpublic information with third parties, provide advance notice of any changes to the policies and provide such customers the opportunity to “opt out” of the sharing of certain personal financial information with unaffiliated third parties. It also requires banks to safeguard personal information of consumer customers. Some state laws also protect the privacy of information of state residents and require adequate security for such data, and certain state laws may, in some circumstances, require the Company to notify affected individuals of security breaches of computer databases that contain their personal information. These laws may also require the Company to notify law enforcement, regulators or consumer reporting agencies in the event of a data breach, as well as businesses and governmental agencies that own data.

Third-Party Debit Card Products and Merchant Services

The Company is also subject to the rules of Visa, Mastercard and other payment networks in which it participates. If the Company fails to comply with such rules, the networks could impose fines or require it to stop providing merchant services for cards under such network’s brand or routed through such network.

Consumer Finance Regulations

The CFPB has broad rulemaking authority for a wide range of consumer protection laws that apply to all banks and savings institutions, including the authority to prohibit “unfair, deceptive or abusive” acts and practices. In this regard, the CFPB has several rules that implement various provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act that were specifically identified as being enforced by the CFPB.  While the Company is subject to the CFPB regulations, because it has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, the FRB and the NYSDFS are responsible for examining and supervising the Company’s compliance

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with these consumer financial laws and regulations. In addition, the Company is subject to certain state laws and regulations designed to protect consumers.

Other Regulations

The Company’s operations are also subject to federal laws applicable to credit transactions, such as:

The operations of the Company are further subject to the:

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Holding Company Regulation

The Company, as a bank holding company controlling the Bank, is subject to regulation and supervision by the FRB under the BHCA. The Company is periodically examined by and required to submit reports to the FRB and must comply with the FRB’s rules and regulations. Among other things, the FRB has authority to restrict activities by a bank holding company that are deemed to pose a serious risk to the subsidiary bank.

The FRB has historically imposed consolidated capital adequacy guidelines for bank holding companies structured similar, but not identical, to those of state member banks. The Dodd-Frank Act directed the FRB to issue consolidated capital requirements for depository institution holding companies that are no less stringent, both quantitatively and in terms of components of capital, than those applicable to institutions themselves. Consolidated regulatory capital requirements identical to those applicable to the subsidiary banks applied to bank holding companies as of January 1, 2015. The Company is subject to the consolidated holding company capital requirements.

The policy of the FRB is that a bank holding company must serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary banks by providing capital and other support in times of distress. The Dodd-Frank Act codified the source of strength policy.

Under the prompt corrective action provisions of federal law, a bank holding company parent of an undercapitalized subsidiary bank is required to guarantee, within specified limits, the capital restoration plan that is required of an undercapitalized bank. If an undercapitalized bank fails to file an acceptable capital restoration plan or fails to implement an accepted plan, the FRB may prohibit the bank holding company parent of the undercapitalized bank from paying dividends or making any other capital distribution.

As a bank holding company, the Company is required to obtain the prior approval of the FRB to acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of a class of voting securities of any additional bank or bank holding company, to acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any additional bank or bank holding company or merging or consolidating with any other bank holding company. In evaluating acquisition applications, the FRB evaluates factors such as the financial condition, management resources and future prospects of the parties, the convenience and needs of the communities involved and competitive factors. In addition, bank holding companies may generally only engage in activities that are closely related to banking as determined by the FRB. Bank holding companies that meet certain criteria may opt to become a financial holding company and thereby engage in a broader array of financial activities.

FRB policy is that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the company’s net income for the past two years is sufficient to fund the dividends and the prospective rate of earnings retention is consistent with the company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. In addition, FRB guidance sets forth the supervisory expectation that bank holding companies will inform and consult with FRB staff in advance of issuing a dividend that exceeds earnings for the quarter and should inform the FRB and should eliminate, defer or significantly reduce dividends if  (i) net income available to stockholders for the past four quarters, net of dividends previously paid during that period, is not sufficient to fully fund the dividends, (ii) prospective rate of earnings retention is not consistent with the bank holding company’s capital needs and overall current and prospective financial condition, or (iii) the bank holding company will not meet, or is in danger of not meeting, its minimum regulatory capital adequacy ratios.

A bank holding company that is not well capitalized or well managed, or that is subject to any unresolved supervisory issues, is required to give the FRB prior written notice of any repurchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for repurchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such repurchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, will be equal to 10% or more of the company’s consolidated net worth. The FRB may disapprove such a repurchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe and unsound practice or violate a law or regulation. However, FRB guidance generally provides for bank holding company consultation with FRB staff prior to engaging in a repurchase or redemption of a bank holding company’s stock, even if a formal written notice is not required.

The above FRB requirements may restrict a bank holding company’s ability to pay dividends to stockholders or engage in repurchases or redemptions of its shares.

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Acquisition of Control of the Company

Under the Change in Bank Control Act, no person may acquire control of a bank holding company such as the Company unless the FRB has prior written notice and has not issued a notice disapproving the proposed acquisition. In evaluating such notices, the FRB takes into consideration such factors as the financial resources, competence, experience and integrity of the acquirer, the future prospects the bank holding company involved and its subsidiary bank and the competitive effects of the acquisition. Control, as defined under federal law, means ownership, control of or holding irrevocable proxies representing more than 25% of any class of voting stock, control in any manner of the election of a majority of the company’s directors, or a determination by the regulator that the acquirer has the power to direct, or directly or indirectly to exercise a controlling influence over, the management or policies of the institution. Acquisition of more than 10% of any class of a bank holding company’s voting stock constitutes a rebuttable presumption of control under the regulations under certain circumstances including where, is the case with the Company, the issuer has registered securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Federal Securities Laws

The Company is a reporting company subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Emerging Growth Company Status

The JOBS Act, which was enacted in April 2012, has made numerous changes to the federal securities laws to facilitate access to capital markets. Under the JOBS Act, a company with total annual gross revenues of less than $1.07 billion during its most recently completed fiscal year qualifies as an EGC. The Company qualifies as an EGC under the JOBS Act.

An EGC may choose not to hold stockholder votes to approve annual executive compensation (more frequently referred to as “say-on-pay” votes) or executive compensation payable in connection with a merger (more frequently referred to as “say-on-golden parachute” votes). An EGC also is not subject to the requirement that its auditors attest to the effectiveness of the company’s internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and can provide reduced disclosure regarding executive compensation. Finally, an EGC may elect to comply with new or amended accounting pronouncements in the same manner as a private company, but must make such election when the company is first required to file a registration statement. Such an election is irrevocable during the period a company is an EGC.

A company loses EGC status on the earlier of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year of the company during which it had total annual gross revenues of  $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of the fiscal year of the issuer following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of common equity securities of the company pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933; (iii) the date on which such company has, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.05 billion in non-convertible debt; or (iv) the date on which such company is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” under Securities and Exchange Commission regulations (generally, at least $700 million of voting and non-voting equity held by non-affiliates).

The Company will lose its EGC status on December 31, 2022 since that is the last day of the fiscal year of the Company following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of the common equity securities of the Company pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is intended to improve corporate responsibility, to provide for enhanced penalties for accounting and auditing improprieties at publicly traded companies and to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures pursuant to the securities laws. The Company has policies, procedures and systems

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designed to comply with these regulations, and it reviews and documents such policies, procedures and systems to ensure continued compliance with these regulations.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The Company’s operations and financial results are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those described below, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and the trading price of its common stock.

Risks Related to the COVD-19 Outbreak

The economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant economic dislocation in the United States as many state and local governments continue to place restrictions on businesses and residents. The spread of COVID-19 has caused the Company to modify its business practices, including employee travel, implementing social-distancing protocols and requiring face coverings in public areas of Company facilities, and placing limitations on physical participation in meetings, events and conferences. The Company may take further actions that may be required by government authorities or that the Company determines are in the best interests of its employees, customers and business partners.

Further, given its ongoing and dynamic nature, including the rate of vaccine acceptance and the development of new variants, it is difficult to predict the full impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business. The extent of such impact will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, including when COVID-19 can be controlled and abated and when and whether the continued reopening of businesses will result in a meaningful increase in economic activity. As the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related adverse local and national economic consequences, we could be subject to any of the following risks, any of which could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity, and results of operations: the demand for our products and services may decline, making it difficult to grow assets and income; if the economy worsens, loan delinquencies, problem assets, and foreclosures may increase, resulting in increased charges and reduced income; collateral for loans, especially real estate, may decline in value, which could cause loan losses to increase; our ALLL may increase if borrowers experience financial difficulties, which will adversely affect our net income; the net worth and liquidity of loan guarantors may decline, impairing their ability to honor commitments to us; our cyber security risks may increase if a significant number of our employees are forced to work remotely; and FDIC premiums may increase if the agency experiences additional resolution costs.

Moreover, the Company’s future success and profitability substantially depends on the skills of its employees, including executive officers, many of whom have held their positions with the Company for many years. The unanticipated loss or unavailability of key employees and/or a large number of employees due to the pandemic could harm the Company’s ability to operate or execute its business strategy. The Company may not be successful in finding and integrating suitable replacements in the event of such employee loss or unavailability.

Risks Related to Lending Activities

A substantial portion of the Company’s loan portfolio consists of CRE, multi-family real estate loans and commercial loans, which have a higher degree of risk than other types of loans.

CRE, multi-family real estate and commercial loans are often larger and involve greater risks than other types of loans since payments on such loans are often dependent on the successful operation or development of the property or business involved. Accordingly, a downturn in the real estate market and/or a challenging business and economic environment may increase the Company’s risk related to CRE, multi-family real estate and commercial loans. If the cash flows from business operations of our customers is reduced, the borrower’s ability to repay the loan may be impaired. Further, due to the larger average size of such loans and that they are secured by collateral that is generally less readily-marketable as compared with other loan types, losses incurred on a small number of such loans could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

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In addition, CRE loan concentration is an area that has experienced heightened regulatory focus. Under CRE guidance issued by banking regulators, banks with holdings of CRE, land development, construction, and certain multi-family loans in excess of certain thresholds must employ heightened risk management practices. These loans are also subject to written policies that establish certain limits and standards. Such compliance requirements imposed on the Company’s CRE, multi-family or construction lending and the potential limits to the generation of these types of loans could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.

Because the Company intends to continue to increase its commercial loans, its credit risk may increase.

The Company intends to increase its portfolio of commercial loans, including working capital lines of credit, equipment financing, healthcare and medical receivables, documentary letters of credit and standby letters of credit. These loans generally have more risk than one- to four-family residential mortgage loans and CRE loans. Since repayment of commercial loans depends on the successful management and operation of borrowers’ businesses, repayment of such loans can be affected by adverse conditions in the local and national economy. In addition, commercial loans generally have a larger average size as compared with other loans, and the collateral for commercial loans is generally less readily-marketable. The Company’s plans to increase its portfolio of these loans could result in increased credit risk in the portfolio. An adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship can expose the Company to significantly greater risk of loss compared to an adverse development with respect to a one-to-four family residential mortgage loan or a CRE loan.

If the allowance for loan losses is not sufficient to cover actual loan losses, earnings could decrease.

Loan customers may not repay their loans according to the terms of their loans, and the collateral securing the payment of their loans may be insufficient to assure repayment. The Company may experience significant credit losses, which could have a material adverse effect on its operating results. Various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of the loan portfolio are made, including the creditworthiness of borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many loans. In determining the amount of the allowance for loan losses, management reviews the quality of its loan portfolio and its loss and delinquency experience and evaluates industry trends and economic conditions.

The determination of the appropriate level of allowance is subject to judgment and requires the Company to make significant estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which are subject to material changes. If assumptions prove to be incorrect, the ALLL may not cover losses in the loan portfolio at the date of the financial statements. Significant additions to the allowance would materially decrease net income. In addition, federal and state regulators periodically review the ALLL, the policies and procedures the Company uses to determine the level of the allowance and the value attributed to non-performing loans or to real estate acquired through foreclosure. Such regulatory agencies may require an increase in the ALLL or the Company to recognize loan charge-offs. Any significant increase in the ALLL or loan charge-offs as required by these regulatory agencies could have a material adverse effect on the results of operations and financial condition. See “Risk Factors – The FASB issued an accounting standard update that will result in a significant change in how the Company recognizes credit losses, which may have a material impact on its financial condition or results of operations.”

The performance of the Company’s multi-family and mixed-use loans could be adversely impacted by regulation.

Multi-family and mixed-use loans generally involve a greater risk than one- to-four family residential loans because of legislation and government regulations involving rent control and rent stabilization, which are outside the control of the borrower or the Company, and could impair the value of the security for the loan or the future cash flows of such properties. On June 14, 2019, the State of New York enacted legislation increasing restrictions on rent increases in a rent-regulated apartment building, including, among other provisions, (i) repealing the “vacancy bonus” and “longevity bonus,” which allowed a property owner to raise rents as much as 20% each time a rental unit became vacant, (ii) eliminating high-rent vacancy deregulation and high-income deregulation, which allowed a rental unit to be removed from rent stabilization once it crossed a statutory high-rent threshold and became vacant, or the tenant’s income exceeded the statutory amount in the preceding two years, and (iii) eliminating an exception that allowed a property owner who offered preferential rents to tenants to raise the rent to the full legal rent upon renewal. The legislation still permits a property owner to charge up to

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the full legal rent once the tenant vacates. As a result of these restrictions, it is possible that rental income on certain rent-regulated properties might not rise sufficiently over time to satisfy increases in the loan rate at repricing or increases in overhead expenses (e.g., utilities, taxes, etc.). At December 31, 2021, the Company has $152.3 million of rent-regulated stabilized multi-family loans, which had a weighted-average LTV of 33.9%, a weighted average debt coverage ratio of 2.12x and a weighted average debt yield of 11.7%.

Additionally, in order to provide meaningful support to homeowners struggling financially as a result of the COVID-19, several federal, state and local agencies have placed moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures within their respective jurisdictions.

As a result of these legislative and regulatory actions as well as previously existing laws and regulations, it is possible that, if the cash flows from a collateral property is reduced (e.g., if leases are not obtained or renewed or rental income cannot be collected and a non-paying tenant cannot be replaced), a borrower’s ability to repay a loan and the value of the security for the loan may be impaired. Therefore, it may be more difficult to identify impaired multi-family and mixed-use loans before they become problematic than residential loans.

The Company could be subject to environmental risks and associated costs on its foreclosed real estate assets, which could materially and adversely affect its financial condition and results of operation.

A material portion of the Company’s loan portfolio is comprised of loans collateralized by real estate. There is a risk that hazardous or toxic waste could be discovered on the properties that secure these loans. If the Company acquires such properties as a result of foreclosure, it could be held responsible for the cost of cleaning up or removing this waste, and this cost could exceed the value of the underlying properties and materially and adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operation.

Risks Related to Economic Conditions

A downturn in economic conditions could cause deterioration in credit quality, which could depress net income and growth.

The Company’s principal economic risk is the creditworthiness of its borrowers, which is affected by the strength of the relevant business market segment, local market conditions, and general economic conditions. The Company’s loan portfolio includes many real estate secured loans, demand for which may decrease during an economic downturn as a result of, among other things, an increase in unemployment, a decrease in real estate values or a slowdown in housing. If negative economic conditions develop in the New York market or the United States, the Company could experience higher delinquencies and loan charge-offs, which would adversely affect its net income and financial condition. Furthermore, to the extent that real estate collateral is obtained through foreclosure, the costs of holding and marketing real estate collateral, as well as the ultimate values obtained from disposition, could reduce earnings and adversely affect the Company’s financial condition.

The Company’s business and operations may be adversely affected by weak economic conditions.

The Company’s business and operations, which primarily consist of lending money to customers, borrowing money from customers in the form of deposits and investing in securities, are sensitive to general business and economic conditions in the United States. If the U.S. economy weakens, growth and profitability from the Company’s lending, deposit and investment operations could be constrained. Uncertainty about the federal fiscal policymaking process, the medium- and long-term fiscal outlook of the federal government, and future tax rates is a concern for businesses, consumers and investors in the United States.

The Company’s business is also significantly affected by monetary and related policies of the U.S. federal government and its agencies. Changes in any of these policies are influenced by macroeconomic conditions and other factors that are beyond the Company’s control. Adverse economic conditions and government policy responses to such conditions could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects of the Company.

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A substantial majority of the Company’s loans and operations are in New York, and therefore its business is particularly vulnerable to a downturn in the New York City economy.

The Company is a community banking institution that provides banking services to the local communities in the market areas in which it operates, and therefore, its ability to diversify its economic risks is limited by its own local markets and economies. A large portion of the Company’s business is concentrated in New York, and in New York City in particular. A significant decline in local economic conditions, caused by inflation, recession, acts of terrorism, an outbreak of hostilities or other international or domestic calamities, unemployment or other factors beyond the Company’s control, would likely cause an increase in the rates of delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, bankruptcies and losses in its loan portfolio. As a result, a downturn in the local economy, generally and the real estate market specifically, could significantly reduce the Company’s profitability and growth and adversely affect its financial condition.

Risks Related to Market Interest Rates

Interest rate shifts may reduce net interest income and otherwise negatively impact the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

The majority of the Company’s banking assets are monetary in nature and subject to risk from changes in interest rates. The Company’s earnings and cash flows depend, to a great extent, upon the level of its net interest income (the difference between the interest income earned on loans, investments, other interest earning assets, and the interest paid on interest bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings). Changes in interest rates can increase or decrease net interest income, because different types of assets and liabilities may react differently, and at different times, to market interest rate changes.

When interest bearing liabilities mature or reprice more quickly, or to a greater degree, than interest earning assets in a period, an increase in interest rates could reduce net interest income. Similarly, when interest earning assets mature or reprice more quickly, or to a greater degree, than interest bearing liabilities, falling interest rates could reduce net interest income. Additionally, an increase in interest rates may, among other things, reduce the demand for loans and the Company’s ability to originate loans and decrease loan repayment rates. A decrease in the general level of interest rates may affect the Company through, among other things, increased prepayments on its loan portfolio and increased competition for deposits. Accordingly, changes in the level of market interest rates affect the Company’s net yield on interest earning assets, loan origination volume and overall results.

The Company’s securities portfolio may be impacted by fluctuations in market value, potentially reducing accumulated other comprehensive income and/or earnings. Fluctuations in market value may be caused by changes in market interest rates, lower market prices for securities and limited investor demand.

Risk Related to the Company’s Operations

Our failure to effectively utilize the excess liquidity on our balance sheet may have an adverse effect on our financial performance and the value of our common stock.

At December 31, 2021, we had $2.3 billion in overnight deposits with other banks, which far exceeded our historical amounts. The high level of cash equivalents reflected strong deposit growth, which far exceeded loan growth. We expect this excess liquidity to decrease as we use it to fund future loan growth. However, if our excess liquidity does not decrease or do so in a reasonable period of time, our financial metrics could be negatively impacted, which could negatively impact the value of our common stock.

A failure in the Company’s operational systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties, could impair the Company’s liquidity, disrupt its businesses, result in the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, damage its reputation and cause financial losses.

The Company’s operations rely on its computer systems, networks and third-party providers for the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other sensitive customer information. The Company’s business, and in particular, the debit card and cash management solutions business and global payments business, is dependent on its ability

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to process and monitor, on a daily basis, a large number of transactions, many of which are highly complex, across numerous and diverse markets. These transactions, as well as the information technology services provided to clients, often must adhere to client-specific guidelines, as well as legal and regulatory standards. Due to the breadth and geographical reach of the Company’s client base, developing and maintaining its operational systems and infrastructure is challenging, particularly as a result of rapidly evolving legal and regulatory requirements and technological shifts. This is further exacerbated by the increased cybersecurity risks that exist during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the Company takes protective measures to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information, its computer systems, software and networks may be vulnerable to unauthorized access, loss or destruction of data (including confidential client information), account takeovers, unavailability of service, computer viruses or other malicious code, cyber-attacks and other events that could have an adverse security impact. Furthermore, the Company may not be able to ensure that all of its clients, suppliers, counterparties and other third parties have appropriate controls in place to protect themselves from cyber-attacks or to protect the confidentiality of the information that they exchange with us, particularly where such information is transmitted by electronic means. Given the increasingly high volume of transactions, certain errors may be repeated or compounded before they can be discovered and rectified. In addition, the increasing reliance on technology systems and networks and the occurrence and potential adverse impact of attacks on such systems and networks, both generally and in the financial services industry, have enhanced government and regulatory scrutiny of the measures taken by companies to protect against cyber-security threats. As these threats and government and regulatory oversight of associated risks continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend additional resources to enhance or expand upon the security measures it currently maintains. Although the Company has developed, and continues to invest in, systems and processes that are designed to detect and prevent security breaches and cyber-attacks, a breach of its systems and global payments infrastructure or those of our fintech partners and processors could result in: losses to the Company and its customers; loss of business and/or customers; damage to its reputation; the incurrence of additional expenses (including the cost of notification to consumers, credit monitoring and forensics, and fees and fines imposed by the card networks); disruption to its business; an inability to grow its online services or other businesses; additional regulatory scrutiny or penalties; or exposure to civil litigation and possible financial liability — any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company faces risks related to its operational, technological and organizational infrastructure.

The Company’s ability to grow and compete is dependent on its ability to build or acquire the necessary operational and technological infrastructure and to manage the cost of that infrastructure as it expands. Similar to other large corporations, operational risk can manifest itself in many ways, such as errors related to failed or inadequate processes, faulty or disabled computer systems, fraud by employees or outside persons and exposure to external events. In addition, the Company is heavily dependent on the strength and capability of its technology systems, which are used both to interface with customers and manage internal financial and other systems. The Company’s ability to develop and deliver new products and services that meet the needs of its existing customers and attract new ones depends on the functionality of its technology systems.

The financial services industry is undergoing rapid technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The Company’s future success will depend in part upon its ability to address the needs of its clients by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy client demands for convenience as well as to provide secure electronic environments and create additional efficiencies as it continues to grow and expand its market area. The Company continuously monitors its operational and technological capabilities and makes modifications and improvements when it believes it will be cost effective to do so. Many of the Company’s larger competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in operational and technological infrastructure. As a result, competitors may be able to offer more convenient products and services than the Company, which would put it at a competitive disadvantage.

The Company also outsources some of its operational and technological infrastructure, including modifications and improvements to these systems, to third parties. If these third-party service providers experience difficulties, fail to comply with banking regulations or terminate their services and if the Company is unable to replace them with other service providers, its operations could be interrupted. If an interruption were to continue for a significant period of time, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected, perhaps materially. Even if the Company were able to replace the third-party providers, it may be at a higher cost, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

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The Company is subject to certain operational risks, including, but not limited to, customer or employee fraud and data processing system failures and errors.

Employee errors and employee and customer misconduct could subject the Company to financial losses or regulatory sanctions and have a material adverse impact on its reputation. Misconduct by its employees could include concealing unauthorized activities, engaging in improper or unauthorized activities on behalf of customers or improper use of confidential information. It is not always possible to prevent employee errors and misconduct, and the precautions the Company takes to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Employee errors could also subject the Company to financial claims for negligence.

The Company maintains a system of internal controls and insurance coverage to mitigate operational risks, including data processing system failures and errors and customer or employee fraud. If internal controls fail to prevent or detect an occurrence, or if any resulting loss is not insured or exceeds applicable insurance limits, it could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company relies heavily on its executive management team and other key employees and could be adversely affected by the unexpected loss of their services.

The Company’s success depends in large part on the performance of its key personnel, as well as on its ability to attract, motivate and retain highly qualified senior and middle management and other skilled employees. Competition for employees is intense, and the process of locating key personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to execute its business plan may be lengthy. The Company may not be successful in retaining its key employees, and the unexpected loss of services of one or more of key personnel could have a material adverse effect on its business because of their skills, knowledge of primary markets, years of industry experience and the difficulty of promptly finding qualified replacement personnel. If the services of any key personnel should become unavailable for any reason, the Company may not be able to identify and hire qualified persons on acceptable terms, or at all, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects of the Company.

If the Company’s enterprise risk management framework is not effective at mitigating interest rate risk, market risk and strategic risk, it could suffer unexpected losses and its results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

The Company’s enterprise risk management framework seeks to achieve an appropriate balance between risk and return, which is critical to optimizing stockholder value. The Company has established processes and procedures intended to identify, measure, monitor and report the types of risk to which it is subject, including credit, liquidity, operational, regulatory compliance and reputational risks. However, as with any risk management framework, there are inherent limitations to these risk management strategies as there may exist, or develop in the future, risks that have not been appropriately anticipated or identified. If the Company’s risk management framework proves ineffective, it could suffer unexpected losses and its business and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

A lack of liquidity could adversely affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Liquidity is essential to the Company’s business. The Company relies on its ability to generate deposits and effectively manage the repayment and maturity schedules of loans to ensure that there is adequate liquidity to fund its operations. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale and maturities of loans and securities and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on liquidity. The Company’s most important source of funds is deposits. Deposit balances can decrease when customers perceive alternative investments as providing a better risk/return tradeoff, which are strongly influenced by such external factors as the direction of interest rates, local and national economic conditions, the availability and attractiveness of alternative investments. Further, the demand for deposits may be reduced due to a variety of factors such as demographic patterns, changes in customer preferences, reductions in consumers’ disposable income, the monetary policy of the FRB or regulatory actions that decrease customer access to particular products. If customers move money out of bank deposits and into other investments such as money market funds, the Company would lose a relatively low-cost source of funds, which would increase its funding costs and reduce net interest income. Any changes made to the rates offered on deposits to remain competitive with other financial institutions may also adversely affect profitability and liquidity.

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Other primary sources of funds consist of cash flows from operations, maturities and sales of investment securities and borrowings from the FHLB of New York. The Company also has an available line of credit with the FRBNY discount window. The Company also may borrow funds from third-party lenders, such as other financial institutions. The Company’s access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize its activities, or on terms that are acceptable, could be impaired by factors that affect the Company directly or the financial services industry or economy in general, such as disruptions in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry, a decrease in the level of the Company’s business activity as a result of a downturn in markets or by one or more adverse regulatory actions against the Company.

Any decline in available funding could adversely impact the Company’s ability to originate loans, invest in securities, meet expenses, or to fulfill obligations such as repaying borrowings or meeting deposit withdrawal demands, any of which could have a material adverse impact on its liquidity, business, financial condition and results of operations.

Other Risks Related to the Company’s Business

The Company may be adversely impacted by the transition from LIBOR as a reference rate.

In 2017, the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority announced that after 2021 it would no longer compel banks to submit the rates required to calculate the LIBOR. The overnight and 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month USD LIBOR settings will cease to be published or cease to be representative after June 30, 2023. All other LIBOR settings ceased to be published or to be representative as of December 31, 2021. In the U.S., the Alternative Reference Rates Committee of the FRB and the FRBNY identified the SOFR as an alternative U.S. dollar reference interest rate.

The Company has a significant number of loans, borrowings and other financial instruments with attributes that are either directly or indirectly dependent on LIBOR. The transition from LIBOR could create considerable costs and additional risk. Since proposed alternative rates are calculated differently, payments under contracts referencing new rates may differ from those referencing LIBOR. The transition may change the Company’s market risk profiles, requiring changes to risk and pricing models, valuation tools, product design and hedging strategies. Additionally, banking regulators have stated that the failure to adequately prepare for LIBOR’s discontinuance could undermine financial stability and an institution’s safety and soundness and create litigation, operational and consumer protection risks. Furthermore, failure to adequately manage this transition process with customers could adversely impact the Company’s reputation or could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company is exposed to the risks of natural disasters and global market disruptions.

The Company handles a substantial volume of customer and other financial transactions every day. Its financial, accounting, data processing, check processing, electronic funds transfer, loan processing, online and mobile banking, automated teller machines, backup or other operating or security systems and infrastructure may fail to operate properly or become disabled or damaged as a result of a number of factors including events that are wholly or partially beyond its control, including major physical infrastructure outages, natural disasters or events arising from local or larger scale political or social matters, including terrorist acts, pandemics, and cyber-attacks. Operational risk exposures could adversely impact the Company’s results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, and cause reputational harm.

Additionally, global markets may be adversely affected by natural disasters, the emergence of widespread health emergencies or pandemics, cyber-attacks or campaigns, military conflict, terrorism or other geopolitical events. Global market disruptions may affect the Company’s business liquidity. Also, any sudden or prolonged market downturn in the United States or abroad, as a result of the above factors or otherwise could result in a decline in revenue and adversely affect the Company’s results of operations and financial condition, including capital and liquidity levels.

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Risks Related to the Company’s Global Payments Business

The Company faces intense competition in the global payments industry.

The global payments industry is highly competitive, continuously changing, highly innovative, and increasingly subject to regulatory scrutiny and oversight. Many areas in which the Company competes evolve rapidly with innovative and disruptive technologies, shifting user preferences and needs, price sensitivity of merchants and consumers, and frequent introductions of new products and services. Competition also may intensify as new competitors emerge, businesses enter into business combinations and partnerships, and established companies in other segments expand to become competitive with various aspects of our business.

The Company competes with a wide range of businesses, some of which are larger operationally and/or financially, have larger customer bases, greater brand recognition, longer operating histories, a dominant or more secure position, broader geographic scope, volume, scale, resources, and market share than the Company, or offer products and services that the Company does not offer, which may provide them significant competitive advantages. Some competitors may also be subject to less burdensome regulatory requirements or may be smaller or younger companies that may be more agile and effective in responding quickly to user needs, technological innovations, and legal and regulatory changes. These competitors may devote greater resources to the development, promotion, and sale of products and services, and/or offer lower prices or more effectively offer their own innovative programs, products, and services. If the Company is not able to differentiate its products and services from those of its competitors, drive value for customers, or effectively and efficiently align its resources with its goals and objectives, the Company may not be able to compete effectively in the market.

Changes in card network fees could impact operations.

Card networks periodically increase the fees (known as interchange fees) that are charged to acquirers and that the Company charges to its merchants. It is possible that competitive pressures will result in the Company absorbing a portion of such increases in the future, which would increase its costs, reduce profit margin and adversely affect its business and financial condition. In addition, the card networks require certain capital requirements. An increase in the required capital level would further limit the use of capital for other purposes.

The Company’s business could suffer if there is a decline in the use of prepaid cards as a payment mechanism or if there are adverse developments with respect to the prepaid financial services industry in general.

As the prepaid financial services industry evolves, consumers may find prepaid financial services to be less attractive than traditional or other financial services. If consumers do not continue or increase their usage of prepaid cards, including making changes in the way prepaid cards are loaded, the Company’s operating revenues and prepaid card deposits may remain at current levels or decline. Any projected growth for the industry may not occur or may occur more slowly than estimated. If consumer acceptance of prepaid financial services does not continue to develop or develops more slowly than expected or if there is a shift in the mix of payment forms away from the Company’s products and services, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.

Risks Related to Competitive Matters

The Company operates in a highly competitive industry and faces significant competition from other financial institutions and financial services providers, the result of which may decrease growth or profits.

The Company’s market area contains not only a large number of community and regional banks, but also a significant presence of the country’s largest commercial banks and a growing presence of fintech financial services companies. The Company competes with other state and national financial institutions, savings and loan associations, savings banks, credit unions and other companies offering financial services. Some of these competitors have a longer history of successful operations nationally and in the New York market area, greater ties to businesses, more expansive banking relationships, more established depositor bases, fewer regulatory constraints, better technology, and lower cost structures than the Company does. Competitors with greater resources may possess an advantage through their ability to maintain numerous

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banking locations in more convenient sites, conduct more extensive promotional and advertising campaigns, or operate a more developed technology platform. Due to their size, many competitors may offer a broader range of products and services, as well as better pricing for certain products and services than the Company can offer. Further, increased competition among financial services companies due to the continued consolidation of financial institutions may adversely affect the Company’s ability to market its products and services.

In addition, the Company’s legally mandated lending limits are lower than those of certain of its competitors that have greater capital. Lower lending limits may discourage borrowers with lending needs that exceed these limits from doing business with the Company. The Company may try to serve such borrowers by selling loan participations to other financial institutions; however, this strategy may not succeed.

Risks Related to Business Strategy

The Company may not be able to grow and if it does, it may have difficulty managing that growth.

The Company’s ability to grow depends, in part, upon its ability to expand its market share, successfully attract deposits, and identify loan and investment opportunities as well as opportunities to generate fee-based income. The Company may not be successful in increasing the volume of loans and deposits at acceptable levels and upon terms it finds acceptable. The Company may also not be successful in expanding its operations organically or through strategic acquisitions while managing the costs and implementation risks associated with this growth strategy.

The Company expects to grow the number of employees and customers and the scope of its operations, but it may not be able to sustain its historical rate of growth or continue to grow its business at all. Its success will depend upon the ability of its officers and key employees to continue to implement and improve operational and other systems, to manage multiple, concurrent customer relationships, and to hire, train and manage employees. In the event that the Company is unable to perform all these tasks and meet these challenges effectively, its growth prospects and earnings could be adversely impacted.

Risks Related to Accounting Matters

Changes in accounting standards could materially impact the Company’s financial statements.

From time to time, the FASB or the SEC may change the financial accounting and reporting standards that govern the preparation of the Company’s financial statements. In addition, the bodies that interpret the accounting standards (such as banking regulators, outside auditors or management) may change their interpretations or positions on how these standards should be applied. These changes may be beyond the Company’s control, can be hard to predict, and can materially impact how it records and reports its financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, the Company could be required to apply a new or revised standard retrospectively, or apply an existing standard differently, also retrospectively, in each case resulting in it needing to revise or restate prior period financial statements. For more information on changes in accounting standards, see NOTE 3 - SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

The FASB issued an accounting standard update that will result in a significant change in how the Company recognizes credit losses, which may have a material impact on its financial condition or results of operations.

In June 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which replaces the current “incurred loss” model for recognizing credit losses with an “expected loss” model referred to as the CECL model. Under the CECL model, the Company will be required to present certain financial assets carried at amortized cost, such as loans held for investment and HTM debt securities, at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is to be based on information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. This measurement will take place at the time the financial asset is first entered into and periodically thereafter. This differs significantly from the “incurred loss” model required under current GAAP, which delays recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. Accordingly, the Company expects that the

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adoption of the CECL model will materially affect how it determines the ALLL and could require it to significantly increase the ALLL. Moreover, the CECL model may create more volatility in the level of the ALLL. If the Company is required to materially increase its level of the ALLL for any reason, such increase could adversely affect its business, financial condition and results of operations.

The new CECL standard will become effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning January 1, 2023. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the CECL model will have on its accounting; however, it expects to recognize a one-time cumulative-effect adjustment to the ALLL as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the new standard is effective. The Company cannot yet determine the magnitude of any such one-time cumulative adjustment or of the overall impact of the new standard on its financial condition or results of operations.

Risk Related to Laws and Regulation and Their Enforcement

The Company and the Bank’s business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects could be adversely affected by the highly regulated environment and the laws and regulations that govern it.

The Company and the Bank are subject to extensive examination, supervision and comprehensive regulation by various federal and state agencies that govern almost all aspects of their operations. These laws and regulations are not intended to protect the Company’s stockholders. Rather, these laws and regulations are intended to protect customers, depositors, the DIF and the overall financial stability of the U.S economy. These laws and regulations, among other matters, prescribe minimum capital requirements, impose limitations on the business activities in which the Company or the Bank can engage, limit the dividend or distributions that the Bank can pay to the Company, restrict the ability of institutions to guarantee the Company’s debt, and impose certain specific accounting requirements that may be more restrictive and may result in greater or earlier charges to earnings or reductions in capital than GAAP would require. Compliance with these laws and regulations is difficult and costly, and changes to these laws and regulations often impose additional compliance costs. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject the Company or the Bank to restrictions on their business activities, fines and other penalties, the commencement of informal or formal enforcement actions against them, and other negative consequences, including reputational damage, any of which could adversely affect their business, financial condition, results of operations, capital base and the price of its securities. Further, any new laws, rules and regulations could make compliance more difficult or expensive.

The Dodd-Frank Act, among other things, imposed higher capital requirements on bank holding companies and changed the rules regarding FDIC insurance premiums. Compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act and its implementing regulations has and will continue to result in additional operating and compliance costs that could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects of the Company.

Legislative and regulatory actions may increase the Company’s costs and impact its business, governance structure, financial condition or results of operations.

Federal and state regulatory agencies frequently adopt changes to their regulations or change the manner in which existing regulations are applied. Certain aspects of regulatory or legislative changes to laws applicable to the financial industry, if enacted or adopted could: expose it to additional costs, including increased compliance costs; impact the profitability of the Company’s business activities; require more oversight; or change certain of its business practices, including the ability to offer new products, obtain financing, attract deposits, make loans and achieve satisfactory interest spreads. These changes may also require the Company to invest significant management attention and resources to make any necessary changes to operations and could have an adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations.

Monetary policies and regulations of the FRB could adversely affect the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

In addition to being affected by general economic conditions, the Company’s earnings and growth are affected by the policies of the FRB. An important function of the FRB is to regulate the money supply and credit conditions. Among the instruments used by the FRB to implement these objectives are open market purchases and sales of U.S. government securities, adjustments of the discount rate and changes in banks’ reserve requirements against bank deposits. These

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instruments are used in varying combinations to influence overall economic growth and the distribution of credit, bank loans, investments and deposits. Their use also affects interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

The monetary policies and regulations of the FRB have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The effects of such policies upon the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations cannot be predicted.

Non-compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act, Bank Secrecy Act, or other laws and regulations could result in fines or sanctions.

The USA PATRIOT and the BSA require financial institutions to develop programs to prevent financial institutions from being used for money laundering and terrorist activities. If such activities are detected, financial institutions are obligated to file suspicious activity reports with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. These rules require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of customers seeking to open new financial accounts. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines or sanctions. While we have developed policies and procedures designed to assist in compliance with these laws and regulations, these policies and procedures may not be effective in preventing violations of these laws and regulations. 

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Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments

Not applicable.

Item 2.  Properties

The Company’s headquarters are located at 99 Park Avenue, New York, New York. The Company has six banking centers – four are in Manhattan, New York, one is in Brooklyn, New York and one is in Long Island, New York. The Company believes that current facilities at its branches are adequate to meet its present and foreseeable needs.

The Broadway banking center, at 1359 Broadway, New York, New York, was closed effective August 27, 2021. The customers of such banking center are temporarily being serviced out of our Park Avenue banking center. We have leased space at 1431 Broadway, New York, New York, which will be the location where we will reopen the Broadway banking center. This location is currently under renovation, and we expect it to open in May 2022.

In April 2019, the Company executed a lease agreement to expand the space occupied at its headquarters at 99 Park Ave., New York, New York. The Company took possession of the new space during the third quarter of 2019 and commenced renovations. The Company vacated its existing space and moved into the new office in July 2020.

We lease two additional properties in Florida and New Jersey that we expect will be utilized as loan production offices.  We also lease property in Kentucky that is utilized as office space for our Global Payments Group. All of the leases on these properties expire at various dates through 2027.

As of December 31, 2021, each of the Company’s offices and banking centers are leased.

Item 3.  Legal Proceedings

The Company is subject to certain pending and threatened legal actions that arise out of the normal course of business. Management, following consultation with legal counsel, does not expect the ultimate disposition of any or a combination of these matters to have a material adverse effect on its business. However, given the nature, scope and complexity of the extensive legal and regulatory landscape applicable to the business (including laws and regulations governing consumer protection, fair lending, fair labor, privacy, information security and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws), the Company, like all banking organizations, is subject to heightened legal and regulatory compliance and litigation risk.

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Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

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

The Company’s shares of common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “MCB”. The approximate number of holders of record of the Company’s common stock as of March 7, 2022 was 88. The Company’s common stock began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on November 8, 2017. The Company has not declared any dividends to date.

The Company has not historically declared or paid cash dividends on its common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends on the Company’s common stock will be made by its Board of Directors and will depend on a number of factors, including:

There were no sales of unregistered securities or repurchases of shares of common stock during the year ended December 31, 2021.

Item 6. [Reserved]

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

Executive Summary

The Company is a bank holding company headquartered in New York, New York and registered under the BHC Act. Through its wholly owned bank subsidiary, Metropolitan Commercial Bank (the “Bank”), a New York state chartered bank, the Company provides a broad range of business, commercial and retail banking products and services to small businesses, middle-market enterprises, public entities and affluent individuals in the New York metropolitan area. In addition, the Global Payments Group is an established leader in BaaS to a myriad of domestic and international fintech companies.

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The Company’s primary lending products are CRE loans, C&I loans and multi-family loans. Substantially all loans are secured by specific items of collateral including business assets, consumer assets, and commercial and residential real estate. Commercial loans are expected to be repaid from cash flows from operations of commercial enterprises. The Company’s primary deposit products are checking, savings, and term deposit accounts, and its deposit accounts are insured by the FDIC under the maximum amounts allowed by law. In addition to traditional commercial banking products, the Company offers corporate cash management and retail banking services and, through its global payments business, provides global payments infrastructure to its fintech partners, which includes serving as an issuing bank for third-party debit card programs nationwide and providing other financial infrastructure, including cash settlement and custodian deposit services. The Company has developed various deposit gathering strategies, which generate the funding necessary to operate without a large branch network. These activities, together with six strategically located banking centers, generate a stable source of deposits and a diverse loan portfolio with attractive risk-adjusted yields.

The Company is focused on organically growing and expanding its position in the New York metropolitan area and the growth of its New York based customers and their businesses as they expand in other states. Through an experienced team of commercial relationship managers and its integrated, client-centric approach, the Company has successfully demonstrated its ability to consistently grow market share by deepening existing client relationships and continually expanding its client base through referrals and seeking out alternatives to traditional retail banking products. The Company has maintained a goal of converting many of its commercial lending clients into full retail relationship banking clients. Given the size of the market in which the Company operates and its differentiated approach to client service, there is significant opportunity to continue to grow loans and deposits. By combining the high-tech service and relationship-based focus of a community bank with an extensive suite of financial products and services, the Company is well-positioned to continue to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities available in the New York metropolitan area.

Recent Events

During the third quarter of 2021 the Company raised $172.5 million of capital through the issuance of 2.3 million shares of its common stock at a price of $75 per share, resulting in net proceeds of $162.7 million.

The Company had 272,636 shares of its Series F, Class B non-voting preferred stock, par value, $0.01 per share outstanding. The stock was subordinate and junior to all indebtedness of the Company and to all other series of preferred stock of the Company. The holder of the Series F, Class B preferred stock was entitled to receive ratable dividends only if and when dividends were concurrently declared and payable on the shares of common shares. During the fourth quarter of 2021, the holder of the Series F, Class B Preferred Stock exchanged shares of Series F, Class B preferred stock for shares of the Company’s common stock in connection with the Company’s issuance of additional common shares.

In April 2019, the Company executed a lease agreement to expand the space occupied at its headquarters at 99 Park Ave., New York, New York. The Company took possession of the new space during the first quarter of 2020 and commenced renovations, which were completed during the first quarter of 2021. The Company vacated its previous space in July 2020. Additionally, in May 2021, the Company executed a lease agreement to further expand the space occupied at its headquarters at 99 Park Ave., New York, New York.

Critical Accounting Policies

A summary of accounting policies is provided in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in this report. Critical accounting estimates are necessary in the application of certain accounting policies and procedures and are particularly susceptible to significant change. Critical accounting policies are defined as those involving significant judgments and assumptions by management that could have a material impact on the carrying value of certain assets or on income under different assumptions or conditions. Management believes the Company’s most critical accounting policy, which involves the most complex or subjective decisions or assessments, is as follows:

Allowance for Loan Losses

The ALLL has been determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company is responsible for the timely and periodic determination of the amount of the ALLL. Management believes that the ALLL is adequate to cover specifically

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identifiable loan losses, as well as estimated losses inherent in the Company’s portfolio for which certain losses are probable but not specifically identifiable.

Although management evaluates available information to determine the adequacy of the ALLL, the level of allowance is an estimate which is subject to significant judgment and short-term change. Because of uncertainties associated with local economic, operating, regulatory and other conditions, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, collateral values and future cash flows of the loan portfolio, it is possible that a material change could occur in the ALLL in the near term. The evaluation of the adequacy of loan collateral is often based upon estimates and appraisals. Because of changing economic conditions, the valuations determined from such estimates and appraisals may also change. Accordingly, the Company may ultimately incur losses that vary from management’s current estimates. Adjustments to the ALLL will be reported in the period such adjustments become known and can be reasonably estimated. All loan losses are charged to the ALLL when the loss actually occurs or when the collectability of the principal is unlikely. Recoveries are credited to the allowance at the time of recovery. In addition, various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Company’s ALLL. As a result of such examinations the Company may need to recognize additions to the ALLL based on their judgments about information available to them at the time of such examination.

For further discussion of the ALLL, see “Business – Asset Quality – Allowance for Loan Losses.”

Emerging Growth Company

Pursuant to the JOBS Act, an EGC is provided the option to adopt new or revised accounting standards that may be issued by the FASB or the SEC either (i) within the same periods as those otherwise applicable to non-EGCs or (ii) within the same time periods as private companies. The Company elected the option to utilize the delayed effective dates of recently issued accounting standards. As permitted by the JOBS Act, so long as it qualifies as an EGC, the Company will take advantage of some of the reduced regulatory and reporting requirements that are available to it, including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation, and exemptions from the requirements of holding non-binding advisory votes on executive compensation and golden parachute payments.

The Company will lose its EGC status on December 31, 2022 since that would be the last day of the fiscal year of the Company following the fifth anniversary of the date of the first sale of the common equity securities of the Company pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933. The Company is preparing for the transition in status and compliance with the applicable regulations and accounting pronouncements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

For a discussion of the impact of recently issued accounting standards, please see NOTE 3 - SUMMARY OF RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

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Selected Financial Information

The following table includes selected financial information for the Company for the periods indicated:

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Discussion of Financial Condition

Summary

The Company had total assets of $7.1 billion at December 31, 2021, an increase of 64.3% from December 31, 2020. Total loans before deferred fees increased to $3.7 billion at December 31, 2021, as compared to $3.1 billion at December 31, 2020. The increase from December 31, 2020 primarily included increases of $600.9 million in CRE loans (including owner occupied) and $63.0 million in C&I loans, offset by a $77.9 million decrease in multi-family loans. For the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company’s loan production was $1.2 billion, as compared to $687.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Total cash and cash equivalents were $2.4 billion at December 31, 2021, an increase of 173.0% from December 31, 2020. The increase in cash and cash equivalents reflected the strong growth in deposits as well as the cash received from the issuance of common stock during the third quarter of 2021.

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Total securities were $951.0 million at December 31, 2021, an increase of 250.7% from December 31, 2020 due primarily to the deployment of excess liquidity from deposit growth.

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Total deposits increased by $2.6 billion, or 68.0%, to $6.4 billion at December 31, 2021 from $3.8 billion at December 31, 2020. The increase in deposits from December 31, 2020, was due to increases of $1.9 billion in non-interest-bearing demand deposits and $663.4 million in interest-bearing deposits, resulting from increases across most deposit verticals. Non-interest-bearing deposits were 57.0% of total deposits at December 31, 2021, as compared to 45.1% at December 31, 2020.

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Total stockholders’ equity was $557.0 million at December 31, 2021, as compared to $340.8 million at December 31, 2020. The increase of $216.2 million was primarily due to net proceeds from the secondary offering of $162.7 million and net income of $60.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

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Investments

The following table sets forth the stated maturities and weighted average yields of investment securities, excluding equity securities, at December 31, 2021. The table does not include the effect of prepayments or scheduled principal amortization. The weighted average yield for each group of securities was weighted by the amortized cost of the securities in the group.  Tax-exempt securities, if any, were presented on a tax-equivalent basis, using a federal tax rate of 21%.

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There were no securities pledged as collateral at December 31, 2021 and 2020.

At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company’s securities portfolio primarily consisted of investment grade mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations issued by government agencies.

Other-Than-Temporary Impairment

Each reporting period, the Company evaluates its AFS and HTM securities with a decline in fair value below the amortized cost of the investment to determine whether or not the impairment is deemed to be other-than-temporary. OTTI is required to be recognized if: (1) the Company intends to sell the security; (2) it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis; or (3) the present value of expected cash flows is not sufficient to recover the entire amortized cost basis. For impaired securities that the Company intends to sell, or more likely than not will be required to sell, the full amount of the impairment is recognized as OTTI, resulting in a realized loss that is charged to earnings through a reduction in non-interest income. For all other impaired debt securities, credit-related OTTI is recognized through earnings and non-credit related OTTI is recognized in other comprehensive income/loss, net of applicable taxes.

The unrealized losses of securities at December 31, 2021 and 2020 were primarily due to the changes in market interest rates subsequent to purchase. The Company does not consider these securities to be other-than-temporarily impaired since the decline in market value was attributable to changes in interest rates and not credit quality. In addition, the Company does not intend to sell and does not believe that it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell these investments until there is a full recovery of the unrealized loss, which may be at maturity. As a result, no impairment loss was recognized during the years ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.

Loans

Loans are the Company’s primary interest-earning asset. The following table sets forth certain information at December 31, 2021 regarding the dollar amount of loan contractual maturities during the periods indicated. The table does not include any estimate of prepayments that significantly shorten the average loan life and may cause actual repayment experience to differ from that shown below (in thousands).

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The following table sets forth the dollar amount of loans at December 31, 2021 that are due after one year and have either fixed interest rates or floating interest rates (dollars in thousands):

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Asset Quality

Non-performing loans increased by $3.9 million to $10.3 million at December 31, 2021, as compared to $6.4 million at December 31, 2020, primarily due to the addition of one CRE loan, which was adversely affected by COVID-19, in the amount of $9.9 million. This was partially offset by charge-offs related to one shared national credit loan of $3.1 million, which had been substantially reserved for in 2020, and two C&I loans in the amount of $855,000, as well as a $1.4 million reduction in non-performing consumer loans.

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance is an amount that management believes will be adequate to absorb probable incurred losses on existing loans. The allowance is established based on management’s evaluation of the probable incurred losses inherent in the Company’s portfolio in accordance with GAAP.

The ALLL is increased through a provision for loan losses charged to operations. Loans are charged against the ALLL when management believes that the collectability of all or a portion of the principal is unlikely. Management’s evaluation of the adequacy of the ALLL is performed on a quarterly basis and takes into consideration such factors as general economic conditions, the credit risk grade assigned to the loan, historical loan loss experience and review of specific impaired loans.

The following table sets forth the ALLL allocated by loan category for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

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Deposits

The tables below summarize the Company’s deposit composition by segment for the periods indicated, and the dollar and percent change from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021 (dollars in thousands):

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The table below summarizes the Company’s average balances and average interest rate paid, by segment, for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands):

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As of December 31, 2021, the aggregate amount of uninsured deposits (deposits in amounts greater than or equal to $250,000, which is the maximum amount for federal deposit insurance) was $2.0 billion. In addition, as of December 31, 2021, the aggregate amount of the Company’s uninsured time deposits was $39.4 million. The following are scheduled maturities of time deposits greater than $250,000 as of December 31, 2021 (in thousands):

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Borrowings

FHLB Advances

At December 31, 2021, the Company did not have any FHLB borrowings as all of the previous $144.0 million of advances matured in 2020. At December 31, 2021, the Company had the ability to borrow a total of $532.1 million from the FHLB. It also had an available line of credit with the FRBNY discount window of $137.0 million.

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Trust Preferred Securities Payable

On December 7, 2005, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust (“Trust I”). The Company owns all of the common stock of Trust I in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust I issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust I’s common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the “Debentures”) issued by the Company. The Debentures, the sole assets of Trust I, mature on December 9, 2035 and bear interest at a floating rate of three-month LIBOR plus 1.85%. The Debentures are callable at any time. At December 31, 2021, the Debentures bore an interest rate of 1.97%.

On July 14, 2006, the Company established MetBank Capital Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (“Trust II”). The Company owns all of the common stock of Trust II in exchange for contributed capital of $310,000. Trust II issued $10.0 million of preferred capital securities to investors in a private transaction and invested the proceeds, combined with the proceeds from the sale of Trust II’s common capital securities, in the Company through the purchase of $10.3 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (the “Debentures II”) issued by the Company. The Debentures II, the sole assets of Trust II, mature on October 7, 2036, and bear interest at a floating rate of three-month LIBOR plus 2.00%. The Debentures II are callable at any time. At December 31, 2021, the Debentures II bore an interest rate of 2.12%.

The terms of the trust preferred securities will be impacted by the transition from LIBOR to an alternative U.S. dollar reference interest rate, potentially the SOFR, in 2022. The overnight and 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month USD LIBOR settings will cease to be published or cease to be representative after June 30, 2023. All other LIBOR settings ceased to be published or to be representative as of December 31, 2021. Management is currently evaluating the impact of the transition on the trust preferred securities payable.

Subordinated Notes Payable

On March 8, 2017, the Company issued $25.0 million of subordinated notes at 100% issue price to accredited institutional investors. The notes mature on March 15, 2027 and bear an interest rate of 6.25% per annum. The interest is paid semi-annually on March 15th and September 15th of each year through March 15, 2022 and quarterly thereafter on March 15th, June 15th, September 15th and December 15th of each year.

In accordance with the terms of the subordinated notes, the interest rate from March 15, 2022 to the maturity date will reset quarterly to an interest rate per annum equal to the then current three-month LIBOR (not less than zero) plus 426 basis points, payable quarterly in arrears.

The Company has notified the trustee of the subordinated notes of its intent to redeem the subordinated notes in full on March 15, 2022. The subordinated notes will be redeemed in whole at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the subordinated notes plus any accrued and unpaid interest.

Secured Borrowings

The Company has loan participation agreements with counterparties. The Company is generally the servicer for these loans. If the transfer of the participation interest does not qualify for sale treatment under GAAP, the amount of the loan transferred is recorded as a secured borrowing. There were $32.5 million in secured borrowings as of December 31, 2021 and $37.0 million as of December 31, 2020.

Discussion of the Results of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2021

Net Income

Net income increased $21.1 million to $60.6 million for 2021, as compared to $39.5 million for 2020. This increase was primarily due to a $32.1 million increase in net interest income, a $6.7 million increase in non-interest income, and a $5.7

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million decrease in provision for loan losses, offset by a $12.8 million increase in non-interest expense and a $10.6 million increase in income tax expense.

Net Interest Income Analysis

Net interest income is the difference between interest earned on assets and interest incurred on liabilities. The following presents an analysis of net interest income by each major category of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The table presents the average yield on interest-earning assets and the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities. Yields and costs were derived by dividing income or expense by the average balance of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, respectively, for the periods shown. Average balances were derived from daily balances over the periods indicated. Interest income included fees that management considered to be adjustments to yields. Yields on tax-exempt obligations were not computed on a tax-equivalent basis. Non-accrual loans were included in the computation of average balances and therefore have a zero yield. The yields set forth below include the effect of deferred loan origination fees and costs, and purchase discounts and premiums that are amortized or accreted to interest income.