OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. - Annual Report: 2018 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT

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

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

Commission File Number: 000-50755

OPTIMUMBANK HOLDINGS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

2477 East Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (954) 900-2800

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

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

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933. Yes [  ] No [X]

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes [  ] No [X]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter 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 [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes [X] No [  ]

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. [  ]

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.

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act): Yes [  ] No [X]

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant (1,254,287 shares) on June 30, 2018, was approximately $5,644,292, computed by reference to the closing market price at $4.50 per share as of June 30, 2018. For purposes of this information, the outstanding shares of common stock owned by directors and executive officers of the registrant were deemed to be shares of common stock held by affiliates.

The number of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the registrant outstanding as of March 25, 2019 was 1,858,020 shares.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days of the issuer’s fiscal year end are incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10 through 14, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Table of Contents

PART I

Item 1. Business

Forward-Looking Statements

We have made forward-looking statements in this Annual Report about the financial condition, results of operations, and business of our company. These statements are not historical facts and include expressions concerning the future that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the following possibilities:

When used in this Annual Report, the words “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “should,” “may,” “might,” “outlook,” and “anticipates,” as well as similar expressions, as they relate to OptimumBank Holdings, Inc., or its management, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

General

OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. is a Florida corporation (the “Company”) formed in 2004 as a bank holding company for OptimumBank (the “Bank”). The Company’s only business is the ownership and operation of the Bank and the Bank’s subsidiaries. The Bank is a Florida state chartered bank established in 2000, with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The Bank offers a variety of community banking services to individual and corporate customers through its three banking offices located in Broward County, Florida.

The Company is subject to the supervision and regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). The Bank is subject to the supervision and regulation of the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation (“OFR”) and the FDIC. The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.

At December 31, 2018, the Company had total assets of $100.4 million, net loans of $77.2 million, total deposits of $62.4 million and stockholders’ equity of $5.3 million. During 2018, the Company had net earnings of $796,000.

Recent Developments

Written Agreement.

The Company is party to a Written Agreement dated June 22, 2010, with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which requires the Company to take certain measures to ensure the Bank complied with the prior consent order. Under the Written Agreement, the Company is subject to restrictions on paying interest on debt, or paying dividends or distributions of stock, including dividends on its common stock, as well as incurring additional debt or redeeming stock. Additional details on the Written Agreement are contained in the “Supervision and Regulation” section.

Junior Subordinated Debenture. The Company is in default with respect to its $5,155,000 Junior Subordinated Debenture (the “Debenture”) due to its failure to make certain required interest payments under the Debenture. The Debenture was issued to Optimum Bank Holdings Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory trust formed by the Company for the purpose of issuing and selling certain securities (the “Trust Preferred Securities”) representing undivided beneficial interests in the Debenture. The trust issued a total of 5,000 Trust Preferred Securities.

The Trustee, Wells Fargo Bank, for the Debenture (the “Trustee”) and the beneficial owners of the Debenture are entitled to accelerate the payment of the $5,155,000 principal balance plus accrued and unpaid interest totaling $1,686,350 at December 31, 2018. To date, neither the Trustee nor the holders have accelerated the outstanding balance of the Debenture. No adjustments to the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been made as a result of this uncertainty.

In May 2018, a company affiliated with a director of the Company (the “New Holder”) purchased all 5,000 Trust Preferred Securities from a third party. During the third quarter of 2018, the New Holder sold its rights in approximately 694 of the Trust Preferred Securities to several unaffiliated third parties, who subsequently exchanged these Trust Preferred Securities for 301,778 shares of the Company’s common stock. Due to regulatory agreement the exchange of Trust Preferred Securities for the Company’s common stock cannot reduce the principal amount of the Debenture collateralizing the Trust Preferred Securities. Accordingly it is recorded as an increase in the Company’s equity interest in the unconsolidated subsidiary trust, presented in “Other Assets” in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Although the Company and the New Holder have not executed a formal, definitive bilateral agreement, the New Holder has provided the Company with written representations that the New Holder will not accelerate and demand payment of any of the remaining 4,306 Trust Preferred Securities principal or accrued interest within the next twelve months from the date this Annual Report, on Form 10-K as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Banking Products

The Bank’s revenues are primarily derived from interest on, and fees received in connection with, real estate and other loans, and from interest from securities and short-term investments. The principal sources of funds for the Bank’s lending activities are deposits, borrowings, repayment of loans, and the repayment, or maturity of investment securities. The Bank’s principal expenses are the interest paid on deposits, and operating and general administrative expenses.

As is the case with banking institutions generally, the Bank’s operations are materially and significantly influenced by general economic conditions and by related monetary and fiscal policies of financial institution regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve and the FDIC. Deposit flows and costs of funds are influenced by interest rates on competing investments and general market rates of interest. Lending activities are affected by the demand for financing of real estate and other types of loans, which in turn is affected by the interest rates at which such financing may be offered and other factors affecting local demand and availability of funds. The Bank faces strong competition attracting deposits (its primary source of lendable funds) and originating loans.

The Bank provides a range of consumer and commercial banking services to individuals and businesses. The basic services offered include: demand interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing accounts, money market deposit accounts, NOW accounts, time deposits, Visa debit and ATM cards, cash management, direct deposits, notary services, money orders, night depository, cashier’s checks, domestic collections, and banking by mail. The Bank makes commercial real estate loans and consumer loans. The Bank offers business lending lines for working capital needs. Growing businesses can use the loans to expand inventory, take discounts, offset receivables, or establish new structured financing and repayment plans that are consistent with the cash flow of the business. The Bank provides ATM cards and Visa debit cards, as a part of the Star, Presto and Cirrus networks, thereby permitting customers to utilize the convenience of ATMs worldwide. The Bank does not have trust powers and provides no trust services.

Strategy

The Bank’s continuing goal is to become one of the leading community banking organizations in Broward County, Florida through steady, reasonable and controlled growth and a prudent operating strategy.

The operating and business strategies emphasize the following:

● Local management and local decision making resulting in rapid, personalized customer service, rapid credit decisions and expedited closings;

● Maintaining a presence in Broward County through a branch network. Currently, the Bank has three branch banking offices in Broward County;

● Real estate, commercial and consumer lending activities by originating fixed and adjustable rate commercial mortgage loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans for Bank customers;

● Maintaining high credit quality through strict underwriting criteria through the Bank’s knowledge of the real estate values and borrowers in its market area;

● Personalized products and service by striving to provide innovative financial products and high service levels and to maintain strong customer relationships. The Bank seeks customers who prefer to conduct business with a locally managed institution.

The Bank’s management is focusing its efforts on a long-term strategy with the following objectives:

● Increase and Diversify Loan Originations- Management is focused on increasing its loan production to add more interest bearing assets to its asset base. In addition, management is diversifying its loan originations and portfolio to include commercial and consumer loans, in addition to residential and commercial real estate loans.

● Lower the Cost of Deposits- Management is focused on changing the Bank’s deposit mix by replacing higher cost interest bearing time deposits with non-interest bearing demand deposits, which is occurring.

● Increase Capital Ratios- Management continues to seek additional sources of capital to increase the Bank’s capital ratios, allow the Bank to grow, implement its business plan and improve profitability.

Lending Activities

The Bank offers real estate, commercial and consumer loans, to individuals and small businesses and other organizations that are located in or conduct a substantial portion of their business in its market area. The Bank’s market area consists of the tri-county area of Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. The Bank’s net loans at December 31, 2018 were $77.2 million, or 76.9% of total assets. The interest rates charged on loans varied with the degree of risk, maturity, and amount of the loan, and are further subject to competitive pressures, money market rates, availability of funds, and government regulations. The Bank has no foreign loans.

The Bank’s loan portfolio is concentrated in two major areas: residential and commercial real estate loans. As of December 31, 2018, 93.4% of the loan portfolio consisted of loans secured by mortgages on real estate, of which approximately 34.3% of the total loan portfolio was secured by one-to-four family residential properties. The real estate loans are located primarily in the tri-county market area.

The Bank’s real estate loans are secured by mortgages and consist primarily of loans to individuals and businesses for the purchase or improvement of, or investment in, real estate. These real estate loans were made at fixed or variable interest rates and are normally adjustable rate mortgages which adjust annually after the initial three to five year period. The Bank’s fixed rate loans generally are for terms of five years or less, and are repayable in monthly installments based on a maximum 30-year amortization schedule.

Loan originations are derived primarily from director and employee referrals, existing customers, and direct marketing. Certain credit risks are inherent in making loans. These include prepayment risks, risks resulting from uncertainties in the future value of collateral, risks resulting from changes in economic and industry conditions including interest rates, and risks inherent in dealing with individual borrowers. A significant portion of the Bank’s portfolio is collateralized by real estate in South Florida, which is susceptible to local economic downturns. The Bank attempts to minimize credit losses through various means. On larger credits, it relies on the cash flow and assets of a debtor as the source of repayment as well as the value of the underlying collateral. The Bank also generally limits its loans to up to 80% of the value of the underlying real estate collateral. The Bank generally charges a prepayment penalty if a loan is repaid within the first two to three years of origination to recover any costs it paid for the origination of the loan.

Deposit Activities

Deposits are the major source of the Bank’s funds for lending and other investment activities. The Bank considers the majority of its regular savings, demand, NOW, money market deposit accounts and CD’s under $250,000 to be core deposits. These accounts comprised approximately 95.2% of the Bank’s total deposits at December 31, 2018. Approximately 41.8% of the deposits at December 31, 2018 were certificates of deposit. Generally, the Bank attempts to maintain the rates paid on its deposits at a competitive level. Time deposits of $250,000 and over made up approximately 10.3% of the Bank’s total deposits at December 31, 2018. Although these large deposits are not traditionally considered core deposits, the majority of these deposits have served as a stable source of funds for the Bank.

Investments

The Bank’s investment securities portfolio was approximately $9.5 and $11.4 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, representing 9.5% and 11.9% of its total assets. At December 31, 2018, 75.6% of this portfolio was invested in asset-backed securities. Mortgage backed securities generally have a shorter life than the stated maturity. The Bank’s investments are managed in relation to loan demand and deposit growth, and are generally used to provide for the investment of excess funds at minimal risk levels while providing liquidity to fund increases in loan demand or to offset fluctuations in deposits.

The Excess Balance Account is the excess cash the Bank has available over and above daily cash needs. This money is invested on an overnight basis with the Federal Reserve.

Correspondent Banking

Correspondent banking involves one bank providing services to another bank which cannot provide that service for itself from an economic or practical standpoint. OptimumBank is required to purchase correspondent services offered by larger banks, including check collections, purchase of federal funds, security safekeeping, investment services, coin and currency supplies, and sales of loans to or participations with correspondent banks.

OptimumBank has established a correspondent relationship with the Federal Reserve Bank. The Bank pays for such services in cash as opposed to keeping compensating balances. The Bank also sells loan participations to other banks with respect to loans which exceed its lending limit. The Bank may purchase loan participations to supplement loan demand.

Data Processing

The Bank outsources most of its data processing services, including an automated general ledger and deposit accounting; however, it services all its loans in-house.

Internet Banking

The Bank maintains a website at www.optimumbank.com where retail and business customers can access account balances, view current account activity and their previous statement, view images of paid checks, transfer funds between accounts, and pay bills. The Bank now offers its customers mobile access to their account information, with the option to setup alerts, and deposit checks across a broad range of phones and mobile devices. The Bank now offers its business customers remote deposit capture and online cash management services that include ACH origination and wire transfers using token technology for security.

Competition

The Bank encounters strong competition both making loans and attracting deposits. The deregulation of the banking industry and the widespread enactment of state laws which permit multi-bank holding companies as well as an increasing level of interstate banking have created a highly competitive environment for commercial banking. In one or more aspects of its business, the Bank competes with other commercial banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, finance companies, mutual funds, insurance companies, brokerage and investment banking companies, and other financial intermediaries. Most of these competitors, some of which are affiliated with bank holding companies, have substantially greater resources and lending limits, and may offer certain services that the Bank does not currently provide. In addition, many of its non-bank competitors are not subject to the same extensive federal regulations that govern federally insured banks. Recent federal and state legislation has heightened the competitive environment in which financial institutions must conduct their business, and the potential for competition among financial institutions of all types has increased significantly.

The Bank focuses its efforts on smaller loans, which is generally neglected by its competitors. To compete, the Bank relies upon specialized services, responsive handling of customer needs, and personal contacts by its officers, directors, and staff. Large multi-branch banking competitors tend to compete primarily by rate and the number and location of branches while smaller, independent financial institutions tend to compete primarily by rate and personal service.

Employees

As of December 31, 2018, the Bank had 19 full-time employees, including executive officers. These employees are not represented by a collective bargaining unit. The Bank considers its relations with its employees good.

Supervision and Regulation

Banks and their holding companies are extensively regulated under both federal and state law. The following is a brief summary of certain statutes, rules, regulations and enforcement actions affecting OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. and OptimumBank. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the particular statutory and regulatory provisions referred to below and is not intended to be an exhaustive description of the statutes or regulations applicable to the business of the Company or the Bank. Supervision, regulation, and examination of banks by regulatory agencies are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, rather than shareholders.

Regulatory Matters

The Bank is subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the bank regulatory agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory and possibly additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company and Bank’s financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of its assets, liabilities, and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and other factors.

Effective January 1, 2015, the Bank became subject to the new Basel III capital level threshold requirements under the Prompt Corrective Action regulations with full compliance with all of the final rule’s requirements phased in over a multi-year schedule. These new regulations were designed to ensure that banks maintain strong capital positions even in the event of severe economic downturns or unforeseen losses.

Changes that could affect the Bank going forward include additional constraints on the inclusion of deferred tax assets in capital and increased risk weightings for nonperforming loans and acquisition/development loans in regulatory capital. Beginning on January 1, 2016, the Bank became subject to the capital conservation buffer rules which places limitations on distributions, including dividend payments, and certain discretionary bonus payments to executive officers. In order to avoid these limitations, an institution must hold a capital conservation buffer above its minimum risk-based capital requirements. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Bank’s capital conservation buffer exceeds the minimum requirements of 1.875% and 1.250%, respectively. The required conservation buffer of 2.50% is effective January 1, 2019.

Under the new capital regulation for the Bank, the minimum capital ratios consist of a common equity tier 1 ratio of 4.5% of risk-weighted assets, a tier 1 capital of 6.0% of risk-weighted assets, a total capital ratio of 8.0% of risk-weighted assets, and a leverage ratio of 4.0%. Common equity tier 1 is generally comprised of common stock, additional paid in capital, and retained earnings.

These new requirements create a new capital ratio for common equity Tier 1 capital and increase the Tier 1 capital ratio requirements. There were changes in the risk weight of certain assets to better reflect the risk associated with those assets, such as the risk weighting for non-performing loans and certain high volatility commercial real estate acquisitions, development and construction loans. The changes also include additional limitations to the inclusion of deferred tax assets in capital.

The following table shows the Bank’s capital amounts and ratios and regulatory thresholds at December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

Regulatory Enforcement Actions

Memorandum of Understanding. On August 28, 2018, the Bank agreed to the issuance of a Memorandum of Understanding (the “MOU”), with the FDIC and OFR which requires the Bank to take certain measures to improve its safety and soundness. By agreeing to the MOU, the Bank was released from the Consent Order that became effective in 2016, including the restrictions on the interest rates paid on deposits.

Pursuant to the MOU, the Bank is required to take certain measures to maintain qualified management, improve its strategic planning and budgeting process, strengthen the interest rate management practices, limit its asset growth and provide for the ongoing organization, monitoring and operational administration of the Bank Secrecy Act Program. The MOU prohibits the payment of dividends by the Bank.

Written Agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

The Company is subject to the supervision and regulation of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). On June 22, 2010, the Company entered into a written agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (“Reserve Bank”) with respect to certain aspects of the operation and management of the Company (the “Written Agreement”).

The Written Agreement contains the following principal requirements:

● The Board of the Company must take appropriate steps to fully utilize the Company’s financial and managerial resources to serve as a source of strength to the Bank, including, but not limited to, taking steps to ensure that the Bank complies with the Regulatory Enforcement Actions entered into with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (“OFR”) and the FDIC and any other supervisory action taken by the Bank’s state or federal regulator.

● The Company may not declare or pay any dividends without prior Reserve Bank and Federal Reserve approval.

● The Company may not, directly or indirectly, take dividends or any other form of payment representing a reduction in capital from the Bank without prior Reserve Bank approval.

● The Company and its nonconsolidated subsidiary, OptimumBank Holdings Capital Trust I, may not make any distributions of interest, principal, or other sums on subordinated debentures or trust preferred securities without the prior written approval of the Reserve Bank and the Federal Reserve.

● The Company and its nonconsolidated subsidiary, OptimumBank Holdings Capital Trust I, may not, directly or indirectly, incur, increase, or guarantee any debt or purchase or redeem any shares of its stock without the prior written approval of the Reserve Bank.

● The Company must obtain prior written consent from the Reserve Bank before appointing any new director or senior executive officer, or changing the responsibilities of any senior executive officer so that the officer would assume a different senior executive officer position, and must comply with the regulations applicable to indemnification and severance payments.

● The Company must provide quarterly progress reports to the Reserve Bank, along with parent company only financial statements.

Management believes that the Company is in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Written Agreement.

Dodd-Frank Act

On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, into law. The Dodd-Frank Act has had a broad impact on the financial services industry, including significant regulatory and compliance changes including, among other things, (1) enhanced resolution authority of troubled and failing banks and their holding companies; (2) changes to capital and liquidity requirements; (3) changes to regulatory examination fees; (4) changes to assessments to be paid to the FDIC for federal deposit insurance; and (5) numerous other provisions designed to improve supervision and oversight of, and strengthening safety and soundness for, the financial services sector. Additionally, the Dodd-Frank Act established a new framework for systemic risk oversight within the financial system to be distributed among new and existing federal regulatory agencies, including the Financial Stability Oversight Council, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or the OCC, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC. Not all of the regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act have been finalized and thus we cannot predict the ultimate impact of these regulations on the Company or its business, financial condition or results of operations.

The following items provide a brief description of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Bank’s operations and activities, both currently and prospectively.

Increased Capital Standards and Enhanced Supervision. Effective January 1, 2015, revised capital rules became effective for community banks with assets less than $10 billion and their holding companies pursuant to the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Act and standards adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (referred to as “Basel III”). The Dodd-Frank Act also increased regulatory oversight, supervision and examination of banks, bank holding companies and their respective subsidiaries by the appropriate regulatory agency. Compliance with new regulatory requirements and expanded examination processes could increase the Company’s cost of operations.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Dodd-Frank Act created a new, independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or the Bureau, within the Federal Reserve. The Bureau is tasked with establishing and implementing rules and regulations under certain federal consumer protection laws with respect to the conduct of providers of certain consumer financial products and services. The Bureau has rulemaking authority over many of the statutes governing products and services offered to bank consumers. Generally, we will not be directly subject to the rules and regulations of the Bureau. However, the Dodd-Frank Act permits states to adopt consumer protection laws and regulations that are stricter than those regulations promulgated by the Bureau and state attorneys general are permitted to enforce consumer protection rules adopted by the Bureau against certain state-chartered institutions. Any such new regulations could increase the cost of operations and, as a result, could limit the Bank’s ability to expand into these products and services.

Deposit Insurance. The Dodd-Frank Act made permanent the $250,000 deposit insurance limit for insured deposits. Amendments to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act also revised the assessment base against which an insured depository institution’s deposit insurance premiums paid to the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) is calculated. Under the amendments, the assessment base will be its average consolidated total assets less its average tangible equity. Additionally, the Dodd-Frank Act made changes to the minimum designated reserve ratio of the DIF, increasing the minimum from 1.15 percent to 1.35 percent of the estimated amount of total insured deposits, and eliminated the requirement that the FDIC pay dividends to depository institutions when the reserve ratio exceeds certain thresholds. The Dodd-Frank Act also provides that depository institutions may pay interest on demand deposits.

Transactions with Affiliates. The Dodd-Frank Act enhanced the requirements for certain transactions with affiliates under Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act, including an expansion of the definition of “covered transactions” and increasing the amount of time for which collateral requirements regarding covered transactions must be maintained.

Transactions with Insiders. Insider transaction limitations are expanded through the strengthening on loan restrictions to insiders and the expansion of the types of transactions subject to the various limits.

Enhanced Lending Limits. The Dodd-Frank Act strengthens the existing limits on a depository institution’s credit exposure to one borrower. The Dodd-Frank Act expands the scope of these restrictions to include credit exposure arising from derivative transactions, repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing transactions.

Company Regulation

General. As a bank holding company registered under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (the “BHCA”), the Company is subject to the regulation and supervision of, and inspection by, the Federal Reserve Board (“Federal Reserve”). The Company is also required to file with the Federal Reserve annual reports and other information regarding its business operations, and those of its subsidiaries. In the past, the BHCA limited the activities of bank holding companies and their subsidiaries to activities which were limited to banking, managing or controlling banks, furnishing services to or performing services for their subsidiaries or engaging in any other activity which the Federal Reserve determined to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be properly incidental thereto. Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 1999 which is discussed below, bank holding companies have the opportunity to seek broadened authority, subject to limitations on investment, to engage in activities that are “financial in nature” if all of their subsidiary depository institutions are well capitalized, well managed, and have at least a satisfactory rating under the Community Reinvestment Act, which is also discussed below.

In this regard, the BHCA prohibits a bank holding company, with certain limited exceptions, from (i) acquiring or retaining direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding voting stock of any company which is not a bank or bank holding company, or (ii) engaging directly or indirectly in activities other than those of banking, managing or controlling banks, or performing services for its subsidiaries, unless such non-banking business is determined by the FRB to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be properly incident thereto. In making such determinations, the FRB is required to weigh the expected benefit to the public, such as greater convenience, increased competition or gains in efficiency, against the possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest, or unsound banking practices. Generally, bank holding companies, such as the Company, are required to obtain prior approval of the Federal Reserve to engage in any new activity not previously approved by the Federal Reserve.

Change of Control. The BHCA also requires that every bank holding company obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before it may acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank, or ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank, if after such acquisition it would own or control, directly or indirectly, more than 5% of the voting shares of such bank. In approving bank acquisitions by bank holding companies, the Federal Reserve is required to consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding company and the banks concerned, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served, including the parties’ performance under the Community Reinvestment Act (discussed below) and various competitive factors. As described in greater detail below, pursuant to the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branch Efficiency Act of 1994 (the “Interstate Banking and Branching Act”), a bank holding company is permitted to acquire banks in states other than its home state.

The BHCA further prohibits a person or group of persons from acquiring “control” of a bank holding company unless the Federal Reserve Bank has been notified and has not objected to the transaction. Under a rebuttable presumption established by the Federal Reserve, the acquisition of 10% or more of a class of voting stock of a bank holding company with a class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act would, under the circumstances set forth in the presumption, constitute acquisition of control of the bank holding company. In addition, any person or group of persons must obtain the approval of the Federal Reserve under the BHCA before acquiring 25% (5% in the case of an acquirer that is already a bank holding company) or more of the outstanding common stock of a bank holding company, or otherwise obtaining control or a “controlling influence” over the bank holding company.

Interstate Banking and Branching. The Interstate Banking and Branching Act provides for nationwide interstate banking and branching. Under the law, interstate acquisitions of banks or bank holding companies in any state by bank holding companies in any other state are permissible subject to certain limitations. Florida also has a law that allows out-of-state bank holding companies (located in states that allow Florida bank holding companies to acquire banks and bank holding companies in that state) to acquire Florida banks and Florida bank holding companies. The law essentially provides for out-of-state entry by acquisition only (and not by interstate branching) and requires the acquired Florida bank to have been in existence for at least three years. Interstate branching and consolidation of existing bank subsidiaries in different states is permissible. A Florida bank also may establish, maintain, and operate one or more branches in a state other than Florida pursuant to an interstate merger transaction in which the Florida bank is the resulting bank.

Financial Modernization. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Modernization Act of 1999 (the “GLB Act”) sought to achieve significant modernization of the federal bank regulatory framework by allowing the consolidation of banking institutions with other types of financial services firms, subject to various restrictions and requirements. In general, the GLB Act repealed most of the federal statutory barriers which separated commercial banking firms from insurance and securities firms and authorized the consolidation of such firms in a “financial services holding company.” We have no current plans to utilize the structural options created by the GLB Act.

Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance. The Company’s common stock is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and we are subject to restrictions, reporting requirements and review procedures under federal securities laws and regulations. The Company is also subject to the rules and reporting requirements of the NASDAQ Global Market, on which its common stock is traded. Like other issuers of publicly traded securities, the Company must also comply with the corporate governance reforms enacted under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and the rules of the SEC and NASDAQ Stock Market adopted pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Among other things, these reforms, effective as of various dates, require certification of financial statements by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, prohibit the provision of specified services by independent auditors, require pre-approval of independent auditor services, define director independence and require certain committees, and a majority of a subject company’s board of directors, to consist of independent directors, establish additional disclosure requirements in reports filed with the SEC, require expedited filing of reports, require management evaluation and auditor attestation of internal controls, prohibit loans by the issuer (but not by certain depository institutions) to directors and officers, set record-keeping requirements, mandate complaint procedures for the reporting of accounting and audit concerns by employees, and establish penalties for non-compliance.

Bank Regulation

General. OptimumBank is chartered under the laws of the State of Florida, and its deposits are insured by the FDIC to the extent provided by law. OptimumBank is subject to comprehensive regulation, examination and supervision by the FDIC and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, or Florida OFR, and to other laws and regulations applicable to banks. Such regulations include limitations on loans to a single borrower and to its directors, officers and employees; limitations on the types of activities a state bank can conduct; restrictions on the opening and closing of branch offices; the maintenance of required capital ratios; the granting of credit under equal and fair conditions; and the disclosure of the costs and terms of such credit. OptimumBank is examined periodically by the FDIC and the Florida OFR, to whom it submits periodic reports regarding its financial condition and other matters. The FDIC and the Florida OFR have a broad range of powers to enforce regulations under their jurisdiction, and to take discretionary actions determined to be for the protection and safety and soundness of banks, including the institution of cease and desist orders and the removal of directors and officers. The FDIC and the Florida OFR also have the authority to approve or disapprove mergers, consolidations, and similar corporate actions.

Capital Adequacy Requirements. Banks are required to maintain capital at adequate levels based on a percentage of assets and off-balance sheet exposures, adjusted for risk weights ranging from 0% to 100%. Under the risk-based standard, capital is classified into two tiers. Tier 1 capital consists of common shareholders’ equity (excluding the unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities), trust preferred securities subject to certain limitations, and minus certain intangible assets. Tier 2 capital consists of the general allowance for credit losses except for certain limitations. An institution’s qualifying capital base for purposes of its risk-based capital ratio consists of the sum of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital. The regulatory minimum requirements are 4% for Tier 1 and 8% for total risk-based capital. At December 31, 2018, the Bank’s Tier 1 and total risk-based capital ratios were 14.6% and 15.9%, respectively.

Banks are also required to maintain capital at a minimum level based on total assets, which is known as the leverage ratio. The minimum requirement for the leverage ratio is 4%, but all but the highest rated institutions are required to maintain ratios 100 to 200 basis points above the minimum. At December 31, 2018, the Bank’s leverage ratio was 11.68%.

The FDIC Improvement Act of 1993 (“FDICIA”) contains prompt corrective action (“PCA”) provisions pursuant to which banks are to be classified into one of five categories based upon capital adequacy, ranging from “well capitalized” to “critically undercapitalized” and which require (subject to certain exceptions) the appropriate federal banking agency to take prompt corrective action with respect to an institution which becomes “significantly undercapitalized” or “critically undercapitalized.”

The FDIC has issued regulations to implement the “PCA” provisions of FDICIA. In general, the regulations define the five capital categories as follows:

Community banks are also subject to the following minimum capital requirements as of the dates indicated below.

*Including certain threshold deduction items that are over the limits.

The FDIC, after an opportunity for a hearing, has authority to downgrade an institution from “well capitalized” to “adequately capitalized” or to subject an “adequately capitalized” or “undercapitalized” institution to the supervisory actions applicable to the next lower category, for supervisory concerns.

Generally, FDICIA requires that an “undercapitalized” institution must submit an acceptable capital restoration plan to the appropriate federal banking agency within 45 days after the institution becomes “undercapitalized” and the agency must take action on the plan within 60 days. The appropriate federal banking agency may not accept a capital restoration plan unless, among other requirements, each company having control of the institution has guaranteed that the institution will comply with the plan until the institution has been adequately capitalized on average during each of the three consecutive calendar quarters and has provided adequate assurances of performance. The aggregate liability under this provision of all companies having control of an institution is limited to the lesser of:

● 5% of the institution’s total assets at the time the institution becomes “undercapitalized” or

● the amount which is necessary, or would have been necessary, to bring the institution into compliance with all capital standards applicable to the institution as of the time the institution fails to comply with the plan filed pursuant to FDICIA.

An “undercapitalized” institution may not acquire an interest in any company or any other insured depository institution, establish or acquire additional branch offices or engage in any new business unless the appropriate federal banking agency has accepted its capital restoration plan, the institution is implementing the plan, and the agency determines that the proposed action is consistent with and will further the achievement of the plan, or the appropriate Federal banking agency determines the proposed action will further the purpose of the “prompt corrective action” sections of FDICIA.

If an institution is “critically undercapitalized,” it must comply with the restrictions described above. In addition, the appropriate Federal banking agency is authorized to restrict the activities of any “critically undercapitalized” institution and to prohibit such an institution, without the appropriate Federal banking agency’s prior written approval, from:

● entering into any material transaction other than in the usual course of business;

● engaging in any covered transaction with affiliates (as defined in Section 23A(b) of the Federal Reserve Act);

● paying excessive compensation or bonuses; and

● paying interest on new or renewed liabilities at a rate that would increase the institution’s weighted average costs of funds to a level significantly exceeding the prevailing rates of interest on insured deposits in the institution’s normal market areas.

The “prompt corrective action” provisions of FDICIA also provide that in general no institution may make a capital distribution if it would cause the institution to become “undercapitalized.” Capital distributions include cash (but not stock) dividends, stock purchases, redemptions, and other distributions of capital to the owners of an institution.

Additionally, FDICIA requires, among other things, that:

● only a “well capitalized” depository institution may accept brokered deposits without prior regulatory approval, and

● the appropriate federal banking agency annually examines all insured depository institutions, with some exceptions for small, “well capitalized” institutions and state-chartered institutions examined by state regulators.

As of December 31, 2018, OptimumBank met the FDIC definition of a “well-capitalized” institution.

For additional information regarding OptimumBank’s capital ratios and requirements, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Regulatory Capital Adequacy.”

Dividends. The Company’s ability to pay dividends is substantially dependent on the ability of OptimumBank to pay dividends to the Company. As a state chartered bank, OptimumBank is subject to dividend restrictions set by Florida law and the FDIC. Except with the prior approval of the Florida OFR, all dividends of any Florida bank must be paid out of retained net profits from the current period and the previous two years, after deducting expenses, including losses and bad debts. Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, an FDIC-insured institution may not pay any dividend if payment would cause it to become undercapitalized or while it is undercapitalized. The FDIC and the Florida OFR also have the general authority to limit the dividend payment by banks if such payment may be deemed to constitute an unsafe and unsound practice. The Bank’s ability to pay dividends is further restricted under the Memorandum of Understanding with the FDIC and the Company’s ability to pay dividends is also restricted under its Written Agreement with the Federal Reserve. At December 31, 2018, the Bank and Company could not pay cash dividends.

Loans to One Borrower. Florida law generally allows a state bank such as OptimumBank to extend credit to any one borrower (and certain related entities of such borrower) in an amount up to 25% of its capital accounts, provided that the unsecured portion may not exceed 15% of the capital accounts of the bank. Based upon OptimumBank’s capital, the maximum loan OptimumBank is currently permitted to make to any one borrower (and certain related entities of such borrower) is approximately $2.8 million, provided the unsecured portion does not exceed approximately $1.7 million.

Transactions with Affiliates. Under federal law, federally insured banks are subject, with certain exceptions, to certain restrictions on any extension of credit to their parent holding companies or other affiliates, on investment in the stock or other securities of affiliates, and on the taking of such stock or securities as collateral from any borrower. In addition, banks are prohibited from engaging in certain tie-in arrangements in connection with any extension of credit or the providing of any property or service.

Change of Bank Control. Florida law restricts the amount of voting stock of a bank that a person may acquire without the prior approval of banking regulators. The overall effect of such laws is to make it more difficult to acquire a bank by tender offer or similar means than it might be to acquire control of another type of corporation. Consequently, shareholders of financial institutions are less likely to benefit from the rapid increases in stock prices that often result from tender offers or similar efforts to acquire control of other companies.

Under Florida law, no person or group of persons may, directly or indirectly or acting by or through one or more persons, purchase or acquire a controlling interest in any bank which would result in the change in control of that bank unless the Florida OFR first shall have approved such proposed acquisition. A person or group will be deemed to have acquired “control” of a bank (i) if the person or group, directly or indirectly or acting by or through one, or more other persons, owns, controls, or has power to vote 25% or more of any class of voting securities of the bank, or controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the bank, or (ii) if the Florida OFR determines that such person exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of the bank. In any case where a proposed purchase of voting securities would give rise to a presumption of control, the person or group who proposes to purchase the securities must first file written notice of the proposal to the Florida OFR for its review and approval. Subsections 658.27(2) and 658.28(3), Florida Statutes, refer to a potential change of control of a financial institution at a 10% or more threshold and rebuttable presumption of control. Accordingly, the name of any subscriber acquiring more than 10% of the voting securities of OptimumBank must be submitted to the Florida OFR for prior approval.

USA Patriot Act. The USA Patriot Act was enacted after September 11, 2001, to provide the federal government with powers to prevent, detect, and prosecute terrorism and international money laundering, and has resulted in promulgation of several regulations that have a direct impact on banks. There are a number of programs that financial institutions must have in place such as: (i) Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering programs to manage risk; (ii) Customer Identification Programs to determine the true identity of customers, document and verify the information, and determine whether the customer appears on any federal government list of known or suspected terrorist or terrorist organizations; and (iii) monitoring for the timely detection and reporting of suspicious activity and reportable transactions. Over the past few years, enforcement, and compliance monitoring, of these anti-money laundering laws has dramatically increased. As a result, the Bank has increased the attention and resources it dedicates to compliance with these laws.

Other Consumer Laws. Florida usury laws and federal laws concerning interest rates limit the amount of interest and various other charges collected or contracted by a bank. OptimumBank’s loans are also subject to federal laws applicable to consumer credit transactions, such as the:

● Federal Truth-In-Lending Act governing disclosures of credit terms to consumer borrowers;

● Community Reinvestment Act requiring financial institutions to meet their obligations to provide for the total credit needs of the communities they serve, including investing their assets in loans to low and moderate-income borrowers;

● Home Mortgage Disclosure Act requiring financial institutions to provide information to enable public officials to determine whether a financial institution is fulfilling its obligations to meet the housing needs of the community it serves;

● Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, creed or other prohibitive factors in extending credit;

● Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act which requires lenders to disclose certain information regarding the nature and cost of real estate settlements, and prohibits certain lending practices, as well as limits escrow account amounts in real estate transactions;

● Fair Debt Collection Act governing the manner in which consumer debts may be collected by collection agencies;

● Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act which establishes additional rights for consumers to obtain and correct credit reports, addresses identity theft, and establishes additional requirements for consumer reporting agencies and financial institutions that provide adverse credit information to a consumer reporting agency; and

● The rules and regulations of various federal agencies charged with the responsibility of implementing such federal laws.

OptimumBank’s deposit and loan operations are also subject to the:

● The GLB Act privacy provisions, which require the Bank maintain privacy policies intended to safeguard consumer financial information, to disclose these policies to its customers, and allow customers to “opt-out” of having their financial service providers disclose their confidential financial information to non-affiliated third parties, subject to certain exceptions;

● Right to Financial Privacy Act, which imposes a duty to maintain confidentiality of consumer financial records and prescribes procedures for complying with administrative subpoenas of financial records; and

● Electronic Funds Transfer Act and Regulation E, which govern automatic deposits to, and withdrawals from, deposit accounts and customers’ rights and liabilities arising from the use of automated teller machines and other electronic banking services.

Other Regulation

Enforcement Powers. Congress has provided the federal bank regulatory agencies with an array of powers to enforce laws, rules, regulations and orders. Among other things, the agencies may require that institutions cease and desist from certain activities, may preclude persons from participating in the affairs of insured depository institutions, may suspend or remove deposit insurance, and may impose civil money penalties against institution-affiliated parties for certain violations.

Community Reinvestment Act. Bank holding companies and their subsidiary banks are subject to the provisions of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (“CRA”) and the regulations promulgated thereunder by the appropriate bank regulatory agency. Under the terms of the CRA, the appropriate federal bank regulatory agency is required, in connection with its examination of a bank, to assess such bank’s record in meeting the credit needs of the community served by that bank, including low-and moderate-income neighborhoods. The regulatory agency’s assessment of the Bank’s record is made available to the public. Further, such assessment is required of any bank which has applied to charter a bank, obtain deposit insurance coverage for a newly chartered institution, establish a new branch office that will accept deposits, relocate an office, or merge or consolidate with, or acquire the assets or assume the liabilities of, a federally regulated financial institution. In the case of a bank holding company applying for approval to acquire a bank or other bank holding company, the Federal Reserve will assess the record of each subsidiary bank of the applicant bank holding company, and such records may be the basis for denying the application.

Effect of Governmental Monetary Policies

The Company’s earnings are affected by domestic economic conditions and the monetary and fiscal policies of the United States government and its agencies. The Federal Reserve monetary policies have had, and will likely continue to have, an important impact on the operating results of financial institutions through its power to implement national monetary policy in order, among other things, to curb inflation or combat a recession. The monetary policies of the Federal Reserve have major effects upon the levels of loans, investments and deposits through its open market operations in United States Government securities and through its regulation of the discount rate on borrowings of member banks and the reserve requirement against member bank deposits. It is not possible to predict the nature or impact of future changes in monetary and fiscal policies.

Statistical Profile and Other Financial Data

Reference is hereby made to the statistical and financial data contained in the sections captioned “Selected Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” for statistical and financial data providing a review of the Bank’s business activities.

Item 2. Properties

The following table sets forth information with respect to the Bank’s main office and branch offices as of December 31, 2018.

(1) At December 31, 2018, the future minimum lease payments are approximately as follows (in thousands):

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

From time-to-time, the Bank is involved in litigation arising in the ordinary course of its business. As of the date of the filing of this Form 10-K, management is of the opinion that the ultimate aggregate liability represented thereby, if any, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosure

Not applicable.

PART II

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

The Company’s common stock currently trades on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “OPHC.” The table below presents the high and low sales prices for the periods indicated.

The Company had approximately 689 holders registered or in street names as of December 31, 2018.

On March 30, 2018, the Company sold 20,814 shares of common stock to a director for an aggregate purchase price of $46,000. The Company used the proceeds to pay operating expenses of the Company. The issuance of these shares was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering. These shares were deemed to have been issued under the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan. Please refer to the Company’s Forms 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2018 and January 10, 2019 for further details.

On April 9, 2018, the Company issued 79,186 shares of common stock in exchange for the 7 shares of the Company’s Series A Preferred held by a director. At the request of the director, the shares were issued to an unaffiliated third party investor. The Series A Preferred had a liquidation value of $175,000. See Note 7 of the Company’s Financial Statements for further details. The issuance of these shares was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering. These shares were deemed to have been issued under the Company’s 2018 Equity Incentive Plan. Please refer to the Company’s Forms 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 16, 2018 and January 10, 2019 for further details.

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company sold 190,553 shares of common stock to individual investors at an aggregate price of $479,000. The issuances of these shares was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering.

Additionally, the Company agreed to sell 12,447 shares of common stock to an individual investor at an aggregate price of $31,000. The investor has delivered the purchase price to the Company but has not yet taken delivery of the shares. The amount delivered by the investor was recorded as a liability. The issuance of the shares in this transaction will be exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as a transaction by an issuer not involving a public offering.

During the year ended December 31, 2018, Company issued 144,742 shares of common stock as compensation to certain directors for certain services rendered during 2016, 2017 and 2018. At the request of one of the directors, 141,921 of these shares were issued to third parties as either gifts by the director or purchases by such third parties. The issuance of all of these shares was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. See Note 10 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information concerning the issue of these shares.

During the third quarter of 2018, a company affiliated with a director of the Company sold its rights in approximately 694 of the Trust Preferred Securities to several unaffiliated third parties, who subsequently exchanged these Trust Preferred Securities for 301,778 shares of the Company’s common stock. The issuance of all of these shares was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act as transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering. See Note 6 to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information concerning the issue of these shares.

At December 31, 2018, the Bank and Company could not pay cash dividends and the Company does not anticipate that it will pay dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. Banking regulations place certain restrictions on dividends and loans or advances made by the Bank to the Company. The amount of cash dividends that may be paid by the Bank to the Company is based on the Bank’s net earnings of the current year combined with the Bank’s retained earnings of the preceding two years, as defined by state banking regulations. However, for any dividend declaration, the Company must consider additional factors such as the amount of current period net earnings, liquidity, asset quality, capital adequacy and economic conditions. It is likely that these factors would further limit the amount of dividends which the Company could declare. Furthermore, the Bank’s ability to pay dividends is restricted under the Memorandum of Understanding issued by the FDIC and Florida Office of Financial Regulation and banking laws. The Company’s ability to pay dividends is also restricted under its Written Agreement with the Federal Reserve.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

At December 31, or for the Years Then Ended

(Dollars in thousands, except per share figures)

Ratios and Other Data:

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

General

Critical Accounting Policies

The Company’s financial condition and results of operations are sensitive to accounting measurements and estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain. When applying accounting policies in areas that are subjective in nature, the Company must use its best judgment to arrive at the carrying value of certain assets. One of the most critical accounting policies applied by the Company is related to the valuation of its loan portfolio.

A variety of estimates impact the carrying value of the Company’s loan portfolio including the calculation of the allowance for loan losses, valuation of underlying collateral, the timing of loan charge-offs and the amount and amortization of loan fees and deferred origination costs.

The calculation of the allowance for loan losses is a complex process containing estimates which are inherently subjective and susceptible to significant revision as current information becomes available. The allowance is established and maintained at a level management believes is adequate to cover losses resulting from the inability of borrowers to make required payments on loans. Estimates for loan losses are determined by analyzing risks associated with specific loans and the loan portfolio, current trends in delinquencies and charge-offs, the views of the Company’s regulators, changes in the size and composition of the loan portfolio and peer comparisons. The analysis also requires consideration of the economic climate and direction, changes in the economic and interest rate environment which may impact a borrower’s ability to pay, legislation impacting the banking industry and economic conditions specific to the tri-county region the Bank serves in Southeast Florida. Because the calculation of the allowance for loan losses relies on the Company’s estimates and judgments relating to inherently uncertain events, results may differ from management’s estimates.

During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company assessed its earnings history and trend over the past year and its estimate of future earnings, and determined that it was more likely than not that the deferred tax assets would not be realized in the near term. Accordingly, a valuation allowance was recorded and maintained against the net deferred tax asset for the amount not expected to be realized in the future

The allowance for loan losses is also discussed as part of “Loan Portfolio, Asset Quality and Allowance for Loan Losses” and in Note 3 of Notes to the consolidated financial statements. The Company’s significant accounting policies are discussed in Note 1 of Notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Regulation and Legislation

As a state-chartered commercial bank, the Bank is subject to extensive regulation by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, or Florida OFR, and the FDIC. The Bank files reports with the Florida OFR and the FDIC concerning its activities and financial condition, in addition to obtaining regulatory approvals prior to entering into certain transactions such as mergers with or acquisitions of other financial institutions. Periodic examinations are performed by the Florida OFR and the FDIC to monitor the Bank’s compliance with the various regulatory requirements. The Company is also subject to regulation and examination by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

Loan Portfolio, Asset Quality and Allowance for Loan Losses

The Bank’s primary business is making business loans. This activity may subject the Bank to potential loan losses, the magnitude of which depends on a variety of economic factors affecting borrowers which are beyond its control. The combination of stronger U.S. growth, the consumer boost from sharply lower crude oil prices and the aggressive monetary easing and weaker currencies outside of the United States should support improving conditions. With most of the Bank’s loans concentrated in south Florida, the decline in local economic conditions had previously adversely affected the values of the Bank’s real estate collateral, but these trends are reversing and are shown in the improvement in the Bank’s impaired loans and improved asset quality. As of December 31, 2018, the Bank’s impaired loans were approximately $6.7 million, or 8.5% of the gross loan portfolio.

The following table sets forth the composition of the Bank’s loan portfolio:

The following table sets forth the activity in the allowance for loan losses (in thousands):

The allowance for loan losses represents management’s estimate of probable incurred losses inherent in the existing loan portfolio. The allowance for loan losses is increased (decreased) by the provision (credit) for loan losses charged to operations and reduced by loans charged off, net of recoveries. The allowance for loan losses represented 2.83% and 5.55% of the total loans outstanding at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The Bank evaluates the allowance for loan losses on a regular basis. The allowance for loan losses is determined based on a periodic review of several factors: reviews and evaluation of individual loans, historical loan loss experiences, the nature and volume of the loan portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrower’s ability to repay, estimated value of any underlying collateral and current economic conditions. This evaluation is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available.

The allowance consists of two components. The first component consists of amounts specifically reserved (“specific allowance”) for specific loans identified as impaired, as defined by FASB Accounting Standards Codification No. 310 (“ASC 310”). Impaired loans are those loans that management has estimated will not be repaid as agreed upon. The Bank measures impairment on a loan by loan basis for all of its loans by either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s obtainable market price, or the fair value of the collateral if the loan is collateral-dependent. A loan may be impaired (i.e. not expected to be repaid as agreed), but may be sufficiently collateralized such that the Bank expects to recover all principal and interest eventually, and therefore no specific reserve is warranted.

The second component is a general reserve (“general allowance”) on all of the Bank’s loans, other than those identified as impaired. The Bank groups these loans into categories with similar characteristics and then applies a loss factor to each group which is derived from the Bank’s historical loss experience for that category adjusted for qualitative factors such as economic conditions and other trends or uncertainties that could affect management’s estimate of probable loss. The aggregate of these two components results in the Bank’s total allowance for loan losses.

The following table sets forth the Bank’s allowance for loan losses by loan type (dollars in thousands):