QCR HOLDINGS INC - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

Part I

Item 1.     Business

General. QCR Holdings, Inc. is a multi-bank holding company headquartered in Moline, Illinois, that was formed in February 1993 under the laws of the state of Delaware. In 2016, the Company elected to operate as a financial holding company under the BHCA. The Company serves the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Des Moines/Ankeny and Rockford communities through the following four wholly-owned banking subsidiaries, which provide full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and asset management services:

On October 1, 2017, the Company acquired Guaranty Bank, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. On December 2, 2017, the Company merged Guaranty Bank with and into CRBT with CRBT as the surviving bank. See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.

On August 31, 2016, the Company acquired CSB, located in Ankeny, Iowa (Des Moines MSA). See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion.

The Company engages in direct financing lease contracts through m2, a wholly-owned subsidiary of QCBT based in Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Subsidiary Banks. Segments of the Company have been established by management as defined by the structure of the Company’s internal organization, focusing on the financial information that the Company’s operating decision-makers routinely use to make decisions about operating matters. The Company’s primary segment, Commercial Banking, is geographically divided by markets into the secondary segments which are the four subsidiary banks wholly-owned by the Company: QCBT, CRBT, CSB and RB&T. See the consolidated financial statements incorporated herein generally, and Note 22 to the consolidated financial statements specifically, for additional business segment information.   

QCBT was capitalized on October 13, 1993, and commenced operations on January 7, 1994. QCBT is an Iowa-chartered commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System. QCBT provides full service commercial, correspondent, and consumer banking and trust and asset management services in the Quad Cities and adjacent communities through its five offices that are located in Bettendorf and Davenport, Iowa and in Moline, Illinois. QCBT, on a consolidated basis with m2, had total segment assets of $1.54 billion and $1.40 billion as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

CRBT is an Iowa-chartered commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System. The Company commenced operations in Cedar Rapids in June 2001, operating as a branch of QCBT. The Cedar Rapids branch operation then began functioning under the CRBT charter in September 2001. The acquired branches of CNB operate as a division of CRBT under the name “Community Bank & Trust.” CRBT provides full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and asset management services to Cedar Rapids and Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa and adjacent communities through its eight facilities. The headquarters for CRBT is located in downtown Cedar Rapids with three other branches located in Cedar Rapids, one branch in Marion, two branches located in Waterloo and one branch located in Cedar Falls. CRBT had total segment assets of $1.3 billion and $913.1 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

CSB is an Iowa-chartered commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System. CSB was acquired by the Company in 2016. CSB provides full-service commercial and consumer banking to Des Moines and adjacent communities through its headquarters located in Ankeny and its nine other branch facilities throughout the greater Des Moines area. CSB had total segment assets of $670.5 million and $600.1 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

RB&T is an Illinois-chartered commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System. The Company commenced operations in Rockford, Illinois in September 2004, operating as a branch of QCBT, and that operation began functioning under the RB&T charter in January 2005. RB&T provides full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and asset management services to Rockford and adjacent communities through its headquarters located on Guilford Road at Alpine Road in Rockford and its branch facility located in downtown Rockford. RB&T had total segment assets of $461.7 million and $391.2 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Other Operating Subsidiaries. m2, which is based in Brookfield, Wisconsin, is engaged in the business of leasing machinery and equipment to C&I businesses under direct financing lease contracts.

Trust Preferred Subsidiaries. Following is a listing of the Company’s non-consolidated subsidiaries formed for the issuance of trust preferred securities, including pertinent information as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

Securities issued by all of the trusts listed above mature thirty years from the date of issuance, but are all currently callable at par at any time. Interest rate reset dates vary by trust.

Guaranty Bankshares Statutory Trust I was acquired in 2017 as part of the acquisition of Guaranty Bank and is further discussed in Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Business. The Company’s principal business consists of attracting deposits and investing those deposits in loans/leases and securities. The deposits of the subsidiary banks are insured to the maximum amount allowable by the FDIC. The Company’s results of operations are dependent primarily on net interest income, which is the difference between the interest earned on its loans/leases and securities and the interest paid on deposits and borrowings. The Company’s operating results are affected by economic and competitive conditions, particularly changes in interest rates, government policies and actions of regulatory authorities, as described more fully in this Form 10-K. Its operating results also can be affected by trust fees, investment advisory and management fees, deposit service charge fees, gains on the sale of residential real estate and government guaranteed loans, earnings from BOLI and other noninterest income. Operating expenses include employee compensation and benefits, occupancy and equipment expense, professional and data processing fees, advertising and marketing expenses, bank service charges, FDIC and other insurance, loan/lease expenses and other administrative expenses.

The Company and its subsidiaries collectively employed 641 and 572 FTEs at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The majority of the increase in FTEs during 2017 was the result of the acquisition of Guaranty Bank.

The Federal Reserve is the primary federal regulator of the Company, QCBT, CRBT, RB&T and CSB. QCBT, CRBT and CSB are also regulated by the Iowa Superintendent and RB&T is regulated by the IDFPR. The FDIC, as administrator of the DIF, also has regulatory authority over the subsidiary banks. See Appendix A for more information on the federal and state statutes and regulations that are applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries.

Lending/Leasing. The Company and its subsidiaries provide a broad range of commercial and retail lending/leasing and investment services to corporations, partnerships, individuals, and government agencies. The subsidiary banks actively market their services to qualified lending and deposit clients. Officers actively solicit the business of new clients entering their market areas as well as long-standing members of the local business community. The Company has an established lending/leasing policy which includes a number of underwriting factors to be considered in making a loan/lease, including, but not limited to, location, loan-to-value ratio, cash flow, collateral and the credit history of the borrower.

In accordance with Iowa regulation, the legal lending limit to one borrower for QCBT, CRBT and CSB, calculated as 15% of aggregate capital, was $22.8 million, $17.4 million, and $12.0 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2017. In accordance with Illinois regulation, the legal lending limit to one borrower for RB&T, calculated as 25% of aggregate capital, totaled $11.4 million as of December 31, 2017.

The Company recognizes the need to prevent excessive concentrations of credit exposure to any one borrower or group of related borrowers. As such, the Company has established an in-house lending limit, which is lower than each subsidiary bank’s legal lending limit, in an effort to manage individual borrower exposure levels.

The in-house lending limit is the maximum amount of credit each subsidiary bank will extend to a single borrowing entity or group of related entities. As of January 1, 2017, the Company implemented a tiered approach, based on the risk rating. Under the most recent in-house limit, total credit exposure to a single borrowing entity or group of related entities will not exceed the following, subject to certain exceptions:

The QCRH Consolidated amount represents the maximum amount of credit that all affiliated banks, when combined, will extend to a single borrowing entity or group of related entities, subject to certain exceptions.

In addition, m2’s in-house lending limit is $1.0 million to a single leasing entity or group of related entities, subject to certain exceptions.

As part of the loan monitoring activity at the four subsidiary banks, credit administration personnel interact closely with senior bank management. For example, the internal loan committee of each subsidiary bank meets weekly. The Company has a separate in-house loan review function to analyze credits of the subsidiary banks. To complement the in-house loan review, an independent third-party performs external loan reviews. Historically, management has attempted to identify problem loans at an early stage and to aggressively seek a resolution of those situations.

The Company recognizes that a diversified loan/lease portfolio contributes to reducing risk in the overall loan/lease portfolio. The specific loan/lease portfolio mix is subject to change based on loan/lease demand, the business environment and various economic factors. The Company actively monitors concentrations within the loan/lease portfolio to ensure appropriate diversification and concentration risk is maintained.

Specifically, each subsidiary bank’s total loans as a percentage of average assets may not exceed 85%. In addition, following are established policy limits and the actual allocations for the subsidiary banks as of December 31, 2017 for the loan portfolio organized by loan type, reflected as a percentage of the subsidiary bank’s average gross loans:

* The loan types above are as defined and reported in the subsidiary banks’ quarterly Reports of Condition and Income (also known as Call Reports).

** QCBT’s maximum percentage for bank stock loans is 150% of risk-based capital (bank stock loan commitments are limited to 200% of risk-based capital). At December 31, 2017, QCBT’s bank stock loans totaled 34% of risk-based capital.

The following table presents total loans/leases by major loan/lease type and subsidiary as of December 31, 2017 and 2016. Residential real estate loans held for sale are included in residential real estate loans below.

Proper pricing of loans is necessary to provide adequate return to the Company’s stockholders. Loan pricing, as established by the subsidiary banks’ internal loan committees, includes consideration for the cost of funds, loan maturity and risk, origination and maintenance costs, appropriate stockholder return, competitive factors, and the economic environment. The portfolio contains a mix of loans with fixed and floating interest rates. Management attempts to maximize the use of interest rate floors on its variable rate loan portfolio. Refer to Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk for more discussion on the Company’s management of interest rate risk.

C&I Lending

As noted above, the subsidiary banks are active C&I lenders. The current areas of emphasis include loans to small and mid-sized businesses with a wide range of operations such as wholesalers, manufacturers, building contractors, business services companies, other banks, and retailers. The banks provide a wide range of business loans, including lines of credit for working capital and operational purposes, and term loans for the acquisition of facilities, equipment and other purposes. Since 2010, the subsidiary banks have been active in participating in lending programs offered by the SBA and USDA. Under these programs, the government entities will generally provide a guarantee of repayment ranging from 50% to 85% of the principal amount of the qualifying loan.

Loan approval is generally based on the following factors:

For C&I loans, the Company assigns internal risk ratings which are largely dependent upon the aforementioned approval factors. The risk rating is reviewed annually or on an as needed basis depending on the specific circumstances of the loan. See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information, including the internal risk rating scale.

As part of the underwriting process, management reviews current borrower financial statements. When appropriate, certain C&I loans may contain covenants requiring maintenance of financial performance ratios such as, but not limited to:

Establishment of these financial performance ratios depends on a number of factors, including risk rating and the specific industry.

Collateral for these loans generally includes accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, and real estate. The Company’s lending policy specifies approved collateral types and corresponding maximum advance percentages. The value of collateral pledged on loans must exceed the loan amount by a margin sufficient to absorb potential erosion of its value in the event of foreclosure and cover the loan amount plus costs incurred to convert it to cash. Approved non-real estate collateral types and corresponding maximum advance percentages for each are listed below.

Generally, if the above collateral is part of a cross-collateralization with other approved assets, then the maximum advance percentage may be higher.

The Company’s lending policy specifies maximum term limits for C&I loans. For term loans, the maximum term is generally seven years. Generally, term loans range from three to five years. For lines of credit, the maximum term is typically 365 days.

In addition, the subsidiary banks often take personal guarantees or cosigners to help assure repayment. Loans may be made on an unsecured basis if warranted by the overall financial condition of the borrower.

Following is a summary of the five largest industry concentrations within the C&I portfolio as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

CRE Lending

The subsidiary banks also make CRE loans. CRE loans are subject to underwriting standards and processes similar to C&I loans, in addition to those standards and processes specific to real estate loans. Collateral for these loans generally includes the underlying real estate and improvements, and may include additional assets of the borrower. The Company’s lending policy specifies maximum loan-to-value limits based on the category of CRE (commercial real estate loans on improved property, raw land, land development, and commercial construction). These limits are the same limits as, or in some situations, more conservative than, those established by regulatory authorities. Following is a listing of these limits as well as some of the other guidelines included in the Company’s lending policy for the major categories of CRE loans:

* Generally, the debt service coverage ratio must be a minimum of 1.25x for non-owner occupied loans and 1.15x for owner-occupied loans. For loans greater than $500 thousand, the subsidiary banks sensitize this ratio for deteriorated economic conditions, major changes in interest rates, and/or significant increases in vacancy rates.

** These maximum rates are consistent with, or in some situations, more conservative than, those established by regulatory authorities.

The Company’s lending policy also includes guidelines for real estate appraisals and evaluations, including minimum appraisal and evaluation standards based on certain transactions. In addition, the subsidiary banks often take personal guarantees to help assure repayment.

In addition, management tracks the level of owner-occupied CRE loans versus non-owner occupied CRE loans. Owner-occupied CRE loans are generally considered to have less risk. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, approximately 26% and 30%, respectively, of the CRE loan portfolio was owner-occupied.

In accordance with regulatory guidelines, the Company exercises heightened risk management practices when non-owner occupied CRE lending exceeds 300% of total risk-based capital or construction, land development and other land loans exceed 100% of total risk-based capital. Although CSB’s loan portfolio has historically been real estate dominated and its real estate portfolio levels exceed these policy limits, it has established a Credit Risk Committee to routinely monitor its real estate loan portfolio.

Following is a listing of the significant industries within the Company’s CRE loan portfolio as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

* “Other” consists of all other industries. None of these had concentrations greater than $26.1 million, or 2%, of total CRE loans as of December 31, 2017.

Following is a breakdown of non owner-occupied CRE by property type as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

A portion of the Company’s construction portfolio is considered non-residential construction. Following is a summary of industry concentrations within that category as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

Additionally, the Company had approximately $81.3 million and $103.0 million of residential construction loans outstanding as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Of this amount, approximately 79% was considered speculative, while 21% was pre-sold at December 31, 2017 and approximately 75% was considered speculative, while 25% was pre-sold at December 31, 2016.

Direct Financing Leasing

m2 leases machinery and equipment to C&I customers under direct financing leases. All lease requests are subject to the credit requirements and criteria as set forth in the lending/leasing policy. In all cases, a formal independent credit analysis of the lessee is performed.

The following private and public sector business assets are generally acceptable to consider for lease funding:

m2 will generally refrain from funding leases of the following type:

Residential Real Estate Lending

Generally, the subsidiary banks’ residential real estate loans conform to the underwriting requirements of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to allow the subsidiary banks to resell loans in the secondary market. The subsidiary banks structure most loans that will not conform to those underwriting requirements as adjustable rate mortgages that adjust in one to five years, and then retain these loans in their portfolios. Servicing rights are generally not retained on the loans sold in the secondary market. The Company’s lending policy establishes minimum appraisal and other credit guidelines.

The following table presents the originations and sales of residential real estate loans for the Company. Included in originations is activity related to the refinancing of previously held in-house mortgages.

Installment and Other Consumer Lending

The consumer lending department of each subsidiary bank provides many types of consumer loans, including home improvement, home equity, motor vehicle, signature loans and small personal credit lines. The Company’s lending policy addresses specific credit guidelines by consumer loan type. In particular, for home equity loans and home equity lines of credit, the minimum credit bureau score is 650. For both home equity loans and lines of credit, the maximum advance rate is 90% of value with a minimum credit bureau score of 720, and the maximum advance rate is 80% of value with a credit bureau score of 680 to 719. The maximum term on home equity loans is 10 years and maximum amortization is 15 years. The maximum term on home equity lines of credit is 10 years.

In some instances for all loans/leases, it may be appropriate to originate or purchase loans/leases that are exceptions to the guidelines and limits established within the Company’s lending policy described above. In general, exceptions to the lending policy do not significantly deviate from the guidelines and limits established within the lending policy and, if there are exceptions, they are generally noted as such and specifically identified in loan/lease approval documents.

Competition. The Company currently operates in the highly competitive Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Des Moines, and Rockford markets. Competitors include not only other commercial banks, credit unions, thrift institutions, and mutual funds, but also insurance companies, FinTech companies, finance companies, brokerage firms, investment banking companies, and a variety of other financial services and advisory companies. Many of these competitors are not subject to the same regulatory restrictions as the Company. Many of these unregulated competitors compete across geographic boundaries and provide customers increasing access to meaningful alternatives to banking services. The Company competes in markets with a number of much larger financial institutions with substantially greater resources and larger lending limits.

Appendices. The commercial banking business is a highly regulated business. See Appendix A for a summary of the federal and state statutes and regulations that are applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries. Supervision, regulation and examination of banks and bank holding companies by bank regulatory agencies are intended primarily for the protection of depositors rather than stockholders of bank holding companies and banks.

See Appendix B for tables and schedules that show selected financial statistical information relating to the business of the Company required to be presented pursuant to federal securities laws. Consistent with the information presented in the Form 10-K, results are presented as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, as applicable.

Internet Site, Securities Filings and Governance Documents. The Company maintains an Internet site at www.qcrh.com. The Company makes available free of charge through this site its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and other reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after it electronically files such material with, or furnishes it to, the SEC. These filings are available at http://www.snl.com/IRW/Docs/1024092. Also available are many of its corporate governance documents, including the Code of Conduct (http://www.snl.com/IRW/govdocs/1024092).

Item 1A.     Risk Factors

In addition to the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, stockholders or prospective investors should carefully consider the following risk factors:

Conditions in the financial market and economic conditions, including conditions in the markets in which we operate, generally may adversely affect our business.

Our general financial performance is highly dependent upon the business environment in the markets where we operate and in particular, the ability of borrowers to pay interest on and repay principal of outstanding loans and the value of collateral securing those loans, as well as demand for loans and other products and services it offers. A favorable business environment is generally characterized by, among other factors, economic growth, efficient capital markets, low inflation, low unemployment, high business and investor confidence, and strong business earnings. Unfavorable or uncertain economic and market conditions can be caused by declines in economic growth, business activity or investor or business confidence; limitations on the availability or increases in the cost of credit and capital; increases in inflation or interest rates; high unemployment, natural disasters, or a combination of these or other factors.

While economic conditions have improved since the recession, there can be no assurance that this improvement will continue. Uncertainty regarding continuing economic improvement may result in changes in consumer and business spending, borrowing, and savings habits. Downturns in the markets where our banking operations occur could result in a decrease in demand for our products and services, an increase in loan delinquencies and defaults, high or increased levels of problem assets and foreclosures and reduced wealth management fees resulting from lower asset values. Such conditions could adversely affect the credit quality of our loans, financial condition and results of operations.

Potential future acquisitions could be difficult to integrate, divert the attention of key personnel, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value and adversely affect our financial results.

As part of our business strategy, we may consider acquisitions of other banks or financial institutions or branches, assets or deposits of such organizations. There is no assurance, however, that we will determine to pursue any of these opportunities or that if we determine to pursue them that we will be successful.  Acquisitions involve numerous risks, any of which could harm our business, including:

Future acquisitions may involve the issuance of our equity securities as payment or in connection with financing the business or assets acquired, and as a result, could dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. In addition, consummating these transactions could result in the incurrence of additional debt and related interest expense, as well as unforeseen liabilities, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. The failure to successfully evaluate and execute acquisitions or otherwise adequately address the risks associated with acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. 

We must effectively manage our credit risk.

There are risks inherent in making any loan, including risks inherent in dealing with specific borrowers, risks of nonpayment, risks resulting from uncertainties as to the future value of collateral and risks resulting from changes in economic and industry conditions. We attempt to minimize our credit risk through prudent loan application approval procedures, careful monitoring of the concentration of our loans within specific industries and periodic independent reviews of outstanding loans by our credit review department and an external third party. However, we cannot assure you that such approval and monitoring procedures will reduce these credit risks.

The majority of our subsidiary banks’ loan portfolios are invested in C&I and CRE loans, and we focus on lending to small to medium-sized businesses. The size of the loans we can offer to commercial customers is less than the size of the loans that our competitors with larger lending limits can offer. This may limit our ability to establish relationships with the area’s largest businesses. Smaller companies tend to be at a competitive disadvantage and generally have limited operating histories, less sophisticated internal record keeping and financial planning capabilities and fewer financial resources than larger companies. As a result, we may assume greater lending risks than financial institutions that have a lesser concentration of such loans and tend to make loans to larger, more established businesses. Collateral for these loans generally includes accounts receivable, inventory, equipment and real estate. However, depending on the overall financial condition of the borrower, some loans are made on an unsecured basis. In addition to C&I and CRE loans, our subsidiary banks are also active in residential mortgage and consumer lending. Our borrowers may experience financial difficulties, and the level of nonperforming loans, charge-offs and delinquencies could rise, which could negatively impact our business through increased provision, reduced interest income on loans/leases, and increased expenses incurred to carry and resolve problem loans/leases.

C&I loans make up a large portion of our loan/lease portfolio.

C&I loans were $1.1 billion, or approximately 38% of our total loan/lease portfolio, as of December 31, 2017. Our C&I loans are primarily made based on the identified cash flow of the borrower and secondarily on the underlying collateral provided by the borrower. Most often, this collateral is accounts receivable, inventory, equipment and real estate. Credit support provided by the borrower for most of these loans and the probability of repayment is based on the liquidation value of the pledged collateral and enforcement of a personal guarantee, if any exists. Whenever possible, we require a personal guarantee or cosigner on commercial loans. In the case of loans secured by accounts receivable, the availability of funds for the repayment of these loans may be substantially dependent on the ability of the borrower to collect amounts due from its customers. The collateral securing these loans may lose value over time, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value based on the success of the business. In addition, a prolonged recovery period could harm or continue to harm the businesses of our C&I customers and reduce the value of the collateral securing these loans.

Our loan/lease portfolio has a significant concentration of CRE loans, which involve risks specific to real estate values.

CRE lending comprises a significant portion of our lending business. Specifically, CRE loans were $1.3 billion, or approximately 44% of our total loan/lease portfolio, as of December 31, 2017. Of this amount, $332.7 million, or approximately 26%, was owner-occupied. The market value of real estate securing our CRE loans can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time as a result of market conditions in the geographic area in which the real estate is located. Adverse developments affecting real estate values in one or more of our markets could increase the credit risk associated with our loan portfolio. Additionally, real estate lending typically involves higher loan principal amounts and the repayment of the loans generally is dependent, in large part, on sufficient income from the properties securing the loans to cover operating expenses and debt service. Economic events or governmental regulations outside of the control of the borrower or lender could negatively impact the future cash flow and market values of the affected properties.

The problems that have occurred in the residential real estate and mortgage markets throughout much of the U.S. in prior years also affected the commercial real estate market. In our market areas, we generally experienced a downturn in credit performance by our CRE loan customers in prior years relative to historical norms, and despite recent improvements in certain aspects of the economy, a level of uncertainty continues to exist in the economy and credit markets. There can be no guarantee that we will not experience further deterioration in the performance of CRE and other real estate loans in the future. In such case, we may not be able to realize the amount of security that we anticipated at the time of originating the loan, which could cause us to increase our provision for loan losses and adversely affect our operating results, financial condition and/or capital.

Our allowance may prove to be insufficient to absorb losses in our loan/lease portfolio.

We establish our allowance for loan and lease losses in consultation with management of our subsidiaries and maintain it at a level considered adequate by management to absorb loan/lease losses that are inherent in the portfolio. The amount of future loan/lease losses is susceptible to changes in economic, operating and other conditions, including changes in interest rates, which may be beyond our control, and such losses may exceed current estimates. At December 31, 2017, our allowance as a percentage of total gross loans/leases was 1.16%, and as a percentage of total NPLs was 184.28%. In accordance with GAAP for acquisition accounting, the loans acquired through the acquisition of Guaranty Bank and CSB were recorded at fair value; therefore, there was no allowance associated with Guaranty Bank’s and CSB’s loans at acquisition. Management continues to evaluate the allowance needed on the acquired loans factoring in the net remaining discount ($8.1 million at December 31, 2017). When factoring this remaining discount into the Company’s allowance to total loans and leases calculation, the Company’s allowance as a percentage of total loans and leases increases from 1.16% to 1.43%.

In addition, we had net charge-offs as a percentage of gross average loans/leases of 0.19% for the year ended December 31, 2017. Because of the concentration of C&I and CRE loans in our loan portfolio, which tend to be larger in amount than residential real estate and installment loans, the movement of a small number of loans to nonperforming status can have a significant impact on these ratios. Although management believes that the allowance as of December 31, 2017 was adequate to absorb losses on any existing loans/leases that may become uncollectible, we cannot predict loan/lease losses with certainty, and we cannot assure you that our allowance will prove sufficient to cover actual loan/lease losses in the future, particularly if economic conditions are more difficult than what management currently expects. Additional provisions and loan/lease losses in excess of our allowance may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company’s information systems may experience an interruption or breach in security and cyber-attacks, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.

The Company relies heavily on internal and outsourced technologies, communications, and information systems to conduct its business.  Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Company collects, processes and retains sensitive and confidential information regarding our customers. As the Company’s reliance on technology has increased, so have the potential risks of a technology-related operation interruption (such as disruptions in the Company’s customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit, loan, or other systems) or the occurrence of a cyber-attacks (such as unauthorized access to the Company’s systems).  These risks have increased for all financial institutions as new technologies, the use of the Internet and telecommunications technologies (including mobile devices) to conduct financial and other business transactions and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, perpetrators of fraud, hackers, terrorists and others have also increased. In addition to cyber-attacks or other security breaches involving the theft of sensitive and confidential information, hackers have engaged in attacks against financial institutions, retailers and government agencies, particularly denial of service attacks that are designed to disrupt key business or government services, such as customer-facing web sites. The Company is not able to anticipate or implement effective preventive measures against all security breaches of these types, especially because the techniques used change frequently and because attacks can originate from a wide variety of sources.  It is also possible that a cyber incident, such as a security breach, may remain undetected for a period of time, further exposing the Company to technology-related risks. However, applying guidance from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, the Company has analyzed and will continue to analyze security related to device specific considerations, user access topics, transaction-processing and network integrity.

The Company also faces risks related to cyber-attacks and other security breaches in connection with credit card and debit card transactions that typically involve the transmission of sensitive information regarding the Company’s customers through various third parties, including merchant acquiring banks, payment processors, payment card networks and its processors. Some of these parties have in the past been the target of security breaches and cyber-attacks, and because the transactions involve third parties and environments such as the point of sale that the Company does not control or secure, future security breaches or cyber-attacks affecting any of these third parties could impact the Company through no fault of its own, and in some cases it may have exposure and suffer losses for breaches or attacks relating to them.  Despite third-party security risks that are beyond our control, the Company offers its customers protection against fraud and attendant losses for unauthorized use of debit cards in order to stay competitive in the marketplace. Offering such protection (including the cost of replacing compromised cards) to our customers exposes the Company to potential losses which, in the event of a data breach at one or more retailers of considerable magnitude, may adversely affect its business, financial condition, and results of operations. Further cyber-attacks or other breaches in the future, whether affecting the Company or others, could intensify consumer concern and regulatory focus and result in increased costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business.  To the extent we are involved in any future cyber-attacks or other breaches, the Company’s reputation could be affected, which could also have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

System failure or breaches of our network security could subject us to increased operating costs as well as litigation and other liabilities.

The computer systems and network infrastructure we use could be vulnerable to unforeseen problems. Our operations are dependent upon our ability to protect our computer equipment against damage from physical theft, fire, power loss, telecommunications failure or a similar catastrophic event, as well as from security breaches, denial of service attacks, viruses, worms and other disruptive problems caused by hackers. Any damage or failure that causes an interruption in our operations could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Computer break-ins, phishing and other disruptions could also jeopardize the security of information stored in and transmitted through our computer systems and network infrastructure, as well as that of our customers engaging in internet banking activities, which may result in significant liability to us and may cause existing and potential customers to refrain from doing business with us. Although we, with the help of third-party service providers, intend to continue to implement security technology and establish operational procedures to prevent such damage, there can be no assurance that these security measures will be successful. In addition, advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments could result in a compromise or breach of the algorithms we and our third-party service providers use to encrypt and protect customer transaction data. Any interruption in, or breach of security of, our computer systems and network infrastructure, or that of our internet banking customers, could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny, or expose us to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The Company may also need to spend additional resources to enhance protective and detective measures or to conduct investigations to remediate any vulnerabilities that arise. 

We are 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 us to financial losses or regulatory sanctions and seriously harm our reputation. Misconduct by our employees could include hiding unauthorized activities from us, improper or unauthorized activities on behalf of our customers or improper use of confidential information. It is not always possible to prevent employee errors and misconduct, and the precautions we take to prevent and detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Employee errors could also subject us to financial claims for negligence.

We maintain a system of internal controls and insurance coverage to mitigate operational risks, including data processing system failures and errors and customer or employee fraud. Despite having business continuity plans and other safeguards, the Company could still be affected. Should our internal controls fail to prevent or detect an occurrence, and if any resulting loss is not insured or exceeds applicable insurance limits, such failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be materially and adversely affected by the highly regulated environment in which we operate.

The Company and its bank subsidiaries are subject to extensive federal and state regulation, supervision and examination. Banking regulations are primarily intended to protect depositors’ funds, FDIC funds, customers and the banking system as a whole, rather than stockholders. These regulations affect our lending practices, capital structure, investment practices, dividend policy and growth, among other things.

As a bank holding company, we are subject to regulation and supervision primarily by the Federal Reserve. QCBT, CRBT and CSB, as Iowa-chartered state member banks, are subject to regulation and supervision primarily by both the Iowa Superintendent and the Federal Reserve. RB&T, as an Illinois-chartered state member bank, is subject to regulation and supervision primarily by both the IDFPR and the Federal Reserve. We and our banks undergo periodic examinations by these regulators, who have extensive discretion and authority to prevent or remedy unsafe or unsound practices or violations of law by banks and bank holding companies.

The primary federal and state banking laws and regulations that affect us are described in Appendix A to this report. These laws, regulations, rules, standards, policies and interpretations are constantly evolving and may change significantly over time. For example, the Dodd-Frank Act significantly changed the regulation of financial institutions and the financial services industry. In addition, in recent years the Federal Reserve has adopted numerous new regulations addressing banks’ overdraft and mortgage lending practices. Further, the Basel III regulatory capital reforms increased both the amount and quality of capital that financial institutions must hold.

U.S. financial institutions are also subject to numerous monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements designed to detect and prevent illegal activities such as money laundering and terrorist financing. These requirements are imposed primarily through the Bank Secrecy Act which was most recently amended by the Patriot Act. We have instituted policies and procedures to protect us and our employees, to the extent reasonably possible, from being used to facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes. There can be no guarantee, however, that these policies and procedures are effective.

Failure to comply with applicable laws, regulations or policies could result in sanctions by regulatory agencies, civil monetary penalties, and/or damage to our reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on us. Although we have policies and procedures designed to mitigate the risk of any such violations, there can be no assurance that such violations will not occur.

The financial services industry, as well as the broader economy, may be subject to new legislation, regulation, and government policy.

At this time, it is difficult to predict the legislative and regulatory changes that will result from the combination of a new President of the United States and the first year since 2010 in which both Houses of Congress and the White House have majority memberships from the same political party. Recently, however, both the new President and senior members of the House of Representatives have advocated for significant reduction of financial services regulation, to include amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act and structural changes to the CFPB. The new Administration and Congress also may cause broader economic changes due to changes in governing ideology and governing style. New appointments to the Federal Reserve could affect monetary policy and interest rates, and changes in fiscal policy could affect broader patterns of trade and economic growth. Future legislation, regulation, and government policy could affect the banking industry as a whole, including our business and results of operations, in ways that are difficult to predict. In addition, our results of operations also could be adversely affected by changes in the way in which existing statutes and regulations are interpreted or applied by courts and government agencies.

Monetary policies and regulations of the Federal Reserve could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition to being affected by general economic conditions, our earnings and growth are affected by the policies of the Federal Reserve.  An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the money supply and credit conditions.  Among the instruments used by the Federal Reserve to implement these objectives are open market operations in U.S. government securities, adjustments of the discount rate and changes in reserve requirements against bank deposits.  These 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 Federal Reserve have had a significant effect on the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future.  The effects of such policies upon our business, financial condition and results of operations cannot be predicted.

Interest rates and other conditions impact our results of operations.

Our profitability is in large part a function of the spread between the interest rates earned on investments and loans/leases and the interest rates paid on deposits and other interest bearing liabilities. Like most banking institutions, our net interest spread and margin will be affected by general economic conditions and other factors, including fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government that influence market interest rates and our ability to respond to changes in such rates. At any given time, our assets and liabilities will be such that they are affected differently by a given change in interest rates. As a result, an increase or decrease in rates, the length of loan/lease terms, the mix of adjustable and fixed rate loans/leases in our portfolio, the length of time deposits and borrowings, and the rate sensitivity of our deposit customers could have a positive or negative effect on our net income, capital and liquidity. We measure interest rate risk under various rate scenarios using specific criteria and assumptions. A summary of this process, along with the results of our net interest income simulations is presented at “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” included under Item 7A of Part II of this Form 10-K. Although we believe our current level of interest rate sensitivity is reasonable and effectively managed, significant fluctuations in interest rates may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

We are required to maintain capital to meet regulatory requirements, and if we fail to maintain sufficient capital, whether due to losses, an inability to raise additional capital or otherwise, our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations, as well as our ability to maintain regulatory compliance, would be adversely affected.

The Company and each of its banking subsidiaries are required by federal and state regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support their operations, which have recently increased due to the effectiveness of the Basel III regulatory capital reforms. We intend to grow our business organically and to explore opportunities to grow our business by taking advantage of attractive acquisition opportunities, and such growth plans may require us to raise additional capital to ensure that we have adequate levels of capital to support such growth on top of our current operations. Our ability to raise additional capital, when and if needed or desired, will depend on conditions in the capital markets, economic conditions and a number of other factors, including investor perceptions regarding the banking industry and market conditions, and governmental activities, many of which are outside our control, and on our financial condition and performance. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that we will be able to raise additional capital if needed or on terms acceptable to us. Our failure to meet these capital and other regulatory requirements could affect customer confidence, our ability to grow, our costs of funds and FDIC insurance costs, our ability to pay dividends on common and preferred stock and to make distributions on our trust preferred securities, our ability to make acquisitions, and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Failure to pay interest on our debt may adversely impact our ability to pay common stock dividends.

As of December 31, 2017, we had $40.2 million of junior subordinated debentures held by six business trusts that we control. Interest payments on the debentures, which totaled $1.5 million for 2017, must be paid before we pay dividends on our capital stock, including our common stock. We have the right to defer interest payments on the debentures for up to 20 consecutive quarters. However, if we elect to defer interest payments, all deferred interest must be paid before we may pay dividends on our capital stock. Deferral of interest payments on the debentures could cause a subsequent decline in the market price of our common stock because we would not be able to pay dividends on our common stock.

As a bank holding company, our sources of funds are limited.

We are a bank holding company, and our operations are primarily conducted by our subsidiary banks, which are subject to significant federal and state regulation. When available, cash to pay dividends to our stockholders is derived primarily from dividends received from our subsidiary banks. Our ability to receive dividends or loans from our subsidiary banks is restricted. Dividend payments by our subsidiaries to us in the future will require generation of future earnings by them and could require regulatory approval if any proposed dividends are in excess of prescribed guidelines. Further, as a structural matter, our right to participate in the assets of our subsidiary banks in the event of a liquidation or reorganization of any of the banks would be subject to the claims of the creditors of such bank, including depositors, which would take priority except to the extent we may be a creditor with a recognized claim. As of December 31, 2017, our subsidiary banks had deposits and other liabilities in the aggregate of approximately $3.6 billion.

Declines in asset values may result in impairment charges and adversely affect the value of our investments, financial performance and capital.

The market value of investments in our securities portfolio has become increasingly volatile in recent years, and as of December 31, 2017, we had gross unrealized losses of $5.4 million, or 0.8% of amortized cost, in our investment portfolio (partially offset by gross unrealized gains of $4.5 million). The market value of investments may be affected by factors other than the underlying performance of the servicer of the securities or the mortgages underlying the securities, such as ratings downgrades, adverse changes in the business climate and a lack of liquidity in the secondary market for certain investment securities. On a quarterly basis, we formally evaluate investments and other assets for impairment indicators. We may be required to record additional impairment charges if our investments suffer a decline in value that is considered other-than-temporary. If we determine that a significant impairment has occurred, we would be required to charge against earnings the credit-related portion of the OTTI, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations in the periods in which the write-offs occur. Based on management’s evaluation, it was determined that the gross unrealized losses at December 31, 2017 were temporary and primarily a function of the changes in certain market interest rates.

Liquidity risks could affect operations and jeopardize our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Liquidity is essential to our business. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale of securities and/or loans and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on our liquidity. Our primary sources of funds consist of cash from operations, deposits, investment maturities, repayments, and calls, and loan/lease repayments. Additional liquidity is provided by federal funds purchased from the FRB or other correspondent banks, FHLB advances, wholesale and customer repurchase agreements, brokered deposits, and the ability to borrow at the FRB’s Discount Window. Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our activities or on terms that are acceptable to us could be impaired by factors that affect us 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.

During periods of economic turmoil, the financial services industry and the credit markets generally may be materially and adversely affected by significant declines in asset values and depressed levels of liquidity.  Furthermore, regional and community banks generally have less access to the capital markets than do the national and super-regional banks because of their smaller size and limited analyst coverage. Any decline in available funding could adversely impact our ability to originate loans/leases, invest in securities, meet our expenses, pay dividends to our stockholders, or fulfill obligations such as repaying our borrowings or meeting deposit withdrawal demands, any of which could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity, business, results of operations and financial condition.

The success of our SBA lending program is dependent upon the continued availability of SBA loan programs, our status as a preferred lender under the SBA loan programs and our ability to comply with applicable SBA lending requirements.

As an SBA Preferred Lender, we enable our clients to obtain SBA loans without being subject to the potentially lengthy SBA approval process necessary for lenders that are not SBA Preferred Lenders. The SBA periodically reviews the lending operations of participating lenders to assess, among other things, whether the lender exhibits prudent risk management. When weaknesses are identified, the SBA may request corrective actions or impose other restrictions, including revocation of the lender’s Preferred Lender status. If we lose our status as a Preferred Lender, we may lose our ability to compete effectively with other SBA Preferred Lenders, and as a result we would experience a material adverse effect to our financial results. Any changes to the SBA program, including changes to the level of guaranty provided by the federal government on SBA loans or changes to the level of funds appropriated by the federal government to the various SBA programs, may also have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Historically we have sold the guaranteed portion of our SBA 7(a) loans in the secondary market. These sales have resulted in our earning premium income and/or have created a stream of future servicing income. There can be no assurance that we will be able to continue originating these loans, that a secondary market will exist or that we will continue to realize premiums upon the sale of the guaranteed portion of these loans. When we sell the guaranteed portion of our SBA 7(a) loans, we incur credit risk on the retained, non-guaranteed portion of the loans.

In the event of a loss resulting from default and the SBA determines there is a deficiency in the manner in which the loan was originated, funded or serviced by the us, the SBA may require us to repurchase the loan, deny its liability under the guaranty, reduce the amount of the guaranty, or, if it has already paid under the guaranty, seek recovery of the principal loss related to the deficiency from us, any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our business is concentrated in and dependent upon the continued growth and welfare of the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Des Moines/Ankeny, and Rockford markets.

We operate primarily in the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Des Moines/Ankeny and Rockford markets, and as a result, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows are subject to changes in the economic conditions in those areas. We have developed a particularly strong presence in Bettendorf, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Waterloo, and Ankeny, Iowa and Moline, Rock Island, and Rockford, Illinois and their surrounding communities. Our success depends upon the business activity, population, income levels, deposits and real estate activity in these markets. Although our customers’ business and financial interests may extend well beyond these market areas, adverse economic conditions that affect these market areas could reduce demand for our products and services, affect the ability of our customers to repay their loans to us, increase the levels of our nonperforming and problem loans, and generally affect our financial condition and results of operations. Because of our geographic concentration, we are less able than other regional or national financial institutions to diversify our credit risks across multiple markets.  

We face intense competition in all phases of our business from other banks and financial institutions.

The banking and financial services businesses in our markets are highly competitive. Our competitors include large regional banks, local community banks, savings and loan associations, securities and brokerage companies, mortgage companies, insurance companies, finance companies, money market mutual funds, credit unions, online lenders and other non-bank financial services providers. Many of these competitors are not subject to the same regulatory restrictions as we are. Many of our unregulated competitors compete across geographic boundaries and are able to provide customers with a feasible alternative to traditional banking services.

Increased competition in our markets may result in a decrease in the amounts of our loans and deposits, reduced spreads between loan/lease rates and deposit rates or loan/lease terms that are more favorable to the borrower. Any of these results could have a material adverse effect on our ability to grow and remain profitable. If increased competition causes us to significantly discount the interest rates we offer on loans or increase the amount we pay on deposits, our net interest income could be adversely impacted. If increased competition causes us to modify our underwriting standards, we could be exposed to higher losses from lending and leasing activities. Additionally, many of our competitors are much larger in total assets and capitalization, have greater access to capital markets, have larger lending limits and offer a broader range of financial services than we can offer.

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

The stock market has experienced, and may continue to experience, fluctuations that significantly impact the market prices of securities issued by many companies. Most recently, like the stock of other financial institutions generally, the price of the Company’s common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Global Market has increased substantially since the U.S. presidential election. Market fluctuations could also adversely affect our stock price. These fluctuations have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations, as well as general economic, systemic, political and market conditions, such as recessions, loss of investor confidence, interest rate changes, or international currency fluctuations, may negatively affect the market price of our common stock. Moreover, our operating results may fluctuate and vary from period to period due to the risk factors set forth herein. As a result, period-to-period comparisons should not be relied upon as an indication of future performance. Our stock price could fluctuate significantly in response to our quarterly or annual results and the impact of these risk factors on our operating results or financial position.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research reports about us, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the price of our stock could decline.

The trading market for our common stock can be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If there is limited or no securities or industry analyst coverage of us, the market price for our stock could be negatively impacted. Moreover, if any of the analysts who elect to cover us downgrade our common stock, provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors or if our operating results or prospects do not meet their expectations, the market price of our common stock may decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases coverage of us or fails to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which could cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.

The soundness of other financial institutions could negatively affect us. 

Our ability to engage in routine funding and other transactions could be negatively affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions. Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty or other relationships. Defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, have led to market-wide liquidity problems and losses of depositor, creditor and counterparty confidence and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions. We could experience increases in deposits and assets as a result of the difficulties or failures of other banks and government-sponsored financial institutions, which would increase the capital we need to support our growth.

Our community banking strategy relies heavily on our subsidiaries’ independent management teams, and the unexpected loss of key managers may adversely affect our operations.

We rely heavily on the success of our bank subsidiaries’ independent management teams. Accordingly, much of our success to date has been influenced strongly by our ability to attract and to retain senior management experienced in banking and financial services and familiar with the communities in our market areas. Our ability to retain the executive officers and current management teams of our operating subsidiaries will continue to be important to the successful implementation of our strategy. It is also critical, as we manage our existing portfolio and grow, to be able to attract and retain qualified additional management and loan officers with the appropriate level of experience and knowledge about our market areas to implement our community-based operating strategy. The unexpected loss of services of any key management personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Effective succession planning is also important to our long-term success. Failure to ensure effective transfer of knowledge and smooth transitions involving key employees could hinder our strategic planning and execution.

We have a continuing need for technological change, and we may not have the resources to effectively implement new technology.

The financial services industry continues to undergo rapid technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. In addition to enabling us to better serve our customers, the effective use of technology increases efficiency and the potential for cost reduction. Our future success will depend in part upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations as we continue to grow our market share. Many of our larger competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements. As a result, they may be able to offer additional or superior products to those that we will be able to offer, which would put us at a competitive disadvantage. Accordingly, we cannot provide you with assurance that we will be able to effectively implement new technology-driven products and services or be successful in marketing such products and services to our customers.

Our reputation could be damaged by negative publicity.

Reputational risk, or the risk to our business, financial condition or results of operations from negative publicity, is inherent in our business. Negative publicity can result from actual or alleged conduct in a number of areas, including legal and regulatory compliance, lending practices, corporate governance, litigation, inadequate protection of customer data, ethical behavior of our employees, and from actions taken by regulators, ratings agencies and others as a result of that conduct. Damage to our reputation could impact our ability to attract new or maintain existing loan and deposit customers, employees and business relationships.

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments, which are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty and which may differ from actual results.

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and general reporting practices within the financial services industry, which require us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Some accounting policies, such as those pertaining to our allowance, require the application of significant judgment by management in selecting the appropriate assumptions for calculating financial estimates. By their nature, these estimates and judgments are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty and actual results may differ from these estimates and judgments under different assumptions or conditions, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations in subsequent periods.

From time to time, the FASB and the SEC change the financial accounting and reporting standards or the interpretation of those standards that govern the preparation of our external financial statements. These changes are beyond our control, can be difficult to predict and could materially impact how we report our financial condition and results of operations. 

For example, the FASB has adopted a new accounting standard that will be effective for our first fiscal year after December 15, 2019.  This standard, referred to as Current Expected Credit Loss, or CECL, will require financial institutions to determine periodic estimates of lifetime expected credit losses on loans, and recognize the expected credit losses as allowances.  This will change the current method of providing allowances that are probable, which may require us to increase our allowance, and to greatly increase the types of data we will need to collect and review to determine the appropriate level of the allowance. Any increase in our allowance or expenses incurred to determine the appropriate level of the allowance may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Secondary mortgage, government guaranteed loan and interest rate swap market conditions could have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

Currently, we sell a portion of the residential real estate and government guaranteed loans we originate. The profitability of these operations depends in large part upon our ability to make loans and to sell them in the secondary market at a gain. Thus, we are dependent upon the existence of an active secondary market and our ability to profitably sell loans into that market.

In addition to being affected by interest rates, the secondary markets are also subject to investor demand for residential mortgages and government guaranteed loans and investor yield requirements for those loans. These conditions may fluctuate or even worsen in the future. As a result, a prolonged period of secondary market illiquidity may reduce our loan production volumes and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.  

The interest rate swap market is dependent upon market conditions. If interest rates move, interest rate swap transactions may no longer make sense for the Company and/or its customers. Interest rate swaps are generally appropriate for commercial customers with a certain level of expertise and comfort with derivatives, so our success is dependent upon the ability to make loans to these types of commercial customers. Additionally, our ability to execute interest rate swaps is also dependent upon counterparties that are willing to enter into the interest rate swap that is equal and offsetting to the interest rate swap we enter into with the commercial customer.

Consumers and businesses are increasingly using non-banks to complete their financial transactions, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Technology and other changes are allowing consumers and businesses to complete financial transactions that historically have involved banks through alternative methods. For example, the wide acceptance of Internet-based commerce has resulted in a number of alternative payment processing systems and lending platforms in which banks play only minor roles. Customers can now maintain funds in prepaid debit cards or digital currencies, and pay bills and transfer funds directly without the direct assistance of banks. The diminishing role of banks as financial intermediaries has resulted and could continue to result in the loss of fee income, as well as the loss of customer deposits and the related income generated from those deposits. The loss of these revenue streams and the potential loss of lower cost deposits as a source of funds could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

New lines of business or new products and services may subject us to additional risks.

From time to time, we may seek to implement new lines of business or offer new products and services within existing lines of business in our current markets or new markets. There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. In developing and marketing new lines of business and/or new products and services, we may invest significant time and resources. Initial timetables for the introduction and development of new lines of business and/or new products or services may not be achieved and price and profitability targets may not prove feasible, which could in turn have a material negative effect on our operating results.

Item 1B.      Unresolved Staff Comments

There are no unresolved staff comments.

Item 2.     Properties

The following table is a listing of the Company’s operating facilities:

(1) This facility is utilized as a branch of QCBT in addition to housing the holding company.

(2) Branches of Community Bank & Trust, a division of CRBT.

(3) Branches acquired in 2017 through the purchase of Guaranty Bank.

The subsidiary banks intend to limit their investment in premises to no more than 50% of their capital. Management believes that the facilities are of sound construction, in good operating condition, are appropriately insured, and are adequately equipped for carrying on the business of the Company.

No individual real estate property amounts to 10% or more of consolidated assets.

Item 3.     Legal Proceedings

There are no material pending legal proceedings to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to their respective businesses.

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

Market Information. The common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Company is listed on The Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “QCRH”. The stock began trading on Nasdaq on October 6, 1993. The Company transferred its listing from the Nasdaq Capital Market to the Nasdaq Global Market on March 1, 2010. As of February 28, 2018, there were 13,931,628 shares of common stock outstanding held by 741 holders of record. Additionally, there are an estimated 3,548 beneficial holders whose stock was held in the street name by brokerage houses and other nominees as of that date. The following table sets forth the high and low sales prices of the common stock, as reported by Nasdaq for the periods indicated.

Dividends on Common Stock. Dividends paid on common stock during the years ending December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:

The Company is heavily dependent on dividend payments from its subsidiary banks to provide cash flow for the operations of the holding company and dividend payments on the Company’s common stock. Under applicable state laws, the banks are restricted as to the maximum amount of dividends that they may pay on their common stock. Iowa and Illinois law provide that state-chartered banks in those states may not pay dividends in excess of their undivided profits.

The Company’s ability to pay dividends to its stockholders may be affected by both general corporate law considerations and policies of the Federal Reserve applicable to bank holding companies. The payment of dividends by any financial institution or its holding company is affected by the requirement to maintain adequate capital pursuant to applicable capital adequacy guidelines and regulations, and a financial institution generally is prohibited from paying any dividends if, following payment thereof, the institution would be undercapitalized. See Appendix A for additional information regarding regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends.

The Company also has certain contractual restrictions on its ability to pay dividends. The Company has issued junior subordinated debentures in private placements. Under the terms of the debentures, the Company may be prohibited, under certain circumstances, from paying dividends on shares of its common stock. None of these circumstances existed through the date of filing of this Form 10-K. See Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding dividend restrictions.

Purchase of Equity Securities by the Company. There were no purchases of common stock by the Company during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

Stockholder Return Performance Graph. The following graph indicates, for the period commencing December 31, 2012 and ending December 31, 2017, a comparison of cumulative total returns for the Company, the Nasdaq Composite Index, and the SNL Bank Nasdaq Index prepared by SNL Financial, Charlottesville, Virginia. The graph was prepared at the Company’s request by SNL Financial. The information assumes that $100 was invested at the closing price on December 31, 2012 in the common stock of the Company and in each index, and that all dividends were reinvested.

Item 6.     Selected Financial Data

The following “Selected Financial Data” of the Company is derived in part from, and should be read in conjunction with, our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto. See Item 8. Financial Statements. Results for past periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any future period.

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

The following discussion provides additional information regarding our operations for the years ending December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, and our financial condition at December 31, 2017 and 2016. This discussion should be read in conjunction with “Selected Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes thereto included or incorporated by reference elsewhere in this document.

Additionally, a comprehensive list of the acronyms and abbreviations used throughout this discussion is included in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

GENERAL

The Company was formed in February 1993 for the purpose of organizing QCBT. Over the past twenty-four years, the Company has grown to include three additional banking subsidiaries and a number of nonbanking subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had $4.0 billion in consolidated assets, including $3.0 billion in total loans/leases and $3.3 billion in deposits. The financial results of both Guaranty Bank and CSB for the periods since acquisition are included in this report.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

The Company reported net income of $35.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, and diluted EPS of $2.61. For the same period in 2016, the Company reported net income of $27.7 million, and diluted EPS of $2.17. By comparison, for 2015, the Company reported net income of $16.9 million, and diluted EPS of $1.61.

The year ended December 31, 2017 was highlighted by several significant items:

Following is a table that represents the various net income measurements for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

*The 2017 and 2016 increase in the weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding was primarily due to the common stock issued in connection with the acquisitions of CSB and Guaranty Bank discussed in Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Company reported core net income (non-GAAP) of $36.3 million, with diluted core EPS of $2.66. See section titled “GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations” for additional information. Core net income for the year excludes a number of non-recurring items, most significantly $3.5 million of after-tax acquisition and post-acquisition related costs. See Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding the impact of Tax Act on deferred tax assets and income tax expense.

Following is a table that represents the major income and expense categories.

The following are some noteworthy developments in the Company’s financial results:

LONG-TERM FINANCIAL GOALS

The Company has established certain financial goals by which it manages its business and measures its performance. The goals are periodically updated to reflect business developments. While the Company is determined to work prudently to achieve these goals, there is no assurance that they will be met. Moreover, the Company’s ability to achieve these goals will be affected by the factors discussed under “Forward Looking Statements” as well as the factors detailed in the “Risk Factors” section included under Item 1A. of Part I of this Form 10-K. The Company’s long-term financial goals are as follows:

.

The following table shows the evaluation of the Company’s long-term financial goals.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS

The Company took the following actions to support our corporate strategy and the long-term financial goals shown above.

GAAP TO NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS

The following table presents certain non-GAAP financial measures related to the “TCE/TA ratio”, “core net income”, “core net income attributable to QCR Holdings, Inc. common stockholders”, “core EPS”, “core ROAA”, “NIM (TEY)” and “efficiency ratio”. In compliance with applicable rules of the SEC, all non-GAAP measures are reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, as follows:

The TCE/TA non-GAAP ratio has been a focus for investors and management believes that this ratio may assist investors in analyzing the Company’s capital position without regard to the effects of intangible assets.

The table below also includes several “core” non-GAAP measurements of financial performance. The Company's management believes that these measures are important to investors as they exclude non-recurring income and expense items; therefore, they provide a better comparison for analysis and may provide a better indicator of future results.

NIM (TEY) is a financial measure that the Company’s management utilizes to take into account the tax benefit associated with certain loans and securities. It is standard industry practice to measure net interest margin using tax-equivalent measures.

The efficiency ratio is a ratio that management utilizes to compare the Company to peers. Both are also standard in the banking industry and widely utilized by investors.

Non-GAAP financial measures have inherent limitations, are not required to be uniformly applied, and are not audited. Although these non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by investors to evaluate a company, they have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP.