UWHARRIE CAPITAL CORP - Annual Report: 2021 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

OR

For the transition period from                      to                      .

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 000-22062

UWHARRIE CAPITAL CORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s Telephone number, including area code: (704) 983-6181

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

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

COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $1.25 PER SHARE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common equity was last sold, or the average bid and ask price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. $57,764,863.20.

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock as of the latest practicable date: 6,940,317 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 6, 2022.

Documents Incorporated by Reference.

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

FORM 10-K CROSS REFERENCE INDEX

As indicated below, portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which the Registrant plans to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission subsequent to the date hereof, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.

PART I

Uwharrie Capital Corp (the “Company”) is a North Carolina business corporation and registered bank holding company. The Company was incorporated on February 24, 1993 to become the bank holding company for Uwharrie Bank (the “Bank”), a North Carolina commercial bank, originally chartered on September 28, 1983 as Bank of Stanly, and its three wholly owned subsidiaries, The Strategic Alliance Corporation (“Strategic Alliance”), BOS Agency, Inc. (“BOS Agency”) and Gateway Mortgage, Inc., a mortgage brokerage company acquired in August 2000. The Company also owns two non-bank subsidiaries, Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc., formerly known as Strategic Investment Advisors, Inc., formed in 1999, and Uwharrie Mortgage, Inc., formed in 2004.

On January 19, 2000, the Company completed its acquisition of Anson Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary, Anson Savings Bank. The savings bank retained its North Carolina savings bank charter and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company until September 1, 2013 when it was merged with and into the Bank.

During 2002, the Company expanded its service area into the Cabarrus County market. On April 10, 2003 the Company capitalized a new wholly owned subsidiary bank, Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company. As of that date, Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company purchased two Cabarrus County branch offices of the Bank, formerly known as Bank of Stanly, in order to commence operations. Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company was merged with and into the Bank, effective September 1, 2013.

The Company and its subsidiaries conduct their operations in Stanly County, Anson County, Cabarrus County and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Company is community-oriented, emphasizing the well-being of the people in its region above financial gain in directing its corporate decisions. In order to best serve its communities, the Company believes it must remain a strong, viable, independent financial institution. This means that the Company must evolve with today’s quickly changing financial services industry. Beginning with its inception in 1993, the Company implemented its current strategy to remain a strong, independent community financial institution that is competitive with larger institutions and allows its service area to enjoy the benefits of a local financial institution and the strength its capital investment provides the community. This strategy consists of developing and expanding the Company’s technological capabilities while recruiting and maintaining a workforce sensitive to the financial services needs of its customers. This strategy has provided the Company with the capacity to grow and leverage the cost of delivering competitive services.

At December 31, 2021, the Company and related subsidiaries had 178 full-time and 13 part-time employees.

Business of the Bank

The Bank is a North Carolina chartered commercial bank, which was incorporated in 1983 and which commenced banking operations as Bank of Stanly on January 26, 1984. Its main banking office is located at 167 North Second Street, Albemarle, North Carolina, and it operates nine other banking offices and two loan production offices in Stanly County, Cabarrus County, Anson County and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Bank is the only commercial bank headquartered in Stanly County.

Its operations are primarily retail-oriented and directed to individuals and small to medium-sized businesses located in its market area, and its deposits and loans are derived primarily from customers in its geographical market. The Bank provides traditional commercial and consumer banking services, including personal and commercial checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and related business and individual banking services. The Bank’s lending activities include commercial loans and various consumer-type loans to individuals, including installment loans, mortgage loans, equity lines of credit and overdraft checking credit. The Bank also offers internet banking, mobile banking, 24-hour telephone banking, and issues Visa ® check cards, an electronic banking card, which functions as a point-of-sale card and allows its customers to access their deposit accounts at the Bank’s ten branches and at most automated teller machines of other banks linked to the STAR ® or CIRRUS ® networks. The Bank offers credit cards under license from MasterCard ®. The Bank does not presently provide the services of a trust department.

Non-Bank Subsidiaries

The Bank has three wholly owned subsidiaries, BOS Agency, Strategic Alliance and Gateway Mortgage, Inc. BOS Agency was formed during 1987 and engages in the sale of various insurance products, including annuities, life insurance, long-term care, disability insurance and Medicare supplements. Strategic Alliance was formed during 1989 as BOS Financial Corporation and, in 1993, adopted its current name. It is registered with the SEC and licensed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) as a securities broker-dealer. Gateway Mortgage, Inc. is a mortgage brokerage company, acquired by the Bank in 2000.

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The Company has two non-bank subsidiaries. Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc., which is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC, began operations on April 1, 1999 and provides portfolio management services to customers in the Charlotte Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions. The Company established Uwharrie Mortgage, Inc., a subsidiary to serve in the capacity of trustee and substitute trustee under deeds of trust, in 2004.

Competition

Commercial banking in North Carolina is extremely competitive, due in large part to early adoption of statewide and interstate branching laws. The Company encounters significant competition from a number of sources, including other bank holding companies, commercial banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions and financial intermediaries, including financial technology companies.

Among commercial banks, the Bank competes in its market areas with some of the largest banking organizations operating in the state, several of which have hundreds of branches in North Carolina and billions of dollars in assets. Consequently, some competitors have substantially higher lending limits due to their greater total capitalization, and may perform functions for their customers that the Company currently does not offer. The Company could encounter increased competition in the future, from existing or new competitors that may limit its ability to maintain or increase its market share or otherwise materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Bank depends on its reputation as a community bank in its local market, direct customer contact, its ability to make credit and other business decisions locally, and personalized service to counter these competitive disadvantages.

Exposure to Local Economic Conditions

The Company’s success is dependent to a significant extent upon economic conditions in Stanly, Anson, Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties, and more generally, in the Charlotte Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions. In addition, the banking industry in general is affected by economic conditions such as inflation, recession, unemployment and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Economic recession over a prolonged period or other economic dislocation in the Charlotte Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions could cause increases in non-performing assets and impair the values of real estate collateral, thereby causing operating losses, diminishing liquidity and eroding capital. Although management believes its loan policy and review process results in sound and consistent credit decisions on its loans, there can be no assurance that future adverse changes in the economy in the Company’s market area would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Impact of Technological Advances; Upgrade to Company’s Infrastructure

The banking industry is undergoing, and management believes it will continue to undergo, technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. In addition to improving customer services, the effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to reduce costs. The Company’s future success will depend, in part, on its ability to address the needs of its customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience as well as enhance efficiencies in the Company’s operations. Management believes that keeping pace with technological advances is critical for the Company in light of its strategy to continue its sustained pace of growth. As a result, the Company intends to continue to upgrade its internal systems, both through the efficient use of technology and by strengthening its policies and procedures. The Company also currently anticipates that it will evaluate opportunities to expand its array of technology-based products to its customers from time to time in the future.

Federal Bank Holding Company Regulation and Structure

As a registered bank holding company, the Company is subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (the “BHCA”) and to the supervision, examination and reporting requirements of the Federal Reserve System. The Bank has a North Carolina commercial bank charter and is subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve and the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (“NCCOB”).

The BHCA requires every bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before:

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The BHCA further provides that the Federal Reserve may not approve any transaction that would result in a monopoly or that would substantially lessen competition in the banking business, unless the public interest in meeting the needs of the communities to be served outweighs the anti-competitive effects. The Federal Reserve is also required to consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding companies and banks involved and the convenience and needs of the communities to be served. Consideration of financial resources generally focuses on capital adequacy, and consideration of convenience and needs issues focuses, in part, on the performance under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, both of which are discussed elsewhere in more detail.

Subject to various exceptions, the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with related regulations, require Federal Reserve approval prior to any person or company acquiring “control” of a bank holding company. Control is conclusively presumed to exist if a person or company acquires 25% or more of any class of voting securities of a bank holding company. Control is also presumed to exist, although rebuttable, if a person or company acquires 10% or more, but less than 25%, of any class of voting securities and either:

The Company’s common stock is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. Federal Reserve regulations provide a procedure for challenging rebuttable presumptions of control.

In 2020, the Federal Reserve revised the “controlling influence” prong of its “control” rules promulgated under the BHCA. These revisions largely reaffirmed the Federal Reserve’s existing framework for analyzing “controlling influence” but with some new rules for presumptions of control for investments in and by banking organizations that represent more than 4.9% and less than 24.9% of control over any class of voting securities. The revisions apply to questions of control under the BHCA, but does not extend to the Change in Bank Control Act.

The BHCA generally prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in activities other than banking, managing or controlling banks or other permissible subsidiaries, and acquiring or retaining direct or indirect control of any company engaged in any activities other than activities closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks. In determining whether a particular activity is permissible, the Federal Reserve considers whether performing the activity can be expected to produce benefits to the public that outweigh possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest or unsound banking practices. The Federal Reserve has the power to order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any activity or control of any subsidiary when the continuation of the activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness or stability of any bank subsidiary of that bank holding company.

Under the BHCA, a bank holding company may file an election with the Federal Reserve to be treated as a financial holding company and engage in an expanded list of financial activities. The election must be accompanied by a certification that all of the company’s insured depository institution subsidiaries are “well capitalized” and “well managed.” Additionally, the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 rating of each subsidiary bank must be satisfactory or better. If, after becoming a financial holding company and undertaking activities not permissible for a bank holding company, the company fails to continue to meet any of the prerequisites for financial holding company status, the company must enter into an agreement with the Federal Reserve to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. If the company does not return to compliance within 180 days, the Federal Reserve may order the company to divest its subsidiary banks or the company may discontinue or divest investments in companies engaged in activities permissible only for a bank holding company that has elected to be treated as a financial holding company. The Company has not filed an election to become a financial holding company.

Under Federal Reserve policy and as has been codified by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial strength for the Bank and to commit resources to support the Bank. This support may be required at times when the Company might not be inclined to provide it. In addition, any capital loans made by the Company to the Bank will be repaid only after the Bank’s deposits and various other obligations are repaid in full.

The Bank is also subject to numerous state and federal statutes and regulations that affect its business, activities and operations and is supervised and examined by state and federal bank regulatory agencies. The Federal Reserve and the NCCOB regularly examine the operations of the Bank and are given the authority to approve or disapprove mergers, consolidations, the establishment of

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branches and similar corporate actions. These agencies also have the power to prevent the continuance or development of unsafe or unsound banking practices or other violations of law.

Bank Merger Act

Section 18(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, popularly known as the “Bank Merger Act,” requires the prior written approval of the federal banking regulators before any bank may (i) merge or consolidate with, (ii) purchase or otherwise acquire the assets of, or (iii) assume the deposit liabilities of, another bank if the resulting institution is to be a state nonmember bank.

The Bank Merger Act prohibits approval of any proposed merger transaction that would result in a monopoly, or would further a combination or conspiracy to monopolize or to attempt to monopolize the business of banking in any part of the United States. Similarly, the Bank Merger Act prohibits the approval of a proposed merger transaction whose effect in any section of the country may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly, or which in any other manner would be in restraint of trade. An exception may be made in the case of a merger transaction whose effect would be to substantially lessen competition, tend to create a monopoly, or otherwise restrain trade, if federal regulators find that the anticompetitive effects of the proposed transaction are clearly outweighed in the public interest by the probable effect of the transaction in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served.

In every proposed merger transaction, federal banking regulators must also consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the existing and proposed institutions, the convenience and needs of the community to be served, and the effectiveness of each insured depository institution involved in the proposed merger transaction in combating money-laundering activities, including in overseas branches.

State Law

The Bank is subject to extensive supervision and regulation by the NCCOB. The NCCOB oversees state laws that set specific requirements for bank capital and that regulate deposits in, and loans and investments by, banks, including the amounts, types, and in some cases, rates. The NCCOB supervises and performs periodic examinations of North Carolina-chartered banks to assure compliance with state banking statutes and regulations, and banks are required to make regular reports to the NCCOB describing in detail their resources, assets, liabilities, and financial condition. Among other things, the NCCOB regulates mergers and consolidations of North Carolina state-chartered banks, capital requirements for banks, the payment of dividends, loans to officers and directors, record keeping, types and amounts of loans and investments, and the establishment, relocation, and closing of branches.

The NCCOB has extensive enforcement authority over North Carolina banks. Such authority includes the ability to issue cease-and-desist orders and to seek civil money penalties. The NCCOB may also take possession of a North Carolina bank in various circumstances, including for a violation of its charter or of applicable laws, operating in an unsafe and unsound manner, or as a result of an impairment of its capital, and may appoint a receiver.

The Company is also required to maintain registration as a bank holding company with the NCCOB. Subject to certain exceptions, the Company may not acquire control over another bank or bank holding company or consummate a merger or other combination transaction with another company without the prior approval of the NCCOB. The NCCOB also has authority to assert civil money penalties against a holding company if the NCCOB determines such holding company to be in violation of any banking laws and the holding company fails to comply with an NCCOB order to cease and desist from such violations of law.

The primary state banking laws to which the Bank is subject are set forth in Chapters 53C and 53 of the North Carolina General Statutes.  Certain provisions of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act are also applicable to the Bank, as a North Carolina banking corporation.

Payment of Dividends and Other Restrictions

The Company is a legal entity separate and distinct from the bank it owns. While there are various legal and regulatory limitations under federal and state law on the extent to which banks can pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to holding companies, the principal source of cash revenues for the Company is dividends from the Bank. The relevant federal and state regulatory agencies have authority to prohibit a state bank or bank holding company, which would include Uwharrie Capital Corp and the Bank, from engaging in what, in the opinion of such regulatory body, constitutes an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business. The payment of dividends could, depending upon the financial condition of a bank, be deemed to constitute an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business.

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North Carolina commercial banks, such as the Bank, are subject to legal limitations on the amounts of dividends they are permitted to pay. Specifically, an insured depository institution, such as the Bank, is prohibited from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become “undercapitalized” (as such term is defined in the applicable law and regulations).

The Federal Reserve has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the Federal Reserve’s view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the holding company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and a rate of earning retention that is consistent with the holding company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve also indicated that it would be inappropriate for a holding company experiencing serious financial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends. Furthermore, under the prompt corrective action regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Reserve may prohibit a bank holding company from paying any dividends if any of the holding company’s bank subsidiaries are classified as undercapitalized.

A bank holding company is required to give the Federal Reserve prior written notice of any purchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for the purchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such purchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, is equal to 10% or more of its consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve may disapprove such a purchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, Federal Reserve order or any condition imposed by, or written agreement with, the Federal Reserve.

Capital Adequacy

The Bank must comply with the Federal Reserve’s established capital adequacy standards. The Federal Reserve has promulgated two basic measures of capital adequacy: a risk-based measure and a leverage measure. Banks and bank holding companies must satisfy all applicable capital standards to be considered in compliance. Pursuant to the Federal Reserve’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, the Company is exempt from the Federal Reserve’s risk-based capital and leverage rules.

The risk-based capital standards are designed to make regulatory capital requirements sensitive to differences in risk profile among banks and bank holding companies, account for off-balance-sheet exposure and minimize disincentives for holding liquid assets.

Assets and off-balance-sheet items are assigned to broad risk categories, each with appropriate weights. The resulting capital ratios represent capital as a percentage of total risk-weighted assets and off-balance-sheet items. The minimum guideline for the ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets is 8%. At least half of total capital must be Tier 1 Capital, which is common stock, undivided profits, minority interests in the equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries and noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets. The remainder may consist of Tier 2 Capital, which is subordinated debt, other preferred stock and a limited amount of loan loss reserves.

At December 31, 2021 the Bank’s total risk-based capital ratio and its Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio were 15.56% and 14.87%, respectively. The Bank has not been advised by any federal banking agency of any additional specific minimum capital ratio requirement applicable to it.

In addition, the Federal Reserve has established minimum leverage ratio guidelines for bank holding companies. These guidelines provide for a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to average assets, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets, of 3% for bank holding companies that meet specified criteria. All other bank holding companies generally are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4%. The Company’s ratio at December 31, 2021 was 6.71%, compared to 6.88% at December 31, 2020. The guidelines also provide that bank holding companies experiencing internal growth or making acquisitions will be expected to maintain strong capital positions substantially above the minimum supervisory levels without significant reliance on intangible assets. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve has indicated that it will consider a “tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio” and other indications of capital strength in evaluating proposals for expansion or new activities. The Federal Reserve has not advised us of any additional specific minimum leverage ratio or tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio applicable to the Company.

Failure to meet capital guidelines could subject a bank to a variety of enforcement remedies, including issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), a prohibition on taking brokered deposits and certain other restrictions on its business. As described below, federal banking regulators can impose substantial additional restrictions upon FDIC-insured depository institutions that fail to meet applicable capital requirements.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or FDI Act, requires the federal regulatory agencies to take “prompt corrective action” if a depository institution does not meet minimum capital requirements. The FDI Act establishes five capital tiers: “well capitalized,”

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“adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized.” A depository institution’s capital tier will depend upon how its capital levels compare to various relevant capital measures and certain other factors, as established by regulation.

The federal bank regulatory agencies have adopted regulations establishing relevant capital measures and relevant capital levels applicable to FDIC-insured banks. The relevant capital measures are the Total Risk-Based Capital ratio, Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio and the leverage ratio. Under the regulations, an FDIC-insured bank will be:

An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters. As of December 31, 2021, the Bank had capital levels that qualify as “well capitalized” under such regulations.

The FDI Act generally prohibits an FDIC-insured bank from making a capital distribution (including payment of a dividend) or paying any management fee to its holding company if the bank would thereafter be “undercapitalized.” “Undercapitalized” banks are subject to growth limitations and are required to submit a capital restoration plan. The federal regulators may not accept a capital plan without determining, among other things, that the plan is based on realistic assumptions and is likely to succeed in restoring the bank’s capital. In addition, for a capital restoration plan to be acceptable, the bank’s parent holding company must guarantee that the institution will comply with such capital restoration plan. The aggregate liability of the parent holding company is limited to the lesser of: (i) an amount equal to 5% of the bank’s total assets at the time it became “undercapitalized”; and (ii) the amount which is necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the institution into compliance with all capital standards applicable with respect to such institution as of the time it fails to comply with the plan. If a bank fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is “significantly undercapitalized.”

“Significantly undercapitalized” insured banks may be subject to a number of requirements and restrictions, including orders to sell sufficient voting stock to become “adequately capitalized,” requirements to reduce total assets, cease receipt of deposits from correspondent banks, or dismiss directors or officers, and restrictions on interest rates paid on deposits, compensation of executive officers, and capital distributions by the parent holding company. “Critically undercapitalized” institutions are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator, may not make any payment of principal or interest on certain subordinated debt, extend credit for a highly leveraged transaction, or enter into any material transaction outside the ordinary course of business. A bank that is not “well capitalized” is also subject to certain limitations relating to brokered deposits.

The regulatory capital framework under which the Company and the Bank operate has changed in significant respects as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and other regulations, including the separate regulatory capital requirements put forth by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, commonly known “Basel III.”

In July, 2013, the Federal Reserve, FDIC and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved final rules that established an integrated regulatory capital framework that addressed shortcomings in certain capital requirements. The capital rules implemented in the United States the Basel III regulatory capital reforms from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and certain changes required by the Dodd-Frank Act. These rules have applied to us and the Bank since 2015.

The major provisions of the rule applicable to us are:

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Compliance by the Company and the Bank with these capital requirements affects their respective operations by increasing the amount of capital required to conduct operations.

In 2019, the federal banking agencies released a final rule amending the U.S. Basel III capital rules to simplify the capital treatment of capital deductions and recognition of minority interests for banking organizations such as the Registrant that are not subject to the advanced approaches capital rule. The final rule:

Community Bank Leverage Ratio.  As discussed below, in 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) became law, which directed the federal banking agencies (which includes the FDIC, Federal Reserve Board, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC) to develop a community bank leverage ratio (“CBLR”) of not less than 8 percent and not more than 10 percent for qualifying community banking organizations.  EGRRCPA defines a qualifying community banking organization as a depository institution or depository institution holding company with total consolidated assets of less than $10 billion, which would include the Company and its banking subsidiary. A qualifying community banking organization that exceeds the CBLR level established by the agencies is considered to have met: (i) the generally applicable leverage and risk-based capital requirements under the agencies’ capital rule; (ii) the capital ratio requirements in order to be considered well capitalized under the agencies’ PCA framework (in the case of insured depository institutions); and (iii) any other applicable capital or leverage requirements. Section 201 of EGRRCPA defines the CBLR as the ratio of a banking organization’s CBLR tangible equity to its average total consolidated assets, both as reported on the banking organization’s applicable regulatory filing.

In 2019, the federal bank regulatory agencies passed a final rule on the CBLR, setting the minimum required CBLR at 9%. The rule went into effect in 2020.  Under the final rule, a qualifying community banking organization may elect to use the CBLR framework if its CBLR is greater than 9 percent.  A qualifying community banking organization that has chosen the proposed framework is not required to calculate the existing risk-based and leverage capital requirements. A bank is also considered to have met the capital ratio requirements to be well capitalized for the agencies' prompt corrective action rules provided it has a CBLR greater than 9 percent. We have not elected to implement the CBLR framework at this time.

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Acquisitions

The Company must comply with numerous laws related to any potential acquisition activity. Under the BHCA, a bank holding company may not directly or indirectly acquire ownership or control of more than 5% of the voting shares or substantially all of the assets of any bank or merge or consolidate with another bank holding company without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve. The acquisition of non-banking companies is also regulated by the Federal Reserve. Current federal law authorizes interstate acquisitions of banks and bank holding companies without geographic limitation. Furthermore, a bank headquartered in one state is authorized to merge with a bank headquartered in another state, as long as neither of the states has opted out of such interstate merger authority prior to such date, and subject to any state requirement that the target bank shall have been in existence and operating for a minimum period of time, not to exceed five years, and to certain deposit market-share limitations. After a bank has established branches in a state through an interstate merger transaction, the bank may establish and acquire additional branches at any location in the state where a bank headquartered in that state could have established or acquired branches under applicable federal or state law. Additionally, under the Dodd-Frank Act, banks are permitted to open a de novo branch in any state if that state would permit a bank organized in that state to open a branch.

Restrictions on Affiliate Transactions

Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act establish parameters for a bank to conduct “covered transactions” with its affiliates, with the objective of limiting risk to the insured bank. Generally, Sections 23A and 23B (i) limit the extent to which the bank or its subsidiaries may engage in “covered transactions” with any one affiliate to an amount equal to 10% of such bank’s capital stock and surplus, and limit the aggregate of all such transactions with all affiliates to an amount equal to 20% of such capital stock and surplus and (ii) require that all such transactions be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable, to the bank or subsidiary as those that would be provided to a non-affiliate. The term “covered transaction” includes the making of loans to the affiliate, purchase of assets from the affiliate, issuance of a guaranty on behalf of the affiliate and several other types of transactions.

The Dodd-Frank Act imposed additional restrictions on transactions between affiliates by amending these two sections of the Federal Reserve Act. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, restrictions on transactions with affiliates are enhanced by (i) including among “covered transactions” transactions between bank and affiliate-advised investment funds; (ii) including among “covered transactions” transactions between a bank and an affiliate with respect to securities repurchase agreements and derivatives transactions; (iii) adopting stricter collateral rules; and (iv) imposing tighter restrictions on transactions between banks and their financial subsidiaries.

FDIC Insurance Assessments

Assessments are paid by each Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) member institution. The assessment rates for an insured depository institution vary according to the level of risk incurred in its activities, which for established small institutions like the Bank (i.e., those institutions with less than $10 billion in assets and insured for five years or more), is generally determined by reference to the institution’s supervisory ratings. The assessment rate schedule can change from time to time, at the discretion of the FDIC, subject to certain limits. The Bank’s insurance assessments during 2021 and 2020 were $263,000 and $307,000, respectively.

The FDIC may terminate insurance of deposits upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.

The Dodd-Frank Act expanded the base for FDIC insurance assessments, requiring that assessments be based on the average consolidated total assets less tangible equity capital of a financial institution. In 2011, the FDIC approved a final rule to implement the foregoing provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. Among other things, the final rule revised the assessment rate schedule to provide assessments ranging from 5 to 35 basis points, with the initial assessment rates subject to adjustments which could increase or decrease the total base assessment rates. The FDIC has three possible adjustments to an institution’s initial base assessment rate: (1) a decrease of up to five basis points (or 50% of the initial base assessment rate) for long-term unsecured debt, including senior unsecured debt and subordinated debt; (2) an increase for holding long-term unsecured or subordinated debt issued by other insured depository institutions known as the Depository Institution Debt Adjustment; and (3) for institutions not well rated and well capitalized, an increase not to exceed 10 basis points for brokered deposits in excess of 10 percent of domestic deposits.

The FDIC has authority to increase deposit insurance assessments.  A significant increase in insurance premiums would likely have an adverse effect on the operating expenses and results of operations of the Company and the Bank.  Management cannot predict what insurance assessment rates will be in the future.

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Community Reinvestment Act

The Community Reinvestment Act requires federal bank regulatory agencies to encourage financial institutions to meet the credit needs of low and moderate-income borrowers in their local communities. An institution’s size and business strategy determines the type of examination that it will receive. Large, retail-oriented institutions are examined using a performance-based lending, investment and service test. Small institutions are examined using a streamlined approach. All institutions may opt to be evaluated under a strategic plan formulated with community input and pre-approved by the bank regulatory agency.

The Community Reinvestment Act regulations provide for certain disclosure obligations. Each institution must post a notice advising the public of its right to comment to the institution and its regulator on the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act performance and to review the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act public file. Each lending institution must maintain for public inspection a file that includes a listing of branch locations and services, a summary of lending activity, a map of its communities and any written comments from the public on its performance in meeting community credit needs. The Community Reinvestment Act requires public disclosure of a financial institution’s written Community Reinvestment Act evaluations. This promotes enforcement of Community Reinvestment Act requirements by providing the public with the status of a particular institution’s community reinvestment record.

Community Reinvestment Act agreements with private parties must be disclosed and annual Community Reinvestment Act reports must be made available to a bank’s primary federal regulator. A bank holding company will not be permitted to become a financial holding company and no new activities authorized under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act may be commenced by a holding company or by a bank financial subsidiary if any of its bank subsidiaries received less than a satisfactory Community Reinvestment Act rating in its latest Community Reinvestment Act examination. The Bank received a “Satisfactory” rating in its last CRA examination, which was conducted as of November 16, 2020.

The Federal Reserve is considering changes to the regulations under the Community Reinvestment Act. The Company will monitor any proposed changes as they make their way through the agency rulemaking process.

Consumer Protection Laws

The Bank is subject to a number of federal and state laws designed to protect borrowers and promote lending to various sectors of the economy and population. These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Debt Collection Act and state law counterparts.

Privacy and Cybersecurity

Federal law currently contains extensive customer privacy protection provisions. Under these provisions, a financial institution must provide to its customers, at the inception of the customer relationship and then again if any changes are made, the institution’s policies and procedures regarding the handling of customers’ nonpublic personal financial information. These provisions also provide that, except for certain limited exceptions, an institution may not provide such personal information to unaffiliated third parties unless the institution discloses to the customer that such information may be so provided and the customer is given the opportunity to opt out of such disclosure. Federal law makes it a criminal offense, except in limited circumstances, to obtain or attempt to obtain customer information of a financial nature by fraudulent or deceptive means. In addition, certain state laws could potentially impact the Bank’s operations, including those related to applicable notification requirements when unauthorized access to customers’ nonpublic personal information has occurred.

In November 2021, the U.S. federal bank regulatory agencies issued a joint final rule to establish computer-security incident notification requirements for banking organizations and bank service providers. Under the final rule, a bank holding company, such as the Company, and an FDIC-supervised depository institution, such as the Bank, are required to notify the Federal Reserve or FDIC, respectively, as soon as possible and no later than 36 hours after a determination that a computer-security incident that rises to the level of a notification incident has occurred. A computer-security incident is an occurrence that results in actual harm to the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an information system or the information that the system processes, stores, or transmits. A notification incident is defined as a computer-security incident that has materially disrupted or degraded, or is reasonably likely to materially disrupt or degrade, a banking organization’s: (i) ability to carry out banking operations, activities, or processes, or deliver banking products and services to a material portion of its customer base, in the ordinary course of business; (ii) business line(s), including associated operations, services, functions, and support, that upon failure would result in a material loss of revenue, profit, or franchise value; or (iii) operations, including associated services, functions and support, as applicable, the failure or discontinuance of which would pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States. For example, a notification incident may include a major

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computer-system failure; a cyber-related interruption, such as a distributed denial of service or ransomware attack; or another type of significant operational interruption.

Additional Legislative and Regulatory Matters

The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) required each financial institution: (i) to establish an anti-money laundering program; (ii) to establish due diligence policies, procedures and controls with respect to its private banking accounts involving foreign individuals and certain foreign banks; and (iii) to avoid establishing, maintaining, administering or managing correspondent accounts in the United States for, or on behalf of, foreign banks that do not have a physical presence in any country. The USA PATRIOT Act also required the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe by regulation minimum standards that financial institutions must follow to verify the identity of customers, both foreign and domestic, when a customer opens an account. In addition, the USA PATRIOT Act encouraged cooperation among financial institutions, regulatory authorities and law enforcement authorities with respect to individuals, entities and organizations engaged in, or reasonably suspected of engaging in, terrorist acts or money laundering activities.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) mandated for public companies, such as Uwharrie Capital Corp, a variety of reforms intended to address corporate and accounting fraud and provided for the establishment of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), which enforces auditing, quality control and independence standards for firms that audit SEC-reporting companies. Sarbanes-Oxley imposed higher standards for auditor independence and restricted the provision of consulting services by auditing firms to companies they audit and required that certain audit partners be rotated periodically. It also requires chief executive officers and chief financial officers, or their equivalents, to certify the accuracy of periodic reports filed with the SEC, subject to civil and criminal penalties if they knowingly or willfully violate this certification requirement, and increases the oversight and authority of audit committees of publicly traded companies.

Fiscal and Monetary Policy

Banking is a business which interest rate depends on differentials for success. In general, the difference between the interest paid by a bank on its deposits and its other borrowings, and the interest received by a bank on its loans and securities holdings, constitutes the significant portion of a bank’s earnings. Thus, our earnings and growth will be subject to the influence of economic conditions generally, both domestic and foreign, and also to the monetary and fiscal policies of the United States and its agencies, particularly the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve regulates the supply of money through various means, including open market dealings in United States government securities, the discount rate at which banks may borrow from the Federal Reserve and the reserve requirements on deposits. The nature and timing of any changes in such policies and their effect on our business and results of operations cannot be predicted.

Current and future legislation and the policies established by federal and state regulatory authorities will affect our future operations. Banking legislation and regulations may limit our growth and the return to investors by restricting certain of our activities.

In addition, capital requirements could be changed and have the effect of restricting the activities of the Company or requiring additional capital to be maintained. The Company cannot predict with certainty what changes, if any, will be made to existing federal and state legislation and regulations or the effect that such changes may have on our business and results of operations.

Federal Home Loan Bank System

The FHLB System consists of 12 district Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”) subject to supervision and regulation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). The FHLBs provide a central credit facility primarily for member institutions. As a member of the FHLB of Atlanta, the Bank is required to acquire and hold shares of capital stock in the FHLB of Atlanta. The Bank was in compliance with this requirement with investment in FHLB of Atlanta stock of $411,000 at December 31, 2021. The FHLB of Atlanta serves as a reserve or central bank for its member institutions within its assigned district. It is funded primarily from proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the FHLB System. It offers advances to members in accordance with policies and procedures established by the FHFA and the Board of Directors of the FHLB of Atlanta. Long-term advances may only be made for the purpose of providing funds for residential housing finance, small businesses, small farms and small agribusinesses.

Real Estate Lending Evaluations

The federal regulators have adopted uniform standards for evaluations of loans secured by real estate or made to finance improvements to real estate. Banks are required to establish and maintain written internal real estate lending policies consistent with safe and sound banking practices and appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its operations. The

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regulations establish loan to value ratio limitations on real estate loans. The Bank’s loan policies establish limits on loan to value ratios that are equal to or less than those established in such regulations.

Commercial Real Estate Concentrations

Lending operations of commercial banks may be subject to enhanced scrutiny by federal banking regulators based on a bank’s concentration of commercial real estate loans. The federal banking regulators have issued guidance to remind financial institutions of the risk posed by commercial real estate, or CRE, lending concentrations. CRE loans generally include land development, construction loans, and loans secured by multifamily property, and nonfarm, nonresidential real property where the primary source of repayment is derived from rental income associated with the property. The guidance prescribes the following guidelines for its examiners to help identify institutions that are potentially exposed to significant CRE risk and may warrant greater supervisory scrutiny:

As of December 31, 2021, our C&D concentration as a percentage of risk-based capital totaled 40.5% and our CRE concentration, net of owner-occupied loans, as a percentage of risk-based capital totaled 118.1%.

Limitations on Incentive Compensation

In 2010, the Federal Reserve, joined by the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, issued the incentive compensation guidance designed to help ensure that incentive compensation policies at banking organizations do not encourage excessive risk-taking or undermine the safety and soundness of the organization. As such, the Federal Reserve announced that it would review incentive compensation arrangements of bank holding companies such as Uwharrie Capital Corp as part of the regular, risk-focused supervisory process. The guidance, which covers all employees that have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of an organization, either individually or as part of a group, is based upon the key principles that a banking organization’s incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide employees incentives that appropriately balance risk and reward and, thus, do not encourage risk-taking beyond the organization’s ability to effectively identify and manage risks, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management, and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the organization’s board of directors. Any deficiencies in compensation practices that are identified may be incorporated into the organization’s supervisory ratings, which can affect its ability to make acquisitions or perform other actions. The guidance provides that enforcement actions may be taken against a banking organization if its incentive compensation arrangements or related risk-management control or governance processes pose a risk to the organization’s safety and soundness and the organization is not taking prompt and effective measures to correct the deficiencies.

Economic Environment

The policies of regulatory authorities, including the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve, have a significant effect on the operating results of bank holding companies and their subsidiaries. Among the means available to the Federal Reserve to affect the money supply are open market operations in U.S. government securities, changes in the discount rate on member bank borrowings and changes in reserve requirements against member bank deposits. These means are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments and deposits, and their use may affect interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

The Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have materially affected the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The nature of future monetary policies and the effect of these policies on our business and earnings cannot be predicted.

Evolving Legislation and Regulatory Action

General. New laws or regulations or changes to existing laws and regulations, including changes in interpretation or enforcement, could materially adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. As a result, the overall financial impact on the Company and the Bank cannot be anticipated at this time.

Dodd-Frank Act. In 2009, many emergency government programs enacted in 2008 in response to the financial crisis and the recession slowed or wound down, and global regulatory and legislative focus generally moved to a second phase of broader regulatory reform and a restructuring of the entire financial regulatory system. The Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law in 2010 and implements

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many new changes in the way financial and banking operations are regulated in the United States, including through the creation of a new resolution authority, mandating higher capital and liquidity requirements, requiring banks to pay increased fees to regulatory agencies and numerous other provisions intended to strengthen the financial services sector. The Dodd-Frank Act provided for the creation of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”), which is charged with overseeing and coordinating the efforts of the primary U.S. financial regulatory agencies (including the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the SEC) in establishing regulations to address systemic financial stability concerns. The Dodd-Frank Act also provided for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), a consumer financial services regulator. The CFPB is authorized to prevent unfair, deceptive and abusive practices and ensure that consumers have access to markets for consumer financial products and services and those markets are fair, transparent and competitive.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Act includes a number of provisions that impact the Company, including the following:

Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. In 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law, which amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and was intended to ease, and better tailor, regulation, particularly with respect to smaller-sized institutions such as the Company.  EGRRCPA’s highlights include, among other things: (i) exempting banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the ability-to-repay requirements for certain qualified residential mortgage loans held in portfolio; (ii) not requiring appraisals for certain transactions valued at less than $400,000 in rural areas; (iii) clarifying that, subject to various conditions, reciprocal deposits of another depository institution obtained using a deposit broker through a deposit placement network for purposes of obtaining maximum deposit insurance would not be considered brokered deposits subject to the FDIC’s brokered-deposit regulations; (iv) raising eligibility for the 18-month exam cycle from $1 billion to banks with $3 billion in assets; and (v) simplifying capital calculations by requiring regulators to establish for institutions under $10 billion in assets a community bank leverage ratio (tangible equity to average consolidated assets) at a percentage not less than 8% and not greater than 10% that such institutions may elect to replace the general applicable risk-based capital requirements for determining well capitalized status. In 2019, the federal banking agencies passed a final rule on the community bank leverage ratio, setting the minimum required community bank leverage ratio at 9%. The rule went into effect in 2020. In addition, the Federal Reserve Board was required to raise the asset threshold under its Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement from $1 billion to $3 billion for bank or savings and loan holding companies that are exempt from consolidated capital requirements, provided that such companies meet certain other conditions such as not engaging in significant nonbanking activities and not having a material amount of debt or equity securities outstanding (other than trust preferred securities) that are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Consistent with EGRRCPA, the Federal Reserve passed an interim final rule that became effective in 2018 to increase the asset threshold to $3 billion for qualifying for such policy statement.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, was signed into law in March 2020, to provide national emergency economic relief measures. Many of the CARES Act’s programs are dependent upon the direct involvement of U.S. financial institutions, such as the Company and the Bank, and have been implemented through rules and guidance adopted by federal departments and agencies, including the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve and other federal banking agencies, including those with direct supervisory jurisdiction over the Company and the Bank. Furthermore, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic evolves, federal regulatory authorities continue to issue

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additional guidance with respect to the implementation, lifecycle, and eligibility requirements for the various CARES Act programs as well as industry-specific recovery procedures for COVID-19. In addition, it is possible that Congress will enact supplementary COVID-19 response legislation, including amendments to the CARES Act or new bills comparable in scope to the CARES Act. The Company continues to assess the impact of the CARES Act and other statutes, regulations and supervisory guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paycheck Protection Program. The CARES Act amended the SBA’s loan program, in which the Bank participates, to create a guaranteed, unsecured loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, to fund operational costs of eligible businesses, organizations and self-employed persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a participating lender in the PPP, the Bank continues to monitor legislative, regulatory, and supervisory developments related thereto.

Troubled Debt Restructuring and Loan Modifications for Affected Borrowers. The CARES Act permits banks to suspend requirements under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for loan modifications to borrowers affected by COVID-19 that would otherwise be characterized as troubled debt restructurings and suspend any determination related thereto if (i) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and (ii) the applicable loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. The federal banking agencies also issued guidance to encourage banks to make loan modifications for borrowers affected by COVID-19 and to assure banks that they will not be criticized by examiners for doing so. The Company is applying this guidance to qualifying loan modifications.

Temporary Regulatory Capital Relief related to Impact of CECL. Concurrent with enactment of the CARES Act, federal banking agencies issued an interim final rule that delays the estimated impact on regulatory capital resulting from the adoption of the current expected credit loss model, or CECL, for determining credit loss estimates. The interim final rule provides banking organizations that implemented CECL before the end of 2020 the option to delay for two years the estimated impact of CECL on regulatory capital relative to regulatory capital determined under the prior incurred loss methodology, followed by a three-year transition period to phase out the aggregate amount of capital benefit provided during the initial two-year delay. The federal banking agencies have since issued a final rule that makes certain technical changes to the interim final rule. The changes in the final rule apply only to those banking organizations that elect the CECL transition relief provided under the rule. The Company did not implement CECL before the end of 2021.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, or CAA, which was signed into law on December 27, 2020, continued many of the programs and provisions set forth by the CARES Act due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paycheck Protection Program. The CAA reserved $284 billion for small business by establishing a second round of PPP forgivable loans, commonly referred to as “PPP2”, for certain eligible borrowers. The second round of PPP allows for both first-time draws and second draw loans. To be eligible for a second draw, which is capped at $2 million, the borrower must (i) have 300 or fewer employees and (ii) have experienced a 25% or higher reduction in gross receipts during any calendar quarter in 2020 compared to the same quarter in 2019 and (iii) have used or will use the full amount of their first PPP loan. The application window opened January 15, 2021 for lenders with $1 billion or less in assets and ended on May 31, 2021. The Bank also participated as a lender in the second round of PPP.

Troubled Debt Restructuring and Loan Modifications for Affected Borrowers. The CAA extends the expiration of TDR classification suspensions as provided by the CARES Act. The applicable period was updated to include loan modifications made during the period beginning March 1, 2020 and ending on the earlier of (i) January 1, 2022 or (ii) 60 days after the date when the national emergency concerning COVID-19 terminates. The Company elected to adopt this suspension until January 1, 2022.

Future Legislation

The Company cannot predict what legislation might be enacted or what regulations might be adopted, or if enacted or adopted, the effect thereof on the Company’s operations.

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Item not required for smaller reporting companies.

Item not required for non-accelerated filers.

The Company’s executive and administrative offices are located at 132 North First Street, Albemarle, North Carolina, where the Company owns a three-building complex located at 130-134 North First Street in Albemarle. This complex houses the Company’s offices and meeting rooms and is also the location of the Bank’s subsidiary, Strategic Alliance.

The Bank’s Main Office has been located at 167 North Second Street, Albemarle, North Carolina since it opened in 1984. The Bank’s credit administration offices and portion of its lending offices occupy an adjoining building, purchased in 1991. The Bank owns a commercial building which houses some of its operations offices and parking lot adjacent to its Main Office. During 2009, the Bank acquired property in downtown Albemarle for future expansion.

The Bank owns its other banking locations at 710 North First Street, which houses the Village Branch, and its East Albemarle Branch at 800 Highway 24-27 Bypass, both located in Albemarle. It also owns a branch office located at 107 South Main Street in Norwood, North Carolina and a branch located at 416 West Main Street in Locust, North Carolina. The Bank leases its branch office at 224 North Main Street in Oakboro, North Carolina.

In Cabarrus County, the Bank owns full-service branch offices located at 25 Palaside Drive, N.E., Concord, North Carolina and at 1490 South Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina and also owns property adjacent to the Mt. Pleasant banking office located at 1480 South Main Street. The Bank owns an office at 700 North Church Street in Concord, North Carolina where it previously provided banking services, which currently serves as a loan production office.

In Anson County, the Bank owns its banking facility located at 211 South Greene Street, Wadesboro, North Carolina and also owns an ATM site at 426 East Caswell Street, Wadesboro, North Carolina. The Bank purchased a lot in Anson County 2006 for a future branch location.

In Mecklenburg County, the Bank leases its loan production office located at 141 Providence Road, Charlotte, North Carolina and leases its banking facility located at 5231 Piper Station Drive, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28277.

The Bank leases an additional wealth advisory office in Asheboro, North Carolina located at 220 Sunset Avenue.

All of the Bank’s existing offices are fully equipped and have adequate parking and drive-up banking facilities, with the exception of the Bank’s loan production offices, the Main Office in Albemarle, and the banking facility in Charlotte, which do not have drive-up facilities.

In the ordinary course of operations, the Company and the Bank are at times involved in legal proceedings. In the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2021 there are no material pending legal proceedings to which the Company, or any of its subsidiaries, is a party, or of which any of their property is the subject.

Not applicable.

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PART II

Market Information

It is the philosophy of Uwharrie Capital Corp to promote a strong base of local shareholders. While bid and ask prices for the Company’s common stock are quoted on the OTCQX ® Best Market through www.otcmarkets.com, operated by OTC Market Groups, Inc. and under the symbol UWHR, trading is limited and sporadic with most trades taking place in privately negotiated transactions. Any over-the-counter market quotations of the Company’s common stock reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down, or commission, and may not necessarily represent actual transactions. Management makes every reasonable effort to match willing buyers with willing sellers as they become known for the purpose of private negotiations for the purchase and sale of the Company’s common stock. The Company has an independent valuation of its common stock performed on an annual basis and makes this valuation available to interested shareholders in order to promote fairness and market efficiency in privately negotiated transactions.

Holders

On December 31, 2021, there were approximately 3,138 shareholders of record of the Company’s common stock. This number does not include shareholders for whom shares are held in “nominee” or “street” name.

Dividends

There were no cash dividends declared on the Company’s common stock in 2021 or 2020.  The timing and amount of cash dividends paid depends on the Company’s earnings, capital requirements, financial condition and other relevant factors. See “Payment of Dividends and Other Restrictions” under Item 1 of this Report for more information on restrictions on the Company’s ability to declare and pay dividends. The Company can offer no assurance that the board of directors will declare or pay cash dividends in any future period.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

See Item 12 of this Report for disclosure regarding securities authorized for issuance and equity compensation plans required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

The following table sets forth information with respect to shares of common stock repurchased by the Company during each of the three months in the quarterly period ended December 31, 2021.

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A discussion and analysis of the Company’s operating results and financial condition are presented in the following narrative and financial tables. The comments are intended to supplement and should be reviewed in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing on pages F-8 through F-52 of this Annual Report. References to changes in assets and liabilities represent end-of-period balances unless otherwise noted. Statements contained in this Annual Report, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Amounts herein could vary because of market and other factors. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission periodically. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of such words as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “might,” “planned,” “estimated,” “potential,” and similar words. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, expected or anticipated revenue, results of operations and business of the Company that are subject to various factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates. These factors include, but are not limited to: the impact of the novel Coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, on our borrowers’ ability to meet their financial obligations to us; increases in our past due loans and provisions for loan losses that may result from COVID-19; declines in general economic conditions, including increased stress in the financial markets due to COVID-19; changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values, and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulation; and other economic, competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, pricing, products and services. Any use of “we” or “our” in the following discussion refers to the Company on a consolidated basis.

Financial Condition at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020

The Company’s total assets increased $111.9 million from $827.8 million at December 31, 2020 to $939.7 million at December 31, 2021. The primary driver of this growth was an increase in customer deposits held by the Bank which was due, in large part, to our customers’ receipt of government economic stimulus payments. This deposit growth was utilized to fund a substantial increase in the investment securities portfolio during the twelve months ended December 31, 2021.

Investment securities consist of securities available for sale and securities held to maturity. Total investment securities increased $141.4 million, or 64.4%, from $219.7 million at December 31, 2020 to $361.1 million at December 31, 2021, due to investments of cash into longer-term, higher yielding assets. At December 31, 2021, the Company had net unrealized losses on securities available for sale of $1.5 million, compared to net unrealized gains of $5.4 million at December 31, 2020.  The significant decline in fair value is directly related to the increase in market interest rates at December 31, 2021 compared to December 31, 2020, as the market signals recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide.

During the first quarter of 2021, the Company sold a portion of an equity security investment bringing its principal value down to $270,000 at December 31, 2021 from $901,000 at December 30, 2020. At December 31, 2021, the unrealized gain on the investment totaled $122,000, resulting in a fair value of $392,000 for the security.

Loans held for investment decreased $47.0 million from $467.7 million at December 31, 2020 to $420.8 million at December 31, 2021. The main reason for the decline was a $60.6 million reduction in SBA PPP loans due to receipt of loan forgiveness. Not including SBA PPP loans, the Company experienced net growth overall with the largest increase occurring in the commercial segment. During 2021 the Company funded 879 SBA PPP Round 2 loans for a total of $46.4 million. These loans are unsecured commercial loans, but are 100% guaranteed by the SBA. These new SBA PPP loans, however, were offset by forgiveness and payoffs of $80.4 million on SBA PPP loans originally funded during 2020 and forgiveness and payoffs of $31.1 million of SBA PPP Round 2 loans. Loans held for sale increased 211.6%, or $14.7 million, as many of the closed loans are being held longer in an effort to earn additional interest income before selling the loans on the secondary market.

The allowance for loan loss was $4.0 million at December 31, 2021, which represents 0.96% of the total loans held for investment, a decrease of 8.6% from December 31, 2020. Additional discussion regarding the decrease in the allowance is included in the Asset Quality section below.

Other changes in consolidated assets are primarily related to loan servicing assets, mortgage banking derivatives and other assets. Loan servicing assets increased $1.1 million from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021 due to retention of servicing rights related to sustained sales of residential mortgage loans. The fair value of mortgage banking derivatives decreased $804,000 during 2021, and other assets decreased $1.3 million primarily due to the $1.1 million sale of an investment in a community development project.

Customer deposits, our primary funding source, experienced a $93.6 million increase during the year, increasing from $743.2 million to $836.8 million at December 31, 2021, a 12.6% increase. In addition to receipt of government stimulus deposits, a large portion of

16

this increase is related to the funding of SBA PPP Round 2 loans, some of the proceeds of which were deposited by our customers into their deposit accounts held at the Company’s subsidiary bank. Demand noninterest-bearing checking accounts increased $33.6 million, interest checking and money market accounts increased by $41.4 million and savings deposits increased $28.5 million during the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2021. Time deposits decreased $10.1 million during the same period as customers transitioned to liquid accounts.

During 2021, the Company’s net borrowings increased by $18.9 million. Borrowings consist of both short-term and long-term borrowed funds. The Company utilizes both short-term and long-term advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, there were no outstanding advances. Short-term borrowings consisted of $1.1 million in master notes, and long-term borrowings consisted solely of junior subordinated debt securities totaling $29.5 million at December 31, 2021. During the third quarter of 2019, the Company issued $10.0 million in subordinated debt securities with a final maturity date of September 30, 2029 that may be redeemed on or after September 30, 2024. This junior subordinated debt pays interest quarterly at an annual fixed rate of 5.25%. During the third quarter of 2021, the Company issued $12.0 million and $8.0 million of 10-year and 15-year fixed-to-floating rate subordinated debt securities, respectively. The 10-year subordinated notes mature on September 3, 2031, though redeemable on or after September 3, 2026, and initially pay interest quarterly at an annual rate of 3.5%. From and including September 3, 2026 to but excluding September 3, 2031, or up to an early redemption date, the interest rate on the 10-year subordinated notes will reset quarterly to an annual rate equal to the then-current three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, plus 283 basis points payable quarterly in arrears. The 15-year subordinated notes mature on September 3, 2036, though redeemable on or after September 3, 2031, and initially pay interest quarterly at an annual rate of 4.0%. From and including September 3, 2031 to but excluding September 3, 2036, or up to an early redemption date, the interest rate on the 15-year subordinated notes will reset quarterly to an annual rate equal to the then-current three-month SOFR plus 292 basis points payable quarterly in arrears. The subordinated debt has been structured to qualify as and is included in the calculation of the Company’s Tier 2 capital. The Company also has a $3.0 million line of credit of which $3.0 million was available to use at December 31, 2021.

Other consolidated liabilities decreased $2.1 million from $13.6 million at December 31, 2020 to $11.5 million at December 31, 2021. The valuation of mortgage banking derivatives decreased by $338,000. Other liabilities decreased by $1.8 million as a result of a reduction in the reserve for federal income tax and a decrease in supplemental executive retirement plan liabilities.

At December 31, 2021, total shareholders’ equity was $60.8 million, an increase of $1.6 million from December 31, 2020. Net income for the period was $10.1 million. Unrealized gains on investment securities, net of tax, declined by $5.3 million to a loss position as the yield curve continues to steepen. The Company repurchased 298,700 outstanding shares of common stock at an aggregate repurchase price of $2.6 million. The Company also paid $565,000 in dividends attributed to noncontrolling interest. See Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) to the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussion of the noncontrolling interest. At December 31, 2021, the Company and its subsidiary bank exceeded all applicable regulatory capital requirements.

Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

Earnings

Uwharrie Capital Corp reported net income of $10.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $8.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, an increase of $2.0 million. Net income available to common shareholders was $9.5 million, or $1.33 per common share, for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to net income available to common shareholders of $7.5 million, or $1.03 per common share, for the year ended December 31, 2020. Net income available to common shareholders is net income less any dividends paid on the aforementioned noncontrolling interest.

Net Interest Income

As with most financial institutions, the primary component of earnings for our subsidiary bank is net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between interest income, principally from the loan and investment securities portfolios, and interest expense, principally on customer deposits and wholesale borrowings. Changes in net interest income result from changes in volume, spread and margin. For this purpose, volume refers to the average dollar level of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, spread refers to the difference between the average yield on interest-earning assets and the average cost of interest-bearing liabilities, and margin refers to net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets. Margin is influenced by the level and relative mix of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, as well as levels of noninterest bearing liabilities and capital.

Net interest income increased $4.3 million to a total of $26.1 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 from the $21.8 million earned in the same period of 2020. The average yield on our interest-earning assets decreased 8 basis points to 3.42%, while the average rate paid for interest-bearing liabilities decreased 18 basis points. These decreases resulted in a net increase of 11 basis

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points in our interest rate spread, from 3.04% in 2020 to 3.15% in 2021. Our net interest margin for 2021 was 3.23%, compared to 3.18% in 2020. As a part of the loan agreements, a portion of the Company’s loan portfolio has interest rate floors and caps. The interest rate floor feature allows the Company to maintain a more favorable interest margin despite a decline in rates; however, the interest rate cap could hurt the margin in a rising rate environment. Financial Table 1 presents a detailed analysis of the components of the Company’s net interest income, while Financial Table 2 summarizes the effects on net interest income from changes in interest rates and in the dollar volume of the components of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. Financial Table 1 and Table 2, as well other Financial Tables referenced in this discussion and analysis, appear at the end of this annual report, immediately preceding the identification of the Company’s board of directors and executive officers.

Provision for Loan Losses

The recovery of loan losses was $917,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, compared to a provision of $2.4 million for the same period in 2020. There were net loan recoveries of $541,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, as compared to net loan recoveries of $34,000 during the same period of 2020. Refer to the Asset Quality section below for further information.

Noninterest Income

The Company generates most of its revenue from net interest income; however, diversification of our earnings base is a key strategic initiative to our long-term success. Noninterest income decreased 9.3%, from $20.9 million in 2020, to $18.9 million in 2021, a decrease of $1.9 million. The primary factor contributing to the decrease was a decline in income from mortgage loan sales as production began to level out after the surge in refinancing caused by the lower interest rate environment during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The gain on sale of securities increased by $920,000 to $991,000 at December 31, 2021, compared to $77,000 at December 31, 2020.  This gain served to offset the decline in income from mortgage banking as the Company worked to reduce the duration of the investment portfolio in an attempt to protect capital as long-term interest rates rise.

Noninterest Expense

Noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $33.1 million compared to $29.9 million for 2020, an increase of $3.2 million. Salaries and employee benefits, the largest component of noninterest expense, increased $1.8 million, from $19.9 million for the period ending December 31, 2020 to $21.6 million for 2021 to account for wage and benefit cost increases. Marketing and donations increased $334,000 as the Company makes a continued effort to support the communities we serve by giving back and supporting economic development and growth. Supplemental executive retirement plan expense increased $610,000 during 2021 to $942,000 due to market valuation adjustments. Financial Table 5 reflects the additional breakdown of other noninterest expense.

Income Tax Expense

The Company had income tax expense of $2.8 million for 2021 at an effective tax rate of 21.51% compared to income tax expense of $2.3 million in 2020 with an effective tax rate of 22.38%. Income taxes computed at the statutory rate are affected primarily by the eligible amount of interest earned on state and municipal securities, tax-free municipal loans and income earned on bank-owned life insurance. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, the effective tax rate decreased due to an additional tax accrual in the 2020 period related to a supplemental executive retirement plan distribution.

Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019

Results of operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 can be found in the 2020 10-K Annual Report filing.

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Asset Quality

The Company’s allowance for loan losses is established through charges to earnings in the form of a provision for loan losses. The allowance is increased by provisions charged to operations and recoveries of amounts previously charged off and is reduced by recovery of provisions and charge offs of loans. Management continuously evaluates the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. In evaluating the adequacy of the allowance, management considers the following: the growth, composition and industry diversification of the portfolio; historical loan loss experience; current delinquency levels; adverse situations that may affect a borrower’s ability to repay; estimated value of any underlying collateral; prevailing economic conditions; and other relevant factors. The Company’s credit administration function, through a review process, periodically validates the accuracy of the initial risk grade assessment. In addition, as a given loan’s credit quality improves or deteriorates, the credit administration department has the responsibility to change the borrower’s risk grade accordingly. For loans determined to be impaired, the allowance is based on either the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate, the loan’s observable market price, or the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral less the selling costs. This evaluation is inherently subjective, as it requires material estimates, including the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected to be received on impaired loans, which may be susceptible to significant change. In addition, regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the allowance for loan losses and may require additions for estimated losses based upon judgments different from those of management.

Management uses a risk-grading program designed to evaluate the credit risk in the loan portfolio. In this program, risk grades are initially assigned by loan officers then reviewed and monitored by credit administration. This process includes the maintenance of an internally classified loan list that is designed to help management assess the overall quality of the loan portfolio and the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses. In establishing the appropriate classification for specific assets, management considers, among other factors, the estimated value of the underlying collateral, the borrower’s ability to repay, the borrower’s payment history, and the current delinquent status. Because of this process, certain loans are deemed to be impaired and evaluated as an impaired loan.

During the second quarter of 2020, management made adjustments to the allowance for loan losses methodology. The qualitative factors were expanded to include additional reserves for niche lending portfolios of hotel, retained interest in the unguaranteed portion of U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans (not including PPP loans), and SBA PPP loans. The risk in these portfolios is measurable, in addition to the standard probable loss calculation performed on all non-impaired loans. With the impact of COVID-19 on all industries, the hotel and SBA (non-PPP) loan categories on the Company’s balance sheet have been identified as having elevated credit risk. The SBA (non-PPP) reflects the unguaranteed portion of SBA guaranteed loans originated by the Company. SBA PPP loans, while 100% guaranteed by SBA, could result in some loss if fraud occurs or there are reporting issues or duplicate funding of loans. In addition, management eliminated its qualitative factor based on a 21-day weighted average of the VIX index, a real-time index that measures the expectation of the market’s 30-day forward-looking volatility, and replaced it with a multi-factor linear regression encompassing the following economic data: Case Shiller for North Carolina (NC) home price index, NC unemployment rate, 2-year/10-year US Treasury spread, customer sentiment, and a VIX quarterly average factor. During the third quarter of 2020, due to the lagging nature of the data (primarily unemployment data from U.S. government data) used in the multi-factor linear regression, management adopted an additional qualitative factor to incorporate more current unemployment data that was developed from non-governmental sources. The factor further represents the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and extended economic impacts. There were no significant adjustments to the allowance for loan losses methodology during 2021.

The portion of the Company’s allowance for loan loss model related to general reserves captures the mean loss of individual loans within the loan portfolio and adds additional loss based on economic uncertainty and specific indicators of potential issues in the market. Specifically, the Company calculates probable losses on loans by computing a probability of loss and multiplying that by a loss given default derived from historical experience. An additional calculation based on economic uncertainty is added to the probable losses, thus deriving the estimated loss scenario by FDIC call report codes. Together, these expected components, as well as a reserve for qualitative factors based on management’s discretion of economic conditions, form the basis of the allowance model. The loans that are impaired and included in the specific reserve are excluded from these calculations.

The Company assesses the probability of losses inherent in the loan portfolio using probability of default data derived from the Company’s internal historical data, representing a one-year loss horizon for each obligor. Credit scores are used within the model to determine the probability of default. The Company updates the credit scores for individuals that either have a loan, or are financially responsible for the loan, semi-annually, during the first and third quarters. During 2021, the average effective credit score of the portfolio, excluding loans in default, decreased slightly from 768 to 767. The probability of default associated with each credit score is a major driver in the allowance for loan losses.

The allowance for loan losses represents management’s best estimate of an appropriate amount to provide for probable credit risk inherent in the loan portfolio in the normal course of business. While management believes that it uses the best information available to establish the allowance for loan losses, future adjustments to the allowance may be necessary and results of operations could be adversely affected if circumstances differ from the assumptions used in making the determinations. Furthermore, while management

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believes it has established the allowance for loan losses in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, there can be no assurance that banking regulators, in reviewing the Company’s portfolio, will not require an adjustment to the allowance for loan losses. In addition, because future events affecting borrowers and collateral cannot be predicted with certainty, there can be no assurance that the existing allowance for loan losses is adequate or that increases will not be necessary, should the quality of any loans deteriorate because of the factors discussed herein. Unexpected global events, such as the unprecedented economic disruption due to COVID-19, are the type of future events that often cause material adjustments to the allowance to be necessary. Any material increase in the allowance for loan losses may adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and the value of its securities.

At December 31, 2021, the levels of our impaired loans, which includes all loans in non-accrual status, TDRs, and other loans deemed by management to be impaired, were $4.7 million, compared to $8.2 million at December 31, 2020, a net decrease of $3.4 million. The decrease is related to four large impaired loans paying off in during 2021.  Three of these large impaired relationships were loans in non-accrual status. As a result, non-accrual loans decreased from $3.8 million at December 31, 2020 to $972,000 at December 31, 2021.

The allowance, expressed as a percentage of gross loans held for investment, increased two basis points from 0.94% at December 31, 2020 to 0.96% at December 31, 2021. The collectively evaluated reserve allowance as a percentage of collectively evaluated loans was 0.93% at December 31, 2020 and 0.92% at December 31, 2020. The individually evaluated allowance as a percentage of individually evaluated loans increased from 1.81% to 4.54% for the same periods, a direct result of the $3.4 million net decrease in impaired loans during the year.

The ratio of nonperforming loans, which consists of non-accrual loans and loans past due 90 days and still accruing, to total loans decreased significantly from 0.80% at December 31, 2020, to 0.23% at December 31, 2021.  This improvement is attributable to the previously mentioned payoffs of three large non-accrual loans.

As of December 31, 2021, management believed the level of the allowance for loan losses was appropriate in light of the risk inherent in the loan portfolio.

Other real estate owned remained at $0 through December 31, 2021, as there were no loans foreclosed on during the year.

Troubled debt restructured loans, a component of impaired loans, totaled $3.8 million at December 31, 2021, compared to $4.4 million at December 31, 2020. One relationship of $214,000 was added during the year, but this increase was offset by pay-offs and pay-downs totaling $876,000. At December 31, 2021, there was one troubled debt restructured loan in non-accrual status, which had a balance of $39,000.

As discussed in Note 5 (Troubled Debt Restructures) of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the CARES Act allowed for loan modifications related to COVID-19 impacts to be excluded from TDR status. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had no remaining COVID-19 modifications on outstanding loans.

The following table shows the comparison of nonperforming assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:

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Capital Resources

The Company continues to maintain capital ratios that support its asset growth. In 2013, bank regulatory agencies approved regulatory capital guidelines (“Basel III”) aimed at strengthening existing capital requirements for banking organizations.  The rules include a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets minimum ratio of 4.50%, a minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of 6.00%, require a minimum ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets of 8.00%, and require a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio of 4.00%. A capital conservation buffer, comprised of common equity Tier 1 capital, was also established above the regulatory minimum capital requirements. This capital conservation buffer began phasing in on January 1, 2016 at 0.625% of risk-weighted assets and increased each subsequent year by an additional 0.625% until reaching its final level of 2.50% on January 1, 2019. Strict eligibility criteria for regulatory capital instruments were also implemented under the rules. The rules also revise the definition and calculation of Tier 1 capital, total capital, and risk-weighted assets.

The phase-in period for the rules became effective for the Company and its subsidiary bank on January 1, 2015, with full compliance of all the rules’ requirements phased in over a multi-year schedule, becoming fully phased-in on January 1, 2019. Pursuant to the Federal Reserve’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, the Company is exempt from Basel III. As of December 31, 2021, the Company and its subsidiary bank continue to exceed minimum capital standards and remain well-capitalized under applicable capital adequacy rules.

In January 2013, the Company’s subsidiary bank issued $7.9 million of Fixed Rate Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B. The preferred stock qualifies as Tier 1 capital at the bank and pays dividends at a rate of 5.30%. The offering raised $7.9 million less issuance costs of $113,000.

During the third quarter of 2013, the Company’s subsidiary bank raised an additional $2.8 million of Fixed Rate Noncumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series C. The preferred stock qualifies as Tier 1 capital at the bank and pays dividends at an annual rate of 5.30%. The preferred stock has no voting rights. The offering raised $2.8 million less issuance costs of $23,000.

During the third quarter of 2019, the Company conducted a private placement offering of fixed rate junior subordinated debt securities at $1,000 per security with a required minimum investment of $50,000. The offering raised $10.0 million, of which the entire $10.0 million was outstanding at December 31, 2021. These securities have a final maturity date of September 30, 2029 and may be redeemed by the Company after September 30, 2024. The junior subordinated debt pays interest quarterly at an annual fixed rate of 5.25%. All proceeds of this private placement qualify and are included in the calculation of Tier 2 capital. Once the final maturity drops under five years, the Company must impose a twenty percent annual reduction per year of the amount of the proceeds from the sale of these securities that are eligible to be counted as Tier 2 capital. The Company will have a twenty percent reduction beginning at September 30, 2024.

During the third quarter of 2021, the Company issued $12.0 million and $8.0 million of 10-year and 15-year fixed-to-floating rate subordinated debt securities, respectively. The 10-year subordinated notes mature on September 3, 2031, though redeemable on or after September 3, 2026, and initially pay interest quarterly at an annual rate of 3.5%. From and including September 3, 2026 to but excluding September 3, 2031, or up to an early redemption date, the interest rate on the 10-year subordinated notes will reset quarterly to an annual rate equal to the then-current three-month SOFR plus 283 basis points payable quarterly in arrears. The 15-year subordinated notes mature on September 3, 2036, though redeemable on or after September 3, 2031, and initially pay interest quarterly at an annual rate of 4.0%. From and including September 3, 2031 to but excluding September 3, 2036, or up to an early redemption date, the interest rate on the 15-year subordinated notes will reset quarterly to an annual rate equal to the then-current three-month SOFR plus 292 basis points payable quarterly in arrears. The subordinated debt has been structured to qualify as and is included in the calculation of the Company’s Tier 2 capital. Once the final maturity drops under five years, the Company must impose a twenty percent annual reduction per year of the amount of the proceeds from the sale of these securities that are eligible to be counted as Tier 2 capital. The Company will have a twenty percent reduction beginning at September 3, 2026 and September 3, 2031 for the 10-year and 15-year subordinated notes, respectively.

All of the Company’s aforementioned investment in its subsidiary bank qualifies for Tier 1 capital treatment for the Bank and is included as such in its year end capital ratios.

The Company expects to continue to exceed required minimum capital ratios without altering current operations or strategy. Note 15 (Shareholders’ Equity and Regulatory Matters) to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements presents additional information regarding the Company’s and its subsidiary bank’s capital ratios.

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Dividends

The Board of Directors of Uwharrie Capital Corp declared a 3% stock dividend in 2021 and 2% stock dividend in both 2020 and 2019. All references in this Annual Report to net income per share and weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding reflect the effects of these stock dividends.

Liquidity

The objective of the Company’s liquidity management policy is to ensure the availability of sufficient cash flows to meet all financial commitments and to capitalize on any opportunities for expansion. Liquidity management addresses the ability to meet deposit withdrawals on demand or at contractual maturity, to repay borrowings as they mature and to fund new loans and investments as opportunities arise. Liquidity is managed primarily by the selection of asset mix and the maturity mix of liabilities. Maturities and the marketability of securities and other funding sources provide a source of liquidity to meet deposit fluctuations. Maturities in the securities portfolio, presented in Financial Table 3, are supported by cash flows from mortgage-backed securities that have longer-term contractual maturities. The Company’s other sources of internally generated funds are principal and interest payments on loans and cash flows generated from operation. Growth in deposits is typically the primary source of funds for loan growth, supported by long-term credit available from the Federal Home Loan Bank. The Company and its subsidiary bank have multiple funding sources, in addition to deposits, that can be used to increase liquidity and provide additional financial flexibility. Other funding sources at year-end 2021 included $43.0 million in federal funds lines of credit from correspondent banks and approximately $93.8 million of credit availability from the Federal Home Loan Bank. The Company may also borrow from the Federal Reserve Bank discount window with credit availability of $17.6 million.

At December 31, 2021, short-term borrowings amounted to $1.1 million. Long-term debt at that date consisted solely of $29.5 million of junior subordinated debt. Other contractual obligations of the Company exist in the form of operating leases and deposits. Obligations for operating leases and deposits totaled $2.4 million and $836.8 million, respectively, at December 31, 2021. Note 8 (Leases) and Note 9 (Deposits) to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements provide additional information, including maturities, regarding these obligations.

The Company has various financial instruments (outstanding commitments) with off-balance sheet risk that are issued in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. See Note 13 (Commitments and Contingencies) to the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information regarding these commitments and contingent liabilities.

Management believes that the Company’s current sources of funds provide adequate liquidity for its current cash flow needs.

Critical Accounting Policies

A critical accounting policy is one that is both very important to the portrayal of the Company’s financial condition and results, and requires management’s most difficult, subjective and/or complex judgments. What makes these judgments difficult, subjective and/or complex is the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Refer to Note 1 (Significant Accounting Policies) in Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for more information about these and other accounting policies utilized by the Company.

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance for loan losses represents management’s best estimate of the losses that have been incurred in the loan portfolio but have not yet been charged-off. The allowance is a critical accounting estimate in the financial statements as it provides, by reference, an indication of the quality of the loan portfolio. Estimating credit losses is inherently subjective as it requires estimates that are susceptible to significant revision as more information becomes available. Additional measurement uncertainty in the estimate is due, in part, to the large amount of data evaluated, the long-term nature of the underlying assets and the analysis of economic indicators. Regulatory examiners may require the Company to recognize adjustments to the allowance for loan losses based on their judgement about information available to them at the time of their assessment.

On a regular basis, the allowance for loan losses is evaluated both individually and collectively by loan class. Homogeneous loans are collectively evaluated by loan class for impairment. However, once a loan is deemed impaired, it is evaluated individually for specific impairment. Appropriately dividing the loan portfolio into different segments with similar risk characteristics aids in providing a more accurate estimation of the portfolio’s loss.  The Company’s methodology for estimating loan losses is well documented and supported by internal controls, and validation of the process is performed on a recurring basis.

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Loan Servicing Assets

The Company capitalizes mortgage and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan servicing rights when loans are sold and the loan servicing is retained. Servicing revenue is recognized in the statement of income as a component of other noninterest income. The amortization of servicing rights is realized over the estimated period that net servicing revenues are expected to be received. Essential assumptions used to value the loan servicing rights include prepayment speeds, discount rates and costs to service the loan. Servicing assets are periodically evaluated for impairment based upon their fair value, and any resulting impairment is recognized through a valuation allowance and charged to other expense. An unrelated third party performs a quarterly valuation of the Company’s Fannie Mae Mortgage Servicing Rights. Significant judgement is required to estimate the value of servicing rights due to the nature and variety of assumptions used. As such, changes in assumptions could materially affect the estimated value of loan servicing assets.

Interest Rate Sensitivity

Net Interest Income (Margin) is the single largest component of revenue for the Company. Net Interest Margin is the difference between the yield on earning assets and interest paid on interest-bearing liabilities. The margin can vary over time as interest rates change. The variance fluctuates based on both the timing (repricing) and magnitude of maturing assets and liabilities.

To identify interest rate sensitivity, a common measure is a gap analysis, which reflects the difference or “gap” between rate sensitive assets and liabilities over various periods. While management reviews this information, it has implemented the use of an income simulation model, which calculates expected future Net Interest Income (Margin) based on projected interest-earning assets, interest-bearing liabilities and forecasted interest rates along with multiple other forecasted assumptions. Management believes this provides a more relevant view of interest rate risk sensitivity than the traditional gap analysis because the gap analysis ignores optionality embedded in the balance sheet, such as prepayments or changes based on interest rates. The income simulation model allows a comparison of flat, rising and falling rate scenarios to determine the interest rate sensitivity of earnings in varying interest rate environments.

The Company models immediate rising and declining rate shocks of up to 4% (in 1% intervals) on its subsidiary bank, using a static balance sheet for a two-year horizon, as preferred by regulators. The most recent consolidated 2% rate shock projections for a one-year horizon, indicates a negative impact of (9.81%) on Net Interest Income (Margin) in a rates-down scenario and a positive impact of 10.69% on Net Interest Income (Margin) in a rates-up scenario. Based on the most recent twelve-month forecast, the subsidiary bank is asset-sensitive and may experience some negative impact to earnings should interest rates decline. While many interest-bearing assets would reprice in a declining interest rate environment; many liabilities are already approaching 0% interest rates. The subsidiary bank has the potential to benefit from a rising interest rate environment, but current market deposit pricing and embedded options in the balance sheet may limit the upside potential.

The principal goals for asset liability management for the Company are to maintain adequate levels and sources of liquidity and to manage interest rate risk. Interest rate risk management attempts to balance the effects of interest rate changes on both interest-sensitive assets and interest-sensitive liabilities to protect Net Interest Income (Margin) from wide fluctuations as a result of changes in market interest rates. To that end, management has recommended and the board has approved policy limits that minimize the downside risk from interest rate shifts. The aforementioned ratios are within those stated limits of -18% for the respective modeled scenarios at the subsidiary bank and combined. Managing interest rate risk is an important factor to the long-term viability of the Company since Net Interest Income (Margin) is such a large component of earnings. The Company’s Asset Liability Management Committee (ALCO) monitors market changes in interest rates and assists with the pricing of loans and deposit products while considering the funding source needs, asset growth projections, and necessary operating liquidity.

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Financial Table 1

Average Balances and Net Interest Income Analysis

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Financial Table 2

Volume and Rate Variance Analysis

The above table analyzes the dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense for major components of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities. The table distinguishes between (i) changes attributable to volume (changes in volume multiplied by the prior period’s rate), (ii) changes attributable to rate (changes in rate multiplied by the prior period’s volume), and (iii) net change (the sum of the previous columns). The change attributable to both rate and volume (changes in rate multiplied by changes in volume) has been allocated equally to the change attributable to volume and the change attributable to rate.

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Financial Table 3

Weighted Average Yield on Investments Securities

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Financial Table 3

Weighted Average Yield on Investments Securities (Continued)

Financial Table 4

Noninterest Income

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Financial Table 5

Other Noninterest Expense

Financial Table 6

Loan Portfolio Composition

Financial Table 7

Selected Loan Maturities