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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 10-K

(MARK ONE)

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

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020

OR

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

FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM ________ TO ________.

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER: 0-14703

NBT BANCORP INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

52 SOUTH BROAD STREET, NORWICH, NEW YORK 13815

(Address of principal executive office) (Zip Code)

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) (607) 337-2265

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

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

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒  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 (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes ☒  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 is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐  No ☒

Based on the closing price of the registrant’s common stock as of June 30, 2020, the aggregate market value of the voting stock, common stock, par value, $0.01 per share, held by non-affiliates of the registrant is $1,302,040,742.

The number of shares of common stock outstanding as of February 8, 2021, was 43,581,317.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 25, 2021 are incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this Form 10-K.

NBT BANCORP INC.

FORM 10-K – Year Ended December 31, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I

 

NBT Bancorp Inc. (the “Company”) is a registered financial holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1986, with its principal headquarters located in Norwich, New York. The Company, on a consolidated basis, at December 31, 2020 had assets of $10.9 billion and stockholders’ equity of $1.2 billion.

The principal assets of the Company consist of all of the outstanding shares of common stock of its subsidiaries, including NBT Bank, National Association (the “Bank”), NBT Financial Services, Inc. (“NBT Financial”), NBT Holdings, Inc. (“NBT Holdings”), CNBF Capital Trust I, NBT Statutory Trust I, NBT Statutory Trust II, Alliance Financial Capital Trust I and Alliance Financial Capital Trust II (collectively, the “Trusts”). The Company’s principal sources of revenue are the management fees and dividends it receives from the Bank, NBT Financial and NBT Holdings.

The Company’s business, primarily conducted through the Bank, consists of providing commercial banking, retail banking and wealth management services primarily to customers in its market area, which includes central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, Vermont, the southern coastal Maine area and now entering central Connecticut. The Company has been, and intends to continue to be, a community-oriented financial institution offering a variety of financial services. The Company’s business philosophy is to operate as a community bank with local decision-making, providing a broad array of banking and financial services to retail, commercial and municipal customers. The financial condition and operating results of the Company are dependent on its net interest income, which is the difference between the interest and dividend income earned on its earning assets, primarily loans and investments and the interest expense paid on its interest-bearing liabilities, primarily consisting of deposits and borrowings. Among other factors, net income is also affected by provisions for loan losses and noninterest income, such as service charges on deposit accounts, insurance and other financial services revenue, trust revenue and gains/losses on securities sales, bank owned life insurance income, ATM and debit card fees and retirement plan administration fees, as well as noninterest expenses, such as salaries and employee benefits, occupancy, equipment, data processing and communications, professional fees and outside services, office supplies and postage, amortization of intangible assets, loan collection and other real estate owned (“OREO”) expenses, advertising, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) expenses and other expenses.

NBT Bank, N.A.

The Bank is a full service commercial bank formed in 1856, which provides a broad range of financial products to individuals, corporations and municipalities throughout the central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, western Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, Vermont, the southern coastal Maine area and now entering central Connecticut.

Through its network of branch locations, the Bank offers a wide range of products and services tailored to individuals, businesses and municipalities. Deposit products offered by the Bank include demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (“NOW”) accounts, money market deposit accounts (“MMDA”) and certificate of deposit (“CD”) accounts. The Bank offers various types of each deposit account to accommodate the needs of its customers with varying rates, terms and features. Loan products offered by the Bank include indirect and direct consumer loans, home equity loans, mortgages, business banking loans and commercial loans, with varying rates, terms and features to accommodate the needs of its customers. The Bank also offers various other products and services through its branch network such as trust and investment services and financial planning and life insurance services. In addition to its branch network, the Bank also offers access to certain products and services electronically through 24-hour online, mobile and telephone channels that enable customers to check balances, make deposits, transfer funds, pay bills, access statements, apply for loans and access various other products and services.

NBT Financial Services, Inc.

Through NBT Financial Services, the Company operates EPIC Advisors, Inc. (“EPIC”), a retirement plan administrator. Through EPIC, the Company offers services including retirement plan consulting and recordkeeping services. EPIC’s headquarters are located in Rochester, New York.

NBT Holdings, Inc.

Through NBT Holdings, the Company operates NBT Insurance Agency, LLC (“NBT Insurance”), a full-service insurance agency acquired by the Company on September 1, 2008. NBT Insurance’s headquarters are located in Norwich, New York. Through NBT Insurance, the Company offers a full array of insurance products, including personal property and casualty, business liability and commercial insurance, tailored to serve the specific insurance needs of individuals as well as businesses in a range of industries operating in the markets served by the Company.

The Trusts

The Trusts were organized to raise additional regulatory capital and to provide funding for certain acquisitions. CNBF Capital Trust I and NBT Statutory Trust I are Delaware statutory business trusts formed in 1999 and 2005, respectively, for the purpose of issuing trust preferred securities and lending the proceeds to the Company. In connection with the acquisition of CNB Bancorp, Inc., the Company formed NBT Statutory Trust II in February 2006 to fund the cash portion of the acquisition as well as to provide regulatory capital. In connection with the acquisition of Alliance Financial Corporation (“Alliance”), the Company acquired two statutory trusts, Alliance Financial Capital Trust I and Alliance Financial Capital Trust II, which were formed in 2003 and 2006, respectively. The Company guarantees, on a limited basis, payments of distributions on the trust preferred securities and payments on redemption of the trust preferred securities. The Trusts are variable interest entities for which the Company is not the primary beneficiary, as defined by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). In accordance with ASC, the accounts of the Trusts are not included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Operating Subsidiaries of the Bank

The Bank has four operating subsidiaries, NBT Capital Corp., Broad Street Property Associates, Inc., CNB Realty Trust and NBT Capital Management, Inc. NBT Capital Corp., formed in 1998, is a venture capital corporation. Broad Street Property Associates, Inc., formed in 2004, is a property management company. CNB Realty Trust, formed in 1998, is a real estate investment trust. NBT Capital Management, Inc., formerly Columbia Ridge Capital Management, Inc., was acquired in 2016 and is a registered investment advisor that provides investment management and financial consulting services.

Competition

The financial services industry, including commercial banking, is highly competitive, and we encounter strong competition for deposits, loans and other financial products and services in our market area. The increasingly competitive environment is the result of the continued low rate environment, changes in regulation, changes in technology and product delivery systems, additional financial service providers and the accelerating pace of consolidation among financial services providers. The Company competes for loans, deposits and customers with other commercial banks, savings and loan associations, securities and brokerage companies, mortgage companies, insurance companies, finance companies, money market funds, credit unions and other nonbank financial service providers.

The financial services industry could become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory and technological changes and continued consolidation. Banks, securities firms and insurance companies can merge under the umbrella of a financial holding company, which can offer virtually any type of financial service, including banking, securities underwriting, insurance (both agency and underwriting) and merchant banking. In addition, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for non-banks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfer and automatic payment systems.

Some of the Company’s nonbanking competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and may have lower cost structures. In addition, some of the Company’s competitors have assets, capital and lending limits greater than that of the Company, have greater access to capital markets and offer a broader range of products and services than the Company. These institutions may have the ability to finance wide-ranging advertising campaigns and may be able to offer lower rates on loans and higher rates on deposits than the Company can offer. Some of these institutions offer services, such as credit cards and international banking, which the Company does not directly offer.

Various in-state market competitors and out-of-state banks continue to enter or have announced plans to enter or expand their presence in the market areas in which the Company currently operates. With the addition of new banking presences within our market, the Company expects increased competition for loans, deposits and other financial products and services.

In order to compete with other financial services providers, the Company stresses the community nature of its banking operations and principally relies upon local promotional activities, personal relationships established by officers, directors and employees with the Company’s customers and specialized services tailored to meet the needs of the communities served. We also offer certain customer services, such as agricultural lending, that many of our larger competitors do not offer. While the Company’s position varies by market, the Company’s management believes that it can compete effectively as a result of local market knowledge, local decision making and awareness of customer needs.

The table below summarizes the Bank’s deposits and market share as June 30, 2020 by the thirty-eight counties of New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine. Market share is based on deposits of all commercial banks, credit unions, savings and loans associations and savings banks.

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

* Branch and ATM data is as of December 31, 2020.

Data Privacy and Security Practices

The Company’s enterprise security strategy revolves around people, processes and technology. The Company employs a defense in depth strategy, which combines physical control measures with logical control measures and uses a layered security model to provide end-to-end security of Company and client information. The high-level objective of the information security program is to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all information assets in our environment. We accomplish this by building our program around six foundational control areas: program oversight and governance, safeguards and controls, security awareness training, service provider oversight, incident response and business continuity. The Company’s data security and privacy practices are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations including the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act of 2001 (“GLBA”) and applicable privacy laws described under the heading Supervision and Regulation in this Item 1. Business section.

The controls identified in our enterprise security program are managed by various stakeholders throughout the Company and monitored by the information security team. All employees are required to complete information security and privacy training when they join the Company and then complete annual online training certification and ad hoc face to face trainings. The Company engages outside consultants to perform periodic audits of our information and data security controls and processes including penetration testing of the Company’s public facing websites and corporate networks. The Board of Directors requires the Company’s Information Security Officer to report to them the status of the overall information security and data privacy program on a recurring basis. More information can be located on the Company’s website https://www.nbtbank.com/Personal/Customer-Support/Fraud-Information-Center.

Human Capital Resources

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We have enhanced the visibility and structure of our long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”). Our Chief Diversity Officer has placed a high level of focus on relevant and impactful DEI initiatives by building upon our strong cultural foundation. The Company has implemented a variety of initiatives from being transparent by posting our diversity values on our website to providing forums to listen more closely to what our employees want to say. A company-wide DEI Round Table was formed to gain input from many voices. The Round Table’s accomplishments include broader internal communications on a variety of inclusion topics, the creation of an internal mentoring program, and a survey to capture employee opinions regarding DEI at NBT. The Company has a DEI steering committee comprised of members of the executive team, including the Chief Executive Officer. The plan is shared with our Board of Directors, management and employees, who are often included in implementing specific action items.

The Company developed a purpose statement to support the DEI initiative, which states that the Company strives to create an environment that is open and welcoming to all, leading to high employee engagement and job performance. We believe this will enable the Company to outperform its peers, ensure high levels of shareholder return and provide for financial independence. We strive to ensure our executives are demonstrating the highest ethical leadership, are approachable and inspire trust. More information can be located on the Company’s website at https://www.nbtbank.com/Personal/About-Us/Our-Bank/Diversity-and-Inclusion.

Investment in Our People

The Company’s focus on investing in our people includes key initiatives to attract, develop and retain our valued employees. Talent management is a top priority as specific competencies are predicted to be in short supply with the transition of retirement age skill sets.

The coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic had a significant effect on the nature of our workplace. Implementing remote and hybrid work options has been attractive to many people and we expect it will continue. Many programs were implemented during the pandemic including self-care time off, pay for those in quarantine or with childcare needs, flexibility with paid time off policies and providing resources through care.com. Our employee retention rate remains at historically high levels which results in greater customer satisfaction and continuity of service. The Company offers total rewards that address employees at various stages of their personal lives and careers, including a student loan repayment program, paid parental leave, more flexibility in paid time off and a retirement transition option. The Company’s incentive programs recognize all full-time employees at all levels and are designed to motivate employees to support achievement of company success, with appropriate risk assessment and prevention measures designed to prevent fraud.

Learning and Career Development

The Company focuses on the future by encouraging and promoting internal development. During the pandemic, emphasis was placed on digital learning and connecting our employees with online resources. We invested in eLearning with a goal of providing resources to those working and leading in remote environments. We continue to have four distinct training and development programs that address and encourage development and foster retention. We have doubled the number of programs for both our high potential and emerging leaders programs, adapting the formats to remote learning utilizing our Microsoft Teams technology. Our management development program, modified for hybrid work, aims at attracting key external talent, particularly through benefit programs such as financial education, tuition repayment, graduate school tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements. The management development program has placed many graduates in key positions where they have made significant contributions. Our professional development programs provide an entry point for early career professionals. This programs provide an overview of banking functions over a 12-18 month period, ultimately placing employees with working knowledge in positions of responsibility around the Company. In addition, employees have access to career paths and career exploration programs throughout the Company’s business areas, supported by individual development plans and internal learning management system resources. To support this process, we employ an internal career counselor to work as a liaison with employees and managers to direct their personal career aspirations. The Company also has a robust talent review and succession process. Significant time is spent at the Board and Management level identifying and providing development for potential successors.

Engaging Employees

The Company seeks to further refine its workforce programs through its employee engagement survey. Numerous surveys were conducted during the last 12 months to understand employee well-being, attitudes about remote work, productivity and work-life balance and overall concerns. Based on the most recent survey, additional resources were deployed in the areas of technology, equipment and employee wellness. The extensive planning of the Company’s technology roadmap included the prepandemic implementation of Office 365 including Teams, allowing effective meetings and collaboration of work across our geography with little downtime. The Company believes our engaged employees will drive retention and effort, ultimately correlating to a better experience for our customers.

Conduct and Ethics

The board of directors and senior management have vigorously endorsed a no-tolerance stance for workplace harassment, biases and unethical behavior. The Company’s values-based Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is extensively communicated on our website and targeted internal communications platforms. Frequent training specific to managers and employees, regular publication of our whistleblower policy and reporting mechanisms provide framework to the Company’s motto of: “The right people. Doing the right things. In the right way.”

Community Engagement

The Company is engaged in the communities where we do business and where our employees and directors live and work. We live out our core value of community involvement through investments of both money and the time of our employees.

Through our active contribution program, administered by market-based committees with representation from all lines of business, the Company contributed over $1.4 million in 2020. Our teams’ efforts to distribute philanthropic resources across our footprint ensure alignment with local needs and support for hundreds of organizations that provide health and human services and promote education, affordable housing, economic development, the arts and agriculture.

A consistent way that the Company and our employees support our communities across our markets is through giving to United Way chapters in the form of corporate pledges and employee campaign contributions. In 2020, these commitments resulted in over $350,000 in funding for United Way chapters that provide resources to local organizations offering critical education, financial, food security and health services.

In addition to corporate financial support of community organizations and causes, employees are encouraged and empowered to volunteer and be a resource in their communities. They invest their financial and other expertise as board members and serve in roles where they offer direct support to those in need by engaging in all manner of volunteer activities. New employees participate in an onboarding experience that includes a community service activity.

Products

The Company offers a comprehensive array of financial products and services with options that are beneficial to low and moderate income individuals. Deposit accounts include low balance savings and checking options that features no monthly service fees, provide assistance rebuilding positive checking relationships, and assistance for those with development disabilities. An enhanced digital banking platform incorporates ready access to current credit score information and a personal financial management tool for budget and expense tracking.

The Company is focused on making home ownership accessible to everyone in the communities we serve. Our suite of home lending products features innovative and flexible options, including government guaranteed programs like Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) loans as well as programs developed in-house like our First Home Loan, Habitat for Humanity, Home in the City and Portfolio 97 programs. Our home lending team includes affordable housing loan originators, and we maintain longstanding relationships with affordable housing agency partners across our banking footprint that offer first-time homebuyer education programs and assistance with down payments and closing costs.

Environmental

The Company offers a financing product to homeowners on a national basis which provides an opportunity to power their homes with sustainable solar energy. It allows households to reduce their carbon footprint at an affordable price. Services like mobile and online banking, remote deposit capture, eStatements and combined statements enable us to support all customers in their efforts to consume less fuel and paper. We continue to digitize loan origination processes, reducing trips to the bank and paper documents for our customers. Across our footprint, we host community shred days with multiple confidential document destruction companies to promote safe document disposal and recycling.

The Company is focused on the environment and committed to business practices and activities that encourage sustainability and minimize our environmental impact. In larger facilities, the Company conserves energy through the use of building energy management systems and motion sensor lighting controls. In new construction and renovations, the Company incorporates high-efficiency mechanical equipment, LED lighting, and modern building techniques to reduce our carbon footprint wherever possible. The Company has an ongoing initiative to replace existing lighting with LED lighting to reduce energy consumption.

Supervision and Regulation

The Company, the Bank and certain of its non-banking subsidiaries are subject to extensive regulation under federal and state laws. The regulatory framework applicable to bank holding companies and their subsidiary banks is intended to protect depositors, federal deposit insurance funds and the stability of the U.S. banking system. This system is not designed to protect equity investors in bank holding companies, such as the Company.

Set forth below is a summary of the significant laws and regulations applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries. The description that follows is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the statutes, regulations and policies that are described. Such statutes, regulations and policies are subject to ongoing review by Congress and state legislatures and federal and state regulatory agencies. A change in any of the statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries could have a material effect on the results of the Company.

In addition to the summary below, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. federal and state bank regulators issued several letters and other guidance to bank holding companies and banks regarding expectations for supporting the community and certain related temporary regulatory changes and accommodations. The Company continues to monitor guidance and developments related to COVID-19.

Overview

The Company is a registered bank holding company and financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHC Act”), and is subject to the supervision of, and regular examination by, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board” or “FRB”) as its primary federal regulator. The Company is also subject to the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and is subject to the disclosure and other regulatory requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as administered by the SEC. The Company’s common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select market under the ticker symbol, “NBTB,” and the Company is subject to the NASDAQ stock market rules.

The Bank is chartered as a national banking association under the National Bank Act. The Bank is subject to the supervision of, and to regular examination by, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) as its chartering authority and primary federal regulator. The Bank is also subject to the supervision and regulation, to a limited extent, of the FDIC as its deposit insurer. Financial products and services offered by the Company and the Bank are subject to federal consumer protection laws and implementing regulations promulgated by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”). The Company and the Bank are also subject to oversight by state attorneys general for compliance with state consumer protection laws. The Bank’s deposits are insured by the FDIC up to the applicable deposit insurance limits in accordance with FDIC laws and regulations. The non-bank subsidiaries of the Company and the Bank are subject to federal and state laws and regulations, including regulations of the FRB and the OCC, respectively.

Since the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), U.S. banks and financial services firms have been subject to enhanced regulation and oversight. The Trump administration and its appointees to the federal banking agencies enacted some legislation and took other steps to modify and scale back portions of the Dodd-Frank Act and certain of its implementing regulations. It is not clear at this time what the effect on the Company would be of any legislation or regulatory changes that may be enacted or implemented by the Biden administration, though major changes are not expected in the near term.

The CARES Act and Initiatives Related to COVID-19

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law on March 27, 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 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 the COVID-19 pandemic. 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

Section 1102 of the CARES Act created the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a program administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to provide loans to small businesses for payroll and other basic expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company has participated in the PPP as a lender. These loans are eligible to be forgiven if certain conditions are satisfied and are fully guaranteed by the SBA. Additionally, loan payments are deferred for the first six months of the loan term. The PPP commenced on April 3, 2020 and was available to qualified borrowers through August 8, 2020. No collateral or personal guarantees were required. Neither the government nor lenders are permitted to charge the recipients any fees. It is anticipated that additional revisions to the SBA’s interim final rules on forgiveness and loan review procedures will be forthcoming to address these and related changes. On December 27, 2020, the President signed into law omnibus federal spending and economic stimulus legislation titled the “Consolidated Appropriations Act” that included the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (the “HHSB Act”). Among other things, the HHSB Act renewed the PPP, allocating $284.45 billion for both new first time PPP loans under the existing PPP and the expansion of existing PPP loans for certain qualified, existing PPP borrowers. In addition to extending and amending the PPP, the HHSB Act also creates a new grant program for “shuttered venue operators.” As a participating lender in the PPP, the Bank continues to monitor legislative, regulatory, and supervisory developments related thereto, including the most recent changes implemented by the HHSB Act.

Guidance on Non-TDR Loan Modifications due to COVID-19

On March 22, 2020, a statement was issued by our banking regulators and titled the “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus” (the “Interagency Statement”) that encourages financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provides that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a troubled debt restructuring (“TDR”) as defined by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak declared by the President of the United States under the National Emergencies Act terminates. Section 541 of the Consolidated Appropriation Act (“CAA”) extends this relief to the earlier of January 1, 2022 or 60 days after the national emergency termination date. The Interagency Statement was subsequently revised in April 2020 to clarify the interaction of the original guidance with Section 4013 of the CARES Act, as well as to set forth the banking regulators’ views on consumer protection considerations. In accordance with such guidance, the Bank is offering short-term modifications made in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who are current and otherwise not past due. These include short-term (180 days or less) modifications in the form of payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant. See Notes 1 and 6 to the consolidated financial statements for further information on non-TDR loan modifications.

Temporary Regulatory Capital Relief Related to Impact of CECL

Concurrent with enactment of the CARES Act, in March 2020, the OCC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the FDIC published an interim final rule to delay the estimated impact on regulatory capital stemming from the implementation of Accounting Standards Updates 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“CECL”). The interim final rule maintains the three-year transition option in the previous rule and provides banks the option to delay for two years an estimate of CECL’s effect on regulatory capital, relative to the incurred loss methodology’s effect on regulatory capital, followed by a three-year transition period (five-year transition option). The Company is adopting the capital transition relief over the permissible five-year period.

Federal Bank Holding Company Regulation

The Company is a bank holding company as defined by the BHC Act. The BHC Act generally limits the business of the Company to banking, managing or controlling banks and other activities that the FRB has determined to be so closely related to banking “as to be a proper incident thereto.” The Company has also qualified for and elected to be a financial holding company. Financial holding companies may engage in any activity, or acquire and retain the shares of a company engaged in any activity, that is either (1) financial in nature or incidental to such financial activity (as determined by the FRB in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury), or (2) complementary to a financial activity and that does not pose a substantial risk to the safety and soundness of depository institutions or the financial system (as solely determined by the FRB). If a bank holding company seeks to engage in the broader range of activities permitted under the BHC Act for financial holding companies, (1) the bank holding company and all of its depository institution subsidiaries must be “well-capitalized” and “well-managed,” as defined in the FRB’s Regulation Y and (2) it must file a declaration with the FRB that it elects to be a “financial holding company.” In order for a financial holding company to commence any activity that is financial in nature, incidental thereto, or complementary to a financial activity, or to acquire a company engaged in any such activity permitted by the BHC Act, each insured depository institution subsidiary of the financial holding company must have received a rating of at least “satisfactory” in its most recent examination under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (the “CRA”). See the section titled “Community Reinvestment Act of 1977” for further information relating to the CRA.

Regulation of Mergers and Acquisitions

The BHC Act, the Bank Merger Act and other federal and state statutes regulate acquisitions of depository institutions and their holding companies. The BHC Act requires prior FRB approval for a bank holding company to acquire, directly or indirectly, 5% or more of any class of voting securities of a commercial bank or its parent holding company and for a company, other than a bank holding company, to acquire 25% or more of any class of voting securities of a bank or bank holding company (and sometimes a lower percentage if there are other indications of control). Under the Change in Bank Control Act, any person, including a company, may not acquire, directly or indirectly, control of a bank without providing 60 days’ prior notice and receiving a non-objection from the appropriate federal banking agency.

Under the Bank Merger Act, prior approval of the OCC is required for a national bank to merge with another bank where the national bank is the surviving bank or to purchase the assets or assume the deposits of another bank. In reviewing applications seeking approval of merger and acquisition transactions, the federal banking agencies will consider, among other criteria, the competitive effect and public benefits of the transactions, the capital position of the combined banking organization, the applicant’s performance record under the CRA and the effectiveness of the subject organizations in combating money laundering activities.

As a financial holding company, the Company is permitted to acquire control of non-depository institutions engaged in activities that are financial in nature and in activities that are incidental to financial activities without prior FRB approval. However, the BHC Act, as amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, requires prior written approval from the FRB or prior written notice to the FRB before a financial holding company may acquire control of a company with consolidated assets of $10 billion or more.

Capital Distributions

The principal source of the Company’s liquidity is dividends from the Bank. The OCC oversees the ability of the Bank to make capital distributions, including dividends. The OCC generally prohibits a depository institution from making any capital distributions (including payment of a dividend) or paying any management fee to its parent holding company if the bank would thereafter be undercapitalized. The OCC’s prior approval is required if the total of all dividends declared by a national bank in any calendar year would exceed the sum of the bank’s net income for that year and its undistributed net income for the preceding two calendar years, less any required transfers to surplus. The National Bank Act also prohibits national banks from paying dividends that would be greater than the bank’s undivided profits after deducting statutory bad debt in excess of the bank’s allowance for loan losses.

The federal banking agencies have indicated that paying dividends that deplete a bank’s capital base to an inadequate level would be an unsafe and unsound banking practice and that banking organizations should generally pay dividends only out of current operating earnings. The appropriate federal regulatory authority is authorized to determine, based on the financial condition of a bank holding company or a bank, that the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound practice and to prohibit such payment.

Affiliate and Insider Transactions

Transactions between the Bank and its affiliates, including the Company, are governed by Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act (the “FRA”) and the FRB’s implementing Regulation W. An “affiliate” of a bank includes any company or entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with such bank. In a bank holding company context, at a minimum, the parent holding company of a bank and companies that are controlled by such parent holding company, are affiliates of the bank. Generally, Sections 23A and 23B of the FRA are intended to protect insured depository institutions from losses in transactions with affiliates. These sections place quantitative and qualitative limitations on covered transactions between the Bank and its affiliates and require that all transactions between a bank and its affiliates occur on market terms that are consistent with safe and sound banking practices.

Section 22(h) of the FRA and its implementing Regulation O restricts loans to the Bank’s and its affiliates’ directors, executive officers and principal stockholders (“Insiders”). Under Section 22(h), loans to Insiders and their related interests may not exceed, together with all other outstanding loans to such persons and affiliated entities, the Bank’s total capital and surplus. Loans to Insiders above specified amounts must receive the prior approval of the Bank’s board of directors. Further, under Section 22(h) of the FRA, loans to directors, executive officers and principal stockholders must be made on terms substantially the same as offered in comparable transactions to other persons, except that such Insiders may receive preferential loans made under a benefit or compensation program that is widely available to the Bank’s employees and does not give preference to the Insider over the employees. Section 22(g) of the FRA places additional limitations on loans to the Bank’s and its affiliates’ executive officers.

Federal Deposit Insurance and Brokered Deposits

The FDIC’s deposit insurance limit is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category, in accordance with applicable FDIC regulations. The Bank’s deposit accounts are fully insured by the FDIC Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”) up to the deposit insurance limits in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

The FDIC uses a risk-based assessment system that imposes insurance premiums based upon a risk matrix that takes into account a bank’s capital level and supervisory rating (“CAMELS rating”). The risk matrix uses different risk categories distinguished by capital levels and supervisory ratings. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Act, the base for deposit insurance assessments is the consolidated average assets less average tangible equity. Assessment rates are calculated using formulas that take into account the risk of the institution being assessed.

Under FDIC laws and regulations, no FDIC-insured depository institution can accept brokered deposits unless it is well-capitalized or unless it is adequately capitalized and receives a waiver from the FDIC. Applicable laws and regulations also prohibit any depository institution that is not well-capitalized from paying an interest rate on brokered deposits in excess of three-quarters of one percentage point over certain prevailing market rates.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDIA”), the FDIC may terminate deposit insurance upon a finding that the 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 Bank’s management is not aware of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to the termination of its deposit insurance.

Federal Home Loan Bank System

The Bank is also a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of New York, which provides a central credit facility primarily for member institutions for home mortgage and neighborhood lending. The Bank is subject to the rules and requirements of the FHLB, including the requirement to acquire and hold shares of capital stock in the FHLB in an amount at least equal to the sum of 0.125% of mortgage related assets at the beginning of each year. The Bank was in compliance with FHLB rules and requirements as of December 31, 2020.

Debit Card Interchange Fees

The Dodd-Frank Act requires that any interchange transaction fee charged for a debit transaction be reasonable and proportional to the cost incurred by the issuer for the transaction. FRB regulations mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act limit interchange fees on debit cards to a maximum of 21 cents per transaction plus 5 basis points of the transaction amount. The rule also permits a fraud-prevention adjustment of 1 cent per transaction conditioned upon an issuer developing, implementing and updating reasonably designed fraud-prevention policies and procedures. Issuers that, together with their affiliates, have less than $10 billion of assets, are exempt from the debit card interchange fee standards. In addition, FRB regulations prohibit all issuers, including the Company and the Bank, from restricting the number of networks over which electronic debit transactions may be processed to less than two unaffiliated networks.

In December 2020, the OCC together with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the FDIC, issued an interim final rule to temporarily mitigate transition costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic on community banking organizations with less than $10 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2019. The rule allows organizations, including the Company, to use assets as of December 31, 2019, to determine the applicability of various regulatory asset thresholds. During 2020, the Company crossed the $10 billion threshold. However, the Company has elected to delay the regulatory implications of crossing the $10 billion threshold until 2022 for these debit card interchange fee standards.

Source of Strength Doctrine

FRB policy requires bank holding companies to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to their subsidiary banks. Section 616 of the Dodd-Frank Act codifies the requirement that bank holding companies serve as a source of financial strength to their subsidiary depository institutions. A bank holding company’s failure to meet its obligations to serve as a source of strength to its subsidiary banks will generally be considered by the FRB to be an unsafe and unsound banking practice or a violation of FRB regulations or both. As a result, the Company is expected to commit resources to support the Bank, including at times when the Company may not be in a financial position to provide such resources. Any capital loan by the Company to the Bank is subordinate in right of payment to deposits and to certain other indebtedness of such subsidiary banks. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code provides that, in the event of a bank holding company’s bankruptcy, any commitment by the bank holding company to a federal bank regulatory agency to maintain the capital of a subsidiary bank will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to priority of payment.

In addition, under the National Bank Act, if the Bank’s capital stock is impaired by losses or otherwise, the OCC is authorized to require payment of the deficiency by assessment upon the Company. If the assessment is not paid within three months, the OCC could order a sale of Bank stock held by the Company to cover any deficiency.

Capital Adequacy and Prompt Corrective Action

In July 2013, the FRB, the OCC and the FDIC approved final rules (the “Capital Rules”) that established a new capital framework for U.S. banking organizations. The Capital Rules generally implement the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision’s (the “Basel Committee”) December 2010 final capital framework referred to as “Basel III” for strengthening international capital standards. The Capital Rules revise the definitions and the components of regulatory capital, as well as address other issues affecting the numerator in banking institutions’ regulatory capital ratios. The Capital Rules also address asset risk weights and other matters affecting the denominator in banking institutions’ regulatory capital ratios and replace the existing general risk-weighting approach with a more risk-sensitive approach.

The Capital Rules: (1) require a capital measure called “Common Equity Tier 1” (“CET1”) and related regulatory capital ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets; (2) specify that Tier 1 capital consists of CET1 and “Additional Tier 1 capital” instruments meeting certain revised requirements; (3) mandate that most deductions/adjustments to regulatory capital measures be made to CET1 and not to the other components of capital; and (4) expand the scope of the deductions from and adjustments to capital as compared to existing regulations. Under the Capital Rules, for most banking organizations, including the Company, the most common form of Additional Tier 1 capital is non-cumulative perpetual preferred stock and the most common forms of Tier 2 capital are subordinated notes and a portion of the allocation for loan losses, in each case, subject to the Capital Rules’ specific requirements.

Pursuant to the Capital Rules, the minimum capital ratios as of January 1, 2015 are:

The Capital Rules also require a “capital conservation buffer,” composed entirely of CET1, on top of these minimum risk-weighted asset ratios. The capital conservation buffer is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets above the minimum but below the capital conservation buffer will face constraints on dividends, equity and other capital instrument repurchases and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall. The capital conservation buffer was phased in incrementally until when, on January 1, 2019, the capital conservation buffer was fully phased in, resulting in the capital standards applicable to the Company and the Bank including an additional capital conservation buffer of 2.5% of CET1, and effectively resulting in minimum ratios inclusive of the capital conservation buffer of (1) CET1 to risk-weighted assets of at least 7%, (2) Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.5% and (3) Total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 10.5%. The risk-weighting categories in the Capital Rules are standardized and include a risk-sensitive number of categories, depending on the nature of the assets, generally ranging from 0% for U.S. government and agency securities, to 600% for certain equity exposures and resulting in higher risk weights for a variety of asset classes.

The Capital Rules provide for a number of deductions from and adjustments to CET1. These include, for example, the requirement that mortgage servicing rights, deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences that could not be realized through net operating loss carrybacks and significant investments in non-consolidated financial entities be deducted from CET1 to the extent that any one such category exceeds 10% of CET1 or all such items, in the aggregate, exceed 15% of CET1. In November 2017, the FRB finalized a rule extending the then-applicable capital rules for mortgage servicing assets and certain other items for non-advanced approaches institutions and effectively pausing phase-in of related deductions and adjustments.

In addition, under the prior general risk-based capital rules, the effects of accumulated other comprehensive income or loss (“AOCI”) items included in stockholders’ equity (for example, marks-to-market of securities held in the available for sale (“AFS”) portfolio) under GAAP were excluded for the purposes of determining regulatory capital ratios. Under the Capital Rules, the effects of certain AOCI items are not excluded; however, banking organizations not using the advanced approaches, including the Company and the Bank, were permitted to make a one-time permanent election to continue to exclude these items in January 2015. The Capital Rules also preclude certain hybrid securities, such as trust preferred securities issued after May 19, 2010, from inclusion in bank holding companies’ Tier 1 capital.

Management believes that the Company is in compliance, with the targeted capital ratios.

Prompt Corrective Action and Safety and Soundness

Pursuant to Section 38 of the FDIA, federal banking agencies are required to take “prompt corrective action” (“PCA”) should an insured depository institution fail to meet certain capital adequacy standards. At each successive lower capital category, an insured depository institution is subject to more restrictions and prohibitions, including restrictions on growth, restrictions on interest rates paid on deposits, restrictions or prohibitions on payment of dividends and restrictions on the acceptance of brokered deposits. Furthermore, if an insured depository institution is classified in one of the undercapitalized categories, it is required to submit a capital restoration plan to the appropriate federal banking agency and the holding company must guarantee the performance of that plan. Based upon its capital levels, a bank that is classified as well-capitalized, adequately capitalized or undercapitalized, may be treated as though it were in the next lower capital category if the appropriate federal banking agency, after notice and opportunity for hearing, determines that an unsafe or unsound condition or an unsafe or unsound practice, warrants such treatment.

For purposes of PCA, to be: (1) well-capitalized, an insured depository institution must have a total risk based capital ratio of at least 10%, a Tier 1 risk based capital ratio of at least 8%, a CET1 risk based capital ratio of at least 6.5%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 5%; (2) adequately capitalized, an insured depository institution must have a total risk based capital ratio of at least 8%, a Tier 1 risk based capital ratio of at least 6%, a CET1 risk based capital ratio of at least 4.5%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of at least 4%; (3) undercapitalized, an insured depository institution would have a total risk based capital ratio of less than 8%, a Tier 1 risk based capital ratio of less than 6%, a CET1 risk based capital ratio of less than 4.5%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of less than 4%; (4) significantly undercapitalized, an insured depository institution would have a total risk based capital ratio of less than 6%, a Tier 1 risk based capital ratio of less than 4%, a CET1 risk based capital ratio of less than 3%, and a Tier 1 leverage ratio of less than 3%.; (5) critically undercapitalized, an insured depository institution would have a ratio of tangible equity to total assets that is less than or equal to 2%. At December 31, 2020, the Bank qualified as “well-capitalized” under applicable regulatory capital standards.

Bank holding companies and insured depository institutions may also be subject to potential enforcement actions of varying levels of severity by the federal banking agencies for unsafe or unsound practices in conducting their business or for violation of any law, rule, regulation, condition imposed in writing by the agency or term of a written agreement with the agency. In more serious cases, enforcement actions may include the issuance of directives to increase capital; the issuance of formal and informal agreements; the imposition of civil monetary penalties; the issuance of a cease and desist order that can be judicially enforced; the issuance of removal and prohibition orders against officers, directors and other institution−affiliated parties; the termination of the insured depository institution’s deposit insurance; the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the insured depository institution; and the enforcement of such actions through injunctions or restraining orders based upon a judicial determination that the FDIC, as receiver, would be harmed if such equitable relief was not granted.

Volcker Rule

Section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act, commonly known as the Volcker Rule, restricts the ability of banking entities from: (1) engaging in “proprietary trading” and (2) investing in or sponsoring certain covered funds, subject to certain limited exceptions. Under the Economic Growth, Regulatory Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”), depository institutions and their holding companies with less than $10 billion in assets, are excluded from the prohibitions of the Volcker Rule. During 2020, the Company crossed the $10 billion threshold, accordingly, we are subject to the Volcker Rule again. Given the Company’s size and the scope of its activities, the implementation of the Volcker Rule did not have a significant effect on its consolidated financial statements.

Depositor Preference

The FDIA provides that, in the event of the “liquidation or other resolution” of an insured depository institution, the claims of depositors of the institution, including the claims of the FDIC as subrogee of insured depositors and certain claims for administrative expenses of the FDIC as a receiver, will have priority over other general unsecured claims against the institution. If an insured depository institution fails, insured and uninsured depositors, along with the FDIC, will have priority in payment ahead of unsecured, non-deposit creditors, including the parent bank holding company, with respect to any extensions of credit they have made to such insured depository institution.

Consumer Protection and CFPB Supervision

The Dodd-Frank Act centralized responsibility for consumer financial protection by creating the CFPB, an independent agency charged with responsibility for implementing, enforcing and examining compliance with federal consumer financial laws. The Company grew its asset base in excess of $10 billion in 2020. The Company is now subject to the CFPB’s examination authority with regard to compliance with federal consumer financial laws and regulations, in addition to the OCC as the primary regulatory of the Bank. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, state attorneys general are empowered to enforce rules issued by the CFPB.

The Company is subject to federal consumer financial statutes and the regulations promulgated thereunder including, but not limited to:

The Bank’s failure to comply with any of the consumer financial laws can result in civil actions, regulatory enforcement action by the federal banking agencies and the U.S. Department of Justice.

USA PATRIOT Act

The Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”), as amended by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), imposes obligations on U.S. financial institutions, including banks and broker-dealer subsidiaries, to implement policies, procedures and controls which are reasonably designed to detect and report instances of money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Financial institutions also are required to respond to requests for information from federal banking agencies and law enforcement agencies. Information sharing among financial institutions for the above purposes is encouraged by an exemption granted to complying financial institutions from the privacy provisions of the GLBA and other privacy laws. Financial institutions that hold correspondent accounts for foreign banks or provide private banking services to foreign individuals are required to take measures to avoid dealing with certain foreign individuals or entities, including foreign banks with profiles that raise money laundering concerns and are prohibited from dealing with foreign “shell banks” and persons from jurisdictions of particular concern. The primary federal banking agencies and the Secretary of the Treasury have adopted regulations to implement several of these provisions. Since May 11, 2018, the Bank has been required to comply with the Customer Due Diligence Rule, which clarified and strengthened the existing obligations for identifying new and existing customers and explicitly included risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence. All financial institutions also are required to establish internal anti-money laundering programs. The effectiveness of a financial institution in combating money laundering activities is a factor to be considered in any application submitted by the financial institution under the Bank Merger Act. The Company has a BSA and USA PATRIOT Act board-approved compliance program commensurate with its risk profile.

Identity Theft Prevention

The FCRA’s Red Flags Rule requires financial institutions with covered accounts (e.g., consumer bank accounts and loans) to develop, implement and administer an identity theft prevention program. This program must include reasonable policies and procedures to detect suspicious patterns or practices that indicate the possibility of identity theft, such as inconsistencies in personal information or changes in account activity.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Regulation

The United States government has imposed economic sanctions that affect transactions with designated foreign countries, nationals and others. These are typically known as the “OFAC” rules based on their administration by the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”). The OFAC-administered sanctions targeting countries take many different forms. Generally, they contain one or more of the following elements: (1) restrictions on trade with or investment in a sanctioned country, including prohibitions against direct or indirect imports from and exports to a sanctioned country and prohibitions on “U.S. persons” engaging in financial transactions relating to making investments in or providing investment-related advice or assistance to a sanctioned country; and (2) a blocking of assets in which the government or specially designated nationals of the sanctioned country have an interest, by prohibiting transfers of property subject to U.S. jurisdiction (including property in the possession or control of U.S. persons). Blocked assets (property and bank deposits) cannot be paid out, withdrawn, set off or transferred in any manner without a license from OFAC. Failure to comply with these sanctions could have serious legal and reputational consequences.

Financial Privacy and Data Security

The Company and the Bank are subject to federal laws, including the GLBA and certain state laws containing consumer privacy protection provisions. These provisions limit the ability of banks and other financial institutions to disclose nonpublic information about consumers to affiliated and non-affiliated third parties and limit the reuse of certain consumer information received from nonaffiliated financial institutions. These provisions require notice of privacy policies to clients and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of certain nonpublic personal information to affiliates or non-affiliated third parties by means of “opt out” or “opt in” authorizations.

The GLBA requires that financial institutions implement comprehensive written information security programs that include administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect consumer information. Further, pursuant to interpretive guidance issued under the GLBA and certain state laws, financial institutions are required to notify clients of security breaches resulting in unauthorized access to their personal information. The Bank believes it is in compliance with all GLBA obligations.

The Bank is also subject to data security standards, privacy and data breach notice requirements, primarily those issued by the OCC. The federal banking agencies, through the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, have adopted guidelines to encourage financial institutions to address cyber security risks and identify, assess and mitigate these risks, both internally and at critical third party services providers.

Community Reinvestment Act of 1977

The Bank has a responsibility under the CRA, as implemented by OCC regulations, to help meet the credit needs of the communities it serves, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. The CRA does not establish specific lending requirements or programs for financial institutions nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes are best suited to its particular community, consistent with the CRA. Regulators periodically assess the Bank’s record of compliance with the CRA. The Bank’s failure to comply with the CRA could, at a minimum, result in regulatory restrictions on its activities and the activities of the Company. The Bank’s latest CRA rating was “Satisfactory.”

Future Legislative Initiatives

Congress, state legislatures and financial regulatory agencies may introduce various legislative and regulatory initiatives that could affect the financial services industry, generally. Such initiatives may include proposals to expand or contract the powers of bank holding companies and/or depository institutions or proposals to substantially change the financial institution regulatory system. Such legislation could change banking statutes and the operating environment of the Company in substantial and unpredictable ways. If enacted, such legislation could increase or decrease the cost of doing business, limit or expand permissible activities or affect the competitive balance among banks, savings associations, credit unions and other financial institutions. The Company cannot predict whether any such legislation will be enacted, and, if enacted, the effect that it or any implementing regulations would have on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company. A change in statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries could have a material effect on the business of the Company.

Employees

At December 31, 2020, the Company had 1,812 full-time equivalent employees. The Company’s employees are not presently represented by any collective bargaining group.

Available Information

The Company’s website is http://www.nbtbancorp.com. The Company makes available free of charge through its website its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act. We also make available through our website other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC under the Exchange Act, including our proxy statements and reports filed by officers and directors under Section 16(a) of that Act, as well as our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and other codes/committee charters. The references to our website do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained in the website and such information should not be considered part of this document.

This Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website, which contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s website address is www.sec.gov.

There are risks inherent to the Company’s business. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect the Company are described below. Any of the following risks could affect the Company’s financial condition and results of operations and could be material and/or adverse in nature. You should consider all of the following risks together with all of the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Risks Related to our Business and Industry

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is adversely impacting the Company and our customers, counterparties, employees and third-party service providers. Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an economic recession and disruptions in the U.S. economy and may disrupt banking and other financial activity in the areas in which the Company operates and the adverse impacts on our business, financial position, results of operations and prospects could be significant.

The Company’s business is dependent upon the willingness and ability of our employees and customers to conduct banking and other financial transactions. The COVID-19 global public health crisis and the corresponding governmental response have resulted in widespread volatility, severe disruptions in the U.S. economy at large, operational difficulty for many small businesses, and deterioration in household, business, economic and market conditions. The extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related responses on our capital, liquidity and other financial positions and on our business, results of operations and prospects will depend on a number of evolving factors, including:

Additionally, if the COVID-19 pandemic has an adverse effect on (1) customer deposits, (2) the ability of our borrowers to satisfy their obligations to us, (3) the demand for our loans or our other products and services, (4) other aspects of our business operations, or (5) on financial markets, real estate markets, or economic growth, this could, depending on the extent of the decline in customer deposits or loan defaults, materially and adversely affect our liquidity and financial condition and our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

The Company is unable to fully estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations at this time. The global pandemic may cause us to experience higher credit losses in our lending portfolio, impairment of our goodwill and other financial assets, further reduced demand for our products and services and other negative impacts on our financial position, results of operations and prospects. Sustained adverse effects may also prevent us from satisfying our minimum regulatory capital ratios and other supervisory requirements or result in downgrades in our credit ratings.

Any of the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including those described above, alone or in combination with others, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Any of these negative impacts, alone or in combination with others, could exacerbate many of the risk factors discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The full extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will negatively affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to the pandemic.

The Company’s active participation in PPP, or in other relief programs, may expose us to credit losses as well as litigation and compliance risk.

To support our customers, businesses, and communities, the Company’s participation in the PPP, and participation in any other relief programs now or in the future, including those under the CARES Act, exposes us to certain credit, compliance, and other risks.

Pursuant to regulatory requirements, PPP loans are subject to forbearance of loan repayment, and if PPP borrowers fail to qualify for loan forgiveness from the SBA, the Company bears the risk of holding these loans at unfavorable interest rates. In addition, because of the short time period between the passing of the CARES Act and the implementation of the PPP, there is ambiguity in the laws, rules, and guidance regarding the operation of the PPP, which exposes us to risks relating to noncompliance with the PPP. There is risk that the SBA or another governmental entity could conclude there is a deficiency in the manner in which the Company originated, funded, or serviced PPP loans, which may or may not be related to the ambiguity in the CARES Act or the rules and guidance promulgated by the SBA and the U.S. Department of the Treasury regarding the operation of the PPP. In the event of such deficiency, the SBA may deny its liability under the guaranty, reduce the amount of the guaranty, or, if it has already made payment under the guaranty, seek recovery of any loss related to the deficiency from us.

Since the commencement of the PPP, several other banks have been subject to litigation regarding the processes and procedures that such banks followed in accepting and processing applications for the PPP. We may be exposed to the risk of similar litigation, from both customers and non-customers, with respect to the processes and procedures we used in processing applications for the PPP. If any such litigation is filed against us and is not resolved in a manner favorable to us, it may result in significant financial liability to us or adversely affect our reputation business, financial condition, and results of operations.

In addition, we may be subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding the Company’s processing of PPP applications or its origination or servicing of PPP loans. While the SBA has stated that banks may rely on the certifications of borrowers regarding their eligibility for PPP loans, the Company also has obligations under the PPP. If the SBA found that the Company did not meet those obligations, the remedies the SBA may seek against the Company are unknown but may include not guarantying the PPP loans, resulting in credit exposure to borrowers who may be unable to repay their loans.

Deterioration in local economic conditions may negatively impact our financial performance.

The Company’s success depends primarily on the general economic conditions in central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Hampshire, western Massachusetts, Vermont, southern coastal Maine, central Connecticut and the specific local markets in which the Company operates. Unlike larger national or other regional banks that are more geographically diversified, the Company provides banking and financial services to customers primarily in the upstate New York areas of Norwich, Syracuse, Oneonta, Amsterdam-Gloversville, Albany, Binghamton, Utica-Rome, Plattsburgh, Glens Falls and Ogdensburg-Massena, the northeastern Pennsylvania areas of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, Vermont, the southern coastal Maine area and central Connecticut. The local economic conditions in these areas have a significant impact on the demand for the Company’s products and services as well as the ability of the Company’s customers to repay loans, the value of the collateral securing loans and the stability of the Company’s deposit funding sources.

As a lender with the majority of our loans secured by real estate or made to businesses in New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Connecticut, a downturn in these local economies could cause significant increases in nonperforming loans, which could negatively impact our earnings. Declines in real estate values in our market areas could cause any of our loans to become inadequately collateralized, which would expose us to greater risk of loss. Additionally, a decline in real estate values could result in the decline of originations of such loans, as most of our loans and the collateral securing our loans, are located in those areas.

Variations in interest rates could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s earnings and financial condition, like that of most financial institutions, are largely dependent upon net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned from loans and investments and interest paid on deposits and borrowings. The narrowing of interest rate spreads could adversely affect the Company’s earnings and financial condition. The Company cannot predict with certainty, or control, changes in interest rates. Regional and local economic conditions and the policies of regulatory authorities, including monetary policies of the FRB, affect rates and, therefore, interest income and interest expense. High interest rates could also affect the amount of loans that the Company can originate because higher rates could cause customers to apply for fewer mortgages or cause depositors to shift funds from accounts that have a comparatively lower cost to accounts with a higher cost. The Company may also experience customer attrition due to competitor pricing. If the cost of interest-bearing deposits increases at a rate greater than the yields on interest-earning assets increase, net interest income will be negatively affected. Changes in the asset and liability mix may also affect net interest income. Similarly, lower interest rates cause higher yielding assets to prepay and floating or adjustable rate assets to reset to lower rates. If the Company is not able to reduce its funding costs sufficiently, due to either competitive factors or the maturity schedule of existing liabilities, then the Company’s net interest margin will decline.

Any substantial or unexpected change in, or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. See the section captioned “Net Interest Income” in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk located elsewhere in this report for further discussion related to the Company’s management of interest rate risk.

Our lending, and particularly our emphasis on commercial lending, exposes us to the risk of losses upon borrower default.

As of December 31, 2020, approximately 54% of the Company’s loan portfolio consisted of commercial and industrial, agricultural, commercial construction and commercial real estate loans. These types of loans generally expose a lender to greater risk of non-payment and loss than residential real estate loans because repayment of the loans often depends on the successful operation of the property, the income stream of the borrowers and, for construction loans, the accuracy of the estimate of the property’s value at completion of construction and the estimated cost of construction. Such loans typically involve larger loan balances to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers compared to residential real estate loans. Because the Company’s loan portfolio contains a significant number of commercial and industrial, agricultural, construction and commercial real estate loans with relatively large balances, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans could cause a significant increase in nonperforming loans. An increase in nonperforming loans could result in a net loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the provision for loan losses and/or an increase in loan charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. See the section captioned “Loans” in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations located elsewhere in this report for further discussion related to our commercial and industrial, agricultural, construction and commercial real estate loans.

Our allowance for loan losses may not be sufficient to cover actual loan losses, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Company maintains an allowance for loan losses, which is an allowance established through a provision for loan losses charged to expense, that represents management’s best estimate of expected credit losses within the existing portfolio of loans. The allowance, in the judgment of management, is necessary to reserve for estimated loan losses and risks inherent in the loan portfolio. The determination of the appropriate level of the allowance for loan losses inherently involves a high degree of subjectivity and requires the Company to make significant estimates of current credit risks, forecast economic conditions and future trends, all of which may undergo material changes. Changes in economic conditions affecting borrowers, new information regarding existing loans, identification of additional problem loans and other factors, both within and outside of the Company’s control, may require an increase in the allowance for loan losses. Bank regulatory agencies periodically review the Company’s allowance for loan losses and may require an increase in the provision for loan losses or the recognition of further loan charge-offs, based on judgments different from those of management. In addition, if charge-offs in future periods exceed the allowance for loan losses, the Company may need additional provisions to increase the allowance for loan losses. These potential increases in the allowance for loan losses would result in a decrease in net income and, possibly, capital and may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. See the section captioned “Risk Management – Credit Risk” in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations located elsewhere in this report for further discussion related to the Company’s process for determining the appropriate level of the allowance for loan losses. Management expects that the CECL model may create more volatility in the level of our allowance for loan losses from quarter to quarter as changes in the level of allowance for loan losses will be dependent upon, among other things, macroeconomic forecasts and conditions, loan portfolio volumes and credit quality.

Strong competition within our industry and market area could adversely affect our performance and slow our growth.

The Company faces substantial competition in all areas of its operations from a variety of different competitors, many of which are larger and may have more financial resources. Such competitors primarily include national, regional and community banks within the various markets in which the Company operates. Additionally, various banks continue to enter or have announced plans to enter the market areas in which the Company currently operates. The Company also faces competition from many other types of financial institutions, including, without limitation, savings and loans, credit unions, finance companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies and other financial intermediaries. The financial services industry could continue to become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory and technological changes and continued consolidation. Technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for non-banks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfer and automatic payment systems. Many of the Company’s competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and may have lower cost structures. Additionally, due to their size, many competitors may be able to achieve economies of scale and, as a result, may offer a broader range of products and services as well as better pricing for those products and services than the Company can.

The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including, among other things: