CARE US Equity☆

care-20211231

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021

For the transition period from to

Commission file number: 001-39731

CARTER BANKSHARES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1300 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, Virginia 24112

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (276) 656-1776

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

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered

Common Stock, $1 par value CARE Nasdaq Global Select Market

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 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.

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Large accelerated filer ̈ Accelerated filer x Emerging growth company ̈

Non-accelerated filer o Smaller reporting company o

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 ☒

The aggregate market value of Carter Bankshares, Inc.’s common stock held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the price at which the common stock was last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common stock, as of June 30, 2021 was $325,891,342.

There were 25,357,994 shares of common stock of Carter Bankshares, Inc. outstanding as of March 8, 2022.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement of Carter Bankshares, Inc., to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A for the 2022 annual meeting of shareholders to be held May 25, 2022, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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PART I

Item 1. Business 5

Item 1A. Risk Factors 20

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 31

Item 2. Properties 31

Item 3. Legal Proceedings 31

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 31

PART II

Item 6. [Reserved] 34

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 60

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data 62

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 119

Item 9B. Other Information 120

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 120

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 121

Item 11. Executive Compensation 121

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services 122

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 123

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Important Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains or incorporates statements that we believe are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential additional impact on the Company, its markets and its customers, potential asset quality and net interest income developments, and the Company’s efficiency initiatives, and deferral programs and may otherwise relate to our financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, outlook for earnings, revenues, expenses, capital and liquidity levels and ratios, asset levels, asset quality, financial position, litigation to which the Company is or has been a party and the potential impacts thereof, and other matters regarding or affecting the Company and its future business and operations. Forward looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “will likely result,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “intend,” “ believe,” “assume,” “strategy,” “trend,” “plan,” “outlook,” “outcome,” “continue,” “remain,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “current,” “position,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve” and variations of such words and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as will, would, should, could or may. Although we believe the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and trends to differ materially from those made, projected, or implied in or by the forward-looking statements depending on a variety of uncertainties or other factors including, but not limited to: changes in accounting policies, practices, or guidance, including for example, our adoption of Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”); credit losses; technological risks and developments; cyber-security threats, attacks or events; rapid technological developments and changes; the Company’s liquidity and capital positions; the potential adverse effects of unusual and infrequently occurring events, such as weather-related disasters, terrorist acts or public health events (such as the current COVID-19 pandemic), and of governmental and societal responses thereto; these potential adverse effects may include, without limitation, adverse effects on the ability of the Company's borrowers to satisfy their obligations to the Company, on the value of collateral securing loans, on the demand for the Company's loans or its other products and services, on incidents of cyberattacks and fraud, on the Company’s liquidity or capital positions, on risks posed by reliance on third-party service providers, on other aspects of the Company's business operations and on financial markets and economic growth; the effect of steps the Company takes or has taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the severity and duration of the pandemic, the uncertainty regarding new variants of COVID-19 that have emerged, the speed and efficacy of vaccine and treatment developments, the impact of loosening or tightening of government restrictions, the pace of economic recovery when the pandemic subsides and the impact it has on exacerbating many of the risks described herein; legislative or regulatory changes and requirements, including the impact of the Coronavirus Aide, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), as amended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “CAA”), and other legislative and regulatory reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic; potential claims, damages, and fines related to litigation or government actions, including litigation or actions arising from the Company’s participation in and administration of programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including, among other things, under the CARES Act, as amended by the CAA; sensitivity to the interest rate environment including a prolonged period of low interest rates, a rapid increase in interest rates or a change in the shape of the yield curve; inflation; a change in spreads on interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities; regulatory supervision and oversight; legislation affecting the financial services industry as a whole, and the Company, in particular; the outcome of pending and future litigation and governmental proceedings; increasing price and product/service competition; the ability to continue to introduce competitive new products and services on a timely, cost-effective basis; the Company’s strategic branch network optimization plan; managing our internal growth and acquisitions; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from acquisitions cannot be fully realized in a timely manner or at all, or that integrating the acquired operations will be more difficult, disruptive or more costly than anticipated; containing costs and expenses; reliance on significant customer relationships; general economic or business conditions; deterioration of the housing market and reduced demand for mortgages; deterioration in the overall macroeconomic conditions or the state of the banking industry that could impact the re-emergence of turbulence in significant portions of the global financial and real estate markets that could impact our performance, both directly, by affecting our revenues and the value of our assets and liabilities, and indirectly, by affecting the economy generally and access to capital in the amounts, at the times and on the terms required to support our future businesses. Many of these factors, as well as other factors, are described throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors and any of our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Forward-looking statements are based on beliefs and assumptions using information available at the time the statements are made. We caution you not to unduly rely on forward-looking statements because the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and projections about future events may, and often do, differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as to the date on which it is made, and we undertake no obligation to update, revise or clarify any forward-looking statement to reflect developments occurring after the statement is made.

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CARTER BANKSHARES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

PART 1

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

General

Carter Bankshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is a holding company headquartered in Martinsville, Virginia with assets of $4.1 billion at December 31, 2021. The Company is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Carter Bank & Trust (the “Bank”). The Bank is an insured, Virginia state-chartered commercial bank which operates branches in Virginia and North Carolina and is the fourth largest state chartered commercial bank headquartered in Virginia, operating 69 branches across both states. The Bank provides a full range of financial services with retail, commercial banking products and insurance products.

Holding Company Reorganization

The Company was incorporated on October 7, 2020, by and at the direction of the board of directors of the Bank, for the sole purpose of acquiring the Bank and serving as the Bank’s parent bank holding company pursuant to a corporate reorganization transaction (the “Reorganization”). On November 9, 2020, the Bank entered into an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Reorganization Agreement”) with the Company and CBT Merger Sub, Inc. (the “Merger Sub”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to which the Reorganization would be effected. Effective at 7:00 p.m. on November 20, 2020 (the “Effective Time”), under the terms of the Reorganization Agreement and pursuant to Section 13.1-719.1 of the Virginia Stock Corporation Act (the “VSCA”), the Bank merged with the Merger Sub and survived such merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company had no material assets and had not conducted any business or operations except for activities related to the Company’s organization and the Reorganization.

At the Effective Time, under the terms of the Reorganization Agreement and pursuant to Section 13.1-719.1 of the VSCA, each of the outstanding shares of the Bank’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share, formerly held by its shareholders was converted into and exchanged for one newly issued share of the Company’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share, and the Bank became the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary. The shares of the Company’s common stock issued to the Bank’s shareholders were issued without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(a)(12) of the Act. Pursuant to Section 13.1-719.1 of the VSCA, the Reorganization did not require approval of the Bank’s shareholders.

In the Reorganization, each shareholder of the Bank received securities of the same class, having substantially the same designations, rights, powers, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions, as those that the shareholder held in the Bank.

Prior to the Effective Time, the Bank’s common stock was registered under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Bank was subject to the information requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with Section 12(i) thereof, it filed annual and quarterly reports, proxy statements and other information with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). Upon consummation of the Reorganization, the Company’s common stock was deemed to be registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) promulgated thereunder, and the Company now files annual reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC.

The Company’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“NASDAQ”) under the ticker symbol “CARE.”

Operations

The Bank earns revenue primarily from interest on loans and securities and fees charged for financial services provided to our customers. The Bank incurs expenses for the cost of deposits, provision for credit losses and other operating costs such as salaries and employee benefits, data processing, occupancy and tax expense.

Our mission is that the Bank strives to be the preferred lifetime financial partner for our customers and shareholders, and the employer of choice in the communities the Bank is privileged to serve. Our strategic plan focuses on restructuring the balance sheet to provide more diversification and higher yielding assets to increase the net interest margin. Another area of focus is the transformation of the infrastructure of the Bank to provide a foundation for operational efficiency and provide new products and services for our customers that will ultimately increase noninterest income.

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

Our focus continues to be on loan and deposit growth with a shift in the composition of deposits to more low cost core deposits with less dependence on higher cost certificates of deposits (“CDs”), as well as, implementing opportunities to increase fee income while closely monitoring our operating expenses. The Bank is focused on executing our strategy to successfully build our brand and grow our business in our markets.

The Bank offers a full range of deposit services including LIFETIME FREE CHECKING, interest checking accounts, savings accounts, retirement accounts and other deposit accounts of various types, ranging from money market accounts to longer-term CDs. These products and services are available to our personal and business customers. The transaction accounts and time CDs are tailored to each of the Bank's principal markets at competitive rates. All deposit accounts are insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amount allowed by law. The Dodd-Frank Act Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), signed into law on July 21, 2010, made permanent the $250,000 limit for federal deposit insurance, and the coverage limit applies per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership.

The Bank also offers a full range of commercial and personal loans. Commercial loans include both secured and unsecured loans. Consumer loans include residential mortgage, secured and unsecured loans for financing automobiles, home improvements, education, overdraft protection, personal investments and credit cards. The Bank also makes real estate construction and acquisition loans, and originates and holds fixed and variable rate mortgage loans. In addition, the Bank now offers home equity lines of credit to its customers.

The Bank's lending activities are subject to a variety of lending limits imposed by federal law. While differing limits apply in certain circumstances based on the type of loan or the nature of the borrower (including the borrower's relationship to the Bank), in general the Bank is subject to a “loan to one” borrower limit of an amount equal to 15% of the Bank's unimpaired capital and surplus. The Bank may not make loans to any director, officer, employee or 10% shareholder of the Bank unless the loan is approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) and is made on terms not more favorable than are made available to a person not affiliated with the Bank.

Other bank services include safe deposit boxes, direct deposit of payroll and social security checks and debit cards. Online banking products including a full suite of digital tools including: online and mobile banking, online account opening, bill pay, eStatements (paperless electronic statements), mobile deposit, Zelle®, CardValet®, digital wallet, and MoneyPass® network of ATMs. Treasury and corporate cash management services are also available to our business customers. The Bank also provides title insurance and other financial institution-related products and services. The Bank has no current plans to exercise trust powers.

The Bank has one wholly owned subsidiary, CB&T Investment Company (“the Investment Company”), which was chartered effective April 1, 2019. The Investment Company was formed to hold and manage a group of investments previously owned by the Bank and to provide additional latitude to purchase other investments.

The Company is a Virginia business corporation subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. As such, the Company is subject to supervision and examination by, and the regulations and reporting requirements of, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“FRB”). The Company’s principal office, which is the same as the Bank’s principal office, is located at 1300 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, Virginia 24112. The Company’s telephone number at that address is (276) 656-1776. The Company’s website address is www.cbtcares.com.

Competition

The Bank experiences significant competition in attracting depositors and borrowers. Competition in lending activities comes principally from other commercial banks, savings associations, insurance companies, governmental agencies, credit unions, brokerage firms and other non-bank lenders including mortgage companies and consumer finance companies. Competition for deposits comes from other commercial banks, savings associations, money market and mutual funds, credit unions, insurance companies and brokerage firms. Some of the financial organizations competing with the Bank have greater financial resources

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

than the Bank. Certain of these financial organizations also have greater geographic coverage and some offer bank and bank-related services that the Bank does not offer.

Human Capital Management

Our associates are the engine that drives our mission to be the preferred lifetime financial partner for the communities in which we are privileged to serve. Our core values of building lasting relationships, inclusivity, and optimism are key to building and maintaining a team-oriented environment with associates that are engaged in open communication to help each other serve, learn, and grow. Our investment in competitive compensation, health benefits, wellness programs, and a focus on healthy work-life integration allows our associates to provide a high level of professional service to our customers. At Carter Bankshares, Inc., caring is what we’ll always do best.

Demographics

As of December 31, 2021, we employed 731 full and part-time associates across our two-state footprint. No associates are represented by a collective bargaining unit. For fiscal year 2021, we hired 169 associates. Our voluntary separation turnover rate was 16.5% in fiscal year 2021.

Compensation, Benefits, and Wellness

Our compensation strategy includes the development of job descriptions that are reviewed annually. We use market-based compensation and benefits data to provide competitive salaries and benefits for our associates. We offer paid leave, health benefits, wellness programs, a 401(k) program with matching and year-end employer contributions, restricted stock awards for high performing associates, flexible spending accounts, and employee assistance programs to all eligible associates. We bring in external professionals who conduct wellness programs, which has been especially effective during the COVID-19 pandemic, to help our associates remain focused on their health and wellness.

Associate Performance and Development

The development and performance of our associates is centered on open dialogue that provides the associate with our expectations for their role and management the opportunity to understand their insight on careers and aspirations. Our performance review process uses core competencies and a standardized rating system to measure performance. Associates are provided the opportunity at the start of the review cycle to perform a self-assessment including comments. These self-assessments are available for their leaders to review as they develop the overall performance rating. The performance review is used as input for the merit increase process.

The Bank conducts a standard New Associate Orientation program that associates attend on their first day of employment. Our Human Resources team, along with various departments, provide a standard first-day program so new associates receive consistent information to jump start their new opportunity with the Bank. Associates also complete an average of 15 hours of regulatory and compliance training each year, in addition to training specific to their job duties and responsibilities. Leadership programs have been developed and conducted to provide leaders with the tools and resources they need to develop their associates and build high-performing teams. Associates are given opportunities to attend webinars and enroll in outside classes to enrich their professional goals.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We strive to promote inclusion through our core company values and behaviors. We use various communication channels to develop an engaged workforce and create an inclusive workplace. In 2021, we created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (the “DEI Council”) that is sponsored by our Chief Executive Officer (or “CEO”) and directed by our Chief Human Resources Officer and our Regulatory Risk Management Director. The DEI Council consists of at least eight associates from across our organization and is focused on collecting information, developing a roadmap, and presenting information to management to further the Bank’s efforts of identifying areas of focus and recommending action plans to cultivate a culture that will attract and retain a diverse workforce.

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

Here is a snapshot of our diversity metrics as of December 31, 2021:

Gender % of Total

Generation % of Total

Generation Z (1997 and later) 6.66 %

Silent Generation (before 1946) 0.91 %

Ethnicity % of Total

American Indian / Alaskan Native 0.40 %

Black or African American 9.69 %

Hispanic or Latino 2.12 %

Not specified 0.20 %

Two or more races 1.72 %

We continue our commitment to equal employment opportunities by focusing on attracting, developing and retaining a diverse workforce.

Talent Acquisition and Retention

We focus on fairness and equitable approaches to create an environment where all of our associates can develop and thrive. Our efforts include ongoing reviews of our selection and hiring practices alongside a continued focus on pay equity analysis to offer our associates salaries based on their experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and fit for their job’s duties and responsibilities.

Our talent acquisition program uses various external partners to reach a diverse population of candidates. We have developed training programs that prepare associates for their role and responsibilities. Our leaders identify and work with our Human Resources teams to promote associates when an opportunity is available.

Supervision and Regulation

General

Bank holding companies, banks and their affiliates are extensively regulated under federal and state law. Consequently, the growth and earnings performance of the Company and the Bank can be affected not only by management decisions and general economic conditions, but also by the statutes administered by, and the regulations and policies of, various governmental regulatory authorities including, but not limited to, the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions (the “Bureau”), the FDIC, the FRB, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), federal and state taxing authorities, and the SEC.

The following summary briefly describes significant provisions of currently applicable federal and state laws and certain regulations and the potential impact of such provisions. This summary is not complete, and we refer you to the particular statutory or regulatory provisions or proposals for more information. Because regulation of financial institutions changes regularly and is the subject of constant legislative and regulatory debate, we cannot forecast how federal and state regulation and supervision of financial institutions may change in the future and affect the Company’s and the Bank’s operations.

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

Regulatory Reform

The financial crisis of 2008, including the downturn of global economic, financial and money markets and the threat of collapse of numerous financial institutions, and other events led to the adoption of numerous laws and regulations that apply to, and focus on, financial institutions. The most significant of these laws is the Dodd-Frank Act, which, in part, was intended to implement significant structural reforms to the financial services industry. The Dodd-Frank Act implemented far-reaching changes across the financial regulatory landscape, including changes that have significantly affected the business of all bank holding companies and banks, including the Company and the Bank. Some of the rules that have been proposed and, in some cases, adopted to comply with the Dodd-Frank Act's mandates are discussed further below.

In May 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act (the “EGRRCPA”) was enacted to reduce the regulatory burden on certain banking organizations, including community banks, by modifying or eliminating certain federal regulatory requirements. While the EGRRCPA maintains most of the regulatory structure established by the Dodd-Frank Act, it amends certain aspects of the regulatory framework for small depository institutions with assets of less than $10 billion as well as for larger banks with assets above $50 billion. In addition, the EGRRCPA included regulatory relief for community banks regarding regulatory examination cycles, call reports, application of the Volcker Rule (proprietary trading prohibitions), mortgage disclosures, qualified mortgages, and risk weights for certain high-risk commercial real estate loans. However, federal banking regulators retain broad discretion to impose additional regulatory requirements on banking organizations based on safety and soundness and U.S. financial system stability considerations.

The Company and the Bank continue to experience ongoing regulatory reform. These regulatory changes could have a significant effect on how we conduct business. The specific implications of the Dodd-Frank Act, the EGRRCPA, and other potential regulatory reforms cannot yet be fully predicted and will depend to a large extent on the specific regulations that are to be adopted in the future. Certain aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act and the EGRRCPA are discussed below in more detail.

Regulation of the Company and the Bank

As a bank holding company, the Company is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (the “BHCA”) and regulation and supervision by the FRB. Pursuant to the BHCA, the FRB has the power to order any bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any activity or to terminate its ownership or control of any subsidiary when it has reasonable grounds to believe that continuation of such activity or ownership constitutes a serious risk to the financial soundness, safety or stability of any bank subsidiary of the bank holding company. The FRB and the FDIC have adopted guidelines and released interpretative materials that establish operational and managerial standards to promote the safe and sound operation of banks and bank holding companies. These standards relate to the institution’s key operating functions, including but not limited to capital management, internal controls, internal audit systems, information systems, data and cybersecurity, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure and risk management, vendor management, executive management and its compensation, corporate governance, asset growth, asset quality, earnings, liquidity and risk management.

The BHCA generally limits the activities of a bank holding company and its subsidiaries to that of banking, managing or controlling banks, or any other activity that is closely related to banking or to managing or controlling banks, and permits interstate banking acquisitions subject to certain conditions, including national and state concentration limits. The FRB has jurisdiction under the BHCA to approve any bank or non-bank acquisition, merger or consolidation proposed by a bank holding company. A bank holding company must be “well capitalized” and “well managed” to engage in an interstate bank acquisition or merger, and banks may branch across state lines provided that the law of the state in which the branch is to be located would permit establishment of the branch if the bank were a state bank chartered by such state. Bank holding companies and their subsidiaries are also subject to restrictions on transactions with insiders and affiliates, as further discussed below. Finally, the Company is subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including, but not limited to, filing annual, quarterly and other current reports with the SEC.

The Bank is subject to supervision, regulation and examination by the Bureau and the Bank’s primary federal regulator, the FDIC. Federal and state laws and regulations generally applicable to financial institutions regulate, among other things, the scope of business, investments, reserves against deposits, capital levels relative to operations, the nature and amount of collateral for loans, the establishment of branches, mergers, consolidations and dividends. The system of supervision and regulation applicable to the Bank establishes a comprehensive framework for its operations and is intended primarily for the protection of the FDIC’s deposit insurance funds and the depositors. The Bank is not a member of the Federal Reserve System.

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

Banking Acquisitions; Changes in Control

The BHCA and related regulations require, among other things, the prior approval of the FRB in any case where a bank holding company proposes to (i) acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of the outstanding voting stock of any bank or bank holding company (unless it already owns a majority of such voting shares), (ii) acquire all or substantially all of the assets of another bank or bank holding company, or (iii) merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company. In determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition, the FRB will consider, among other factors, the effect of the acquisition on competition, the public benefits expected to be received from the acquisition, any outstanding regulatory compliance issues of any institution that is a party to the transaction, the projected capital ratios and levels on a post-acquisition basis, the financial condition of each institution that is a party to the transaction and of the combined institution after the transaction, the parties’ managerial resources and risk management and governance processes and systems, the parties’ compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering requirements, and the acquiring institution’s performance under the Community Reinvestment Act and its compliance with fair housing and other consumer protection laws.

Subject to certain exceptions, the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with the applicable regulations, require FRB approval (or, depending on the circumstances, no notice of disapproval) prior to any person or company’s acquiring “control” of a bank or bank holding company. A conclusive presumption of control exists if an individual or company acquires the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of an insured depository institution or to vote 25% or more of any class of voting securities of any insured depository institution. A rebuttable presumption of control exists if a person or company acquires 10% or more but less than 25% of any class of voting securities of an insured depository institution and either the institution has registered its securities with the SEC under Section 12 of the Exchange Act or no other person will own a greater percentage of that class of voting securities immediately after the acquisition. The Company’s common stock is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act.

On April 1, 2020, the FRB’s new rule for determining whether a company has control over a bank or other company for purposes of the BHCA, and the control presumptions promulgated under Regulation Y, became effective. The new rule provides specific guidance for the FRB’s approach to certain control evaluations, including a tiered framework incorporating a series of presumptions based on ownership of a class of voting securities. A company may be presumed to be in control of a target second company based on five levels of ownership of voting securities: (i) less than five percent; (ii) five percent; (iii) ten percent; (iv) 15 percent; (v) 25 percent; and (vi) with a presumption triggered at levels below 25 percent, depending on whether any of nine types of relationships exist (i.e., directors and director service positions, business relationships and business terms, officer/employee interlocks, contractual powers, proxy contests involving directors, and total equity ownership) and, at the same time, ownership of a class of voting securities exceeds certain thresholds. As was the case prior to the new rule, a presumption of control (once triggered) does not automatically result in a control determination under the BHCA as such presumptions may be rebutted. The new rule applies only to questions of control under the BHCA, but does not extend to the Change in Bank Control Act.

In addition, Virginia law requires the prior approval of the SCC for (i) the acquisition by a Virginia bank holding company of more than 5% of the voting shares of a Virginia bank or a Virginia bank holding company, or (ii) the acquisition by any other person of control of a Virginia bank holding company or a Virginia bank.

Certain Transactions by Insured Banks with their Affiliates

There are statutory restrictions related to the extent bank holding companies and their non-bank subsidiaries may borrow, obtain credit from or otherwise engage in “covered transactions” with their insured depository institution (i.e., banking) subsidiaries. In general, an “affiliate” of a bank includes the bank’s parent holding company and any subsidiary thereof. However, an “affiliate” does not generally include the bank’s operating subsidiaries. A bank (and its subsidiaries) may not lend money to, or engage in other covered transactions with, its non-bank affiliates if the aggregate amount of covered transactions outstanding involving the bank, plus the proposed transaction, exceeds the following limits: (a) in the case of any one such affiliate, the aggregate amount of covered transactions of the bank and its subsidiaries cannot exceed 10 percent of the bank’s capital stock and surplus; and (b) in the case of all affiliates, the aggregate amount of covered transactions of the bank and its subsidiaries cannot exceed 20 percent of the bank’s capital stock and surplus. “Covered transactions” are defined to include a loan or extension of credit to an affiliate, a purchase of or investment in securities issued by an affiliate, a purchase of assets from an affiliate, the acceptance of securities issued by an affiliate as collateral for a loan or extension of credit to any person or company, the issuance of a guarantee, acceptance or letter of credit on behalf of an affiliate, securities borrowing or lending

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS - (continued)

transactions with an affiliate that creates a credit exposure to such affiliate, or a derivatives transaction with an affiliate that creates a credit exposure to such affiliate. Certain covered transactions are also subject to collateral security requirements.

Covered transactions as well as other types of transactions between a bank and a bank holding company must be on market terms, which means that the transaction must be conducted on terms and under circumstances that are substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the bank, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with or involving nonaffiliates or, in the absence of comparable transactions, that in good faith would be offered to or would apply to nonaffiliates. Moreover, certain amendments to the BHCA provide that, to further competition, a bank holding company and its subsidiaries are prohibited from engaging in certain tying arrangements in connection with any extension of credit, lease or sale of property of any kind, or furnishing of any service.

Regulatory Capital Requirements

All financial institutions are required to maintain minimum levels of regulatory capital. The FDIC establishes risk-based and leveraged capital standards for the financial institutions they regulate. The FDIC also may impose capital requirements in excess of these standards on a case-by-case basis for various reasons, including financial condition or actual or anticipated growth.

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Bank qualified as a “well capitalized” institution. Refer to Note 21, Capital Adequacy, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Part II, Item 8, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal bank regulatory authorities issued an interim final rule in March 2020 to provide banking organizations that were required to implement Accounting Standard Update 2016-13: Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments before the end of 2020 the option to delay the estimated impact on regulatory capital by up to two years, with a three-year transition period to phase out the cumulative benefit to regulatory capital provided during the two-year delay.

On August 26, 2020, federal banking agencies adopted a final rule that was substantially similar to the interim final rule issued in March 2020, which allowed the Company to phase in the impact of adopting the Current Expected Credit Losses (“CECL”) methodology up to two years, with a three-year transition period to phase out the cumulative benefit to regulatory capital provided during the two-year delay. The Company adopted the CECL methodology effective January 1, 2021. Refer to “Capital Resources” in Part II, Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”), of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information regarding the impact of this final rule on the Company’s regulatory capital.

Basel III Capital Framework

The FRB and the FDIC have adopted rules to implement the Basel III capital framework as outlined by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and standards for calculating risk-weighted assets and risk-based capital measurements (collectively, the “Basel III Final Rules”) that apply to banking institutions they supervise and to bank holding companies. For the purposes of the Basel III Final Rules, (i) common equity tier 1 capital (CET1) consists principally of common stock (including surplus) and retained earnings; (ii) Tier 1 capital consists principally of CET1 plus non-cumulative preferred stock and related surplus, and certain grandfathered cumulative preferred stocks and trust preferred securities; and (iii) Tier 2 capital consists of other capital instruments, principally qualifying subordinated debt and preferred stock, and limited amounts of an institution’s allowance for credit losses. Each regulatory capital classification is subject to certain adjustments and limitations, as implemented by the Basel III Final Rules. The Basel III Final Rules also establish risk weightings that are applied to many classes of assets held by community banks, importantly including applying higher risk weightings to certain commercial real estate loans.

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The Basel III Final Rules and minimum capital ratios were effective January 1, 2015. The Basel III Final Rules also include a requirement that banks and bank holding companies maintain additional capital (the “capital conservation buffer”), which was phased in beginning January 1, 2016 and was fully phased-in effective January 1, 2019. The Basel III Final Rules and fully phased-in capital conservation buffer require:

•a minimum ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets of at least 4.5%, plus a 2.5% capital conservation buffer (which is added to the minimum CET1 ratio, effectively resulting in a required ratio of CET1 to risk-weighted assets of at least 7%);

•a minimum ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 6.0%, plus the capital conservation buffer (effectively resulting in a required Tier 1 capital ratio of 8.5%);

•a minimum ratio of total capital (that is, Tier 1 plus Tier 2) capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0%, plus the capital conservation buffer (effectively resulting in a required total capital ratio of 10.5%); and

•a minimum leverage ratio of 4.0%, calculated as the ratio of Tier 1 capital to average total assets, subject to certain adjustments and limitations.

The Basel III Final Rules provide deductions from and adjustments to regulatory capital measures, primarily to CET1, including deductions and adjustments that were not applied to reduce CET1 under historical regulatory capital rules. For example, mortgage servicing rights, deferred tax assets dependent upon future taxable income, and significant investments in non-consolidated financial entities must be deducted from CET1 to the extent that any one such category exceeds 10% of CET1 or all such categories in the aggregate exceed 15% of CET1. As of December 31, 2021, the Company and the Bank met all capital adequacy requirements under the Basel III Final Rules.

Community Bank Leverage Ratio

As a result of the EGRRCPA, the federal banking agencies have developed and implemented the Community Bank Leverage Ratio Framework (the “CBLRF”). To qualify for the CBLRF, a bank must have less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets, limited amounts of off-balance sheet exposures and trading assets and liabilities, and a leverage ratio greater than 9%. A bank that elects the CBLRF and has a leverage ratio greater than 9% will be considered to be in compliance with Basel III capital requirements and exempt from the complex Basel III calculations. A bank that falls out of compliance with the CBLRF will have a two-quarter grace period to come back into full compliance, provided that its leverage ratio remains above 8% (a bank will be deemed well-capitalized during the grace period). The CBLRF became available for banking organizations to use as of March 31, 2020 (with the flexibility for banking organizations to subsequently opt into or out of the CBLRF, as applicable). As of December 31, 2021, the Bank has not elected to apply the CBLRF.

Dividend Limitations

The Company is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from the Bank. A significant portion of the revenues of the Company result from dividends paid to it by the Bank. Both the Company and the Bank are subject to laws and regulations that limit the payment of dividends, including limits on the sources of dividends and requirements to maintain capital at or above regulatory minimums. Banking regulators have indicated that Virginia banking organizations should generally pay dividends only (1) from net undivided profits of the bank, after providing for all expenses, losses, interest and taxes accrued or due by the bank and (2) if the prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with the organization’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. In addition, FRB supervisory guidance indicates that the FRB may have safety and soundness concerns if a bank holding company pays dividends that exceed earnings for the period in which the dividend is being paid. Further, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDIA”) prohibits insured depository institutions such as the Bank from making capital distributions, including paying dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become undercapitalized as defined in the statute. We do not expect that any of these laws, regulations or policies will materially affect the ability of the Company or the Bank to pay dividends.

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Insurance of Accounts, Assessments and Regulation by the FDIC

Deposits with the Bank are insured through the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) of the FDIC. As a DIF-insured institution, the Bank is subject to FDIC rules and regulations as administrator of the DIF. The Dodd-Frank Act made permanent the current standard maximum deposit insurance amount of $250,000. The FDIC coverage applies per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. The FDIC is authorized to conduct examinations of and to require reporting by DIF-insured institutions.

The FDIC is authorized to prohibit any DIF-insured institution from engaging in any activity that the FDIC determines by regulation or order to pose a serious threat to the insurance fund. Also, the FDIC may initiate enforcement actions against banks after first giving the institution’s primary regulatory authority an opportunity to take such action. The FDIC may terminate the deposit insurance of any depository institution, including the Bank, if it determines, after a hearing, that the institution has engaged or is engaging in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, order or any condition imposed in writing by the FDIC. It also may suspend deposit insurance temporarily during the hearing process for the permanent termination of insurance, if the institution has no tangible capital. If deposit insurance is terminated, the deposits at the institution at the time of termination, less subsequent withdrawals, shall continue to be insured for a period from six months to two years, as determined by the FDIC. Management is aware of no existing circumstances that could result in termination of the Bank’s deposit insurance.

The actual assessment to be paid by each DIF member is based on the institution’s assessment risk classification and whether the institution is considered by its supervisory agency to be financially sound or to have supervisory concerns.

The DIF is funded by assessments on banks and other depository institutions calculated based on average consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity (defined as Tier 1 capital). As required by the Dodd-Frank Act, the FDIC has adopted a large-bank pricing assessment scheme, set a target “designated reserve ratio” (described in more detail below) of 2% for the DIF and, in lieu of dividends, provides for a lower assessment rate schedule when the reserve ratio reaches 2% and 2.5%. An institution's assessment rate is based on a statistical analysis of financial ratios that estimates the likelihood of failure over a three-year period, which considers the institution’s weighted average CAMELS component rating, and is subject to further adjustments including those related to levels of unsecured debt and brokered deposits (not applicable to banks with less than $10 billion in assets). At December 31, 2021, total base assessment rates for institutions that have been insured for at least five years range from 1.5 to 30 basis points applying to banks with less than $10 billion in assets.

The Dodd-Frank Act transferred to the FDIC increased discretion with regard to managing the required amount of reserves for the DIF, or the “designated reserve ratio.” The FDIA requires the FDIC to consider the appropriate level for the DIF on at least an annual basis.

Banks with less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets (such as the Bank) receive credits to offset the portion of their assessments that help to raise the reserve ratio to 1.35%. The FDIC will automatically apply such a bank’s credits to reduce its regular DIF assessment up to the entire amount of the assessment. The FDIC will remit any such remaining credits in a lump sum to the appropriate bank following application to the bank’s regular DIF assessment for four quarterly assessment periods. Although the DIF declined below the minimum level of 1.35% during 2020 due to the impact of significant deposit increases which led the FDIC to adopt a DIF restoration plan, and the DIF was 1.27 percent as of September 30, 2021, the FDIC has not increased base assessment rates.

In June 2020, the FDIC adopted a final rule that generally removes the effect of lending by financial institutions under the Small Business (“SBA”) Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) when calculating a bank’s deposit insurance assessment by providing an offset to the bank’s total assessment amount for the increase in the assessment base attributable to the bank’s participation in the PPP. This final rule began applying to FDIC deposit insurance assessments during the second quarter of 2020.

Community Reinvestment

The Community Reinvestment Act (the “CRA”) imposes on financial institutions, including the Bank an affirmative obligation to help meet the credit needs of their local communities, including low and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of those institutions. Each financial institution’s efforts in helping meet community credit needs

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currently are evaluated as part of the examination process pursuant to regulations adopted by the federal banking agencies. Under the regulation, a financial institution’s efforts in helping meet its community’s credit needs are evaluated, based on the particular institution’s total assets, according to three-pronged test of lending, investment and service in the community. The grade received by a bank is considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions and applications to open a branch or facility. To the best knowledge of the Bank, it is meeting its obligations under the CRA. The Bank received a rating of “satisfactory” on its most recent CRA examination dated February 1, 2021.

Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of Atlanta, which is one of 12 regional FHLBs that provide funding to their members for making housing loans as well as for affordable housing and community development loans. Each FHLB serves as a reserve, or central bank, for the members within its assigned region. Each FHLB makes loans to members in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Board of Directors of the FHLB. As a member, the Bank must purchase and maintain stock in the FHLB. At December 31, 2021, the Bank owned $2.4 million of FHLB stock.

Consumer Protection

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) is the federal regulatory agency responsible for implementing, examining and enforcing compliance with federal consumer financial laws for institutions with more than $10 billion of assets and, to a lesser extent, smaller institutions. The CFPB supervises and regulates providers of consumer financial products and services, and has rulemaking authority in connection with numerous federal consumer financial protection laws (for example, but not limited to, the Truth-in-Lending Act (“TILA”) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”)).

Because the Company and the Bank are smaller institutions (i.e., with assets of $10 billion or less), most consumer protection aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act will continue to be applied to the Company by the FRB and the Bank by the FDIC. However, the CFPB may include its own examiners in regulatory examinations by a smaller institution’s principal regulators and may require smaller institutions to comply with certain CFPB reporting requirements. In addition, regulatory positions taken by the CFPB and administrative and legal precedents established by CFPB enforcement activities, including in connection with supervision of larger banks, could influence how the FRB and the FDIC apply consumer protection laws and regulations to financial institutions that are not directly supervised by the CFPB. The precise effect of the CFPB’s consumer protection activities on the Company and the Bank cannot be determined with certainty.

Mortgage Banking Regulation

In connection with making mortgage loans, the Bank is subject to rules and regulations that, among other things, establish standards for loan origination, prohibit discrimination, provide for inspections and appraisals of property, require credit reports on prospective borrowers, in some cases restrict certain loan features and fix maximum interest rates and fees, require the disclosure of certain basic information to mortgagors concerning credit and settlement costs, limit payment for settlement services to the reasonable value of the services rendered and require the maintenance and disclosure of information regarding the disposition of mortgage applications based on race, gender, geographical distribution and income level. The Bank’s mortgage origination activities are subject to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, TILA, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, RESPA, the Home Ownership Equity Protection Act, and the regulations promulgated under these acts, among other additional state and federal laws, regulations and rules.

The Bank’s mortgage origination activities are also subject to Regulation Z, which implements TILA. Certain provisions of Regulation Z require mortgage lenders to make a reasonable and good faith determination, based on verified and documented information, that a consumer applying for a mortgage loan has a reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms. Alternatively, a mortgage lender can originate “qualified mortgages,” which are generally defined as mortgage loans without negative amortization, interest-only payments, balloon payments, terms exceeding 30 years, and points and fees paid by a consumer equal to or less than 3% of the total loan amount. Under the EGRRCPA, most residential mortgage loans originated and held in portfolio by a bank with less than $10 billion in assets will be designated as “qualified mortgages.” Higher-priced qualified mortgages (e.g., sub-prime loans) receive a rebuttable presumption of compliance with ability-to-repay rules, and other qualified mortgages (e.g., prime loans) are deemed to comply with the ability-to-repay rules. The Bank predominantly originates mortgage loans that comply with Regulation Z’s “qualified mortgage” rules.

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Brokered Deposits

Section 29 of the FDIA and FDIC regulations generally limit the ability of any bank to accept, renew or roll over any brokered deposit unless it is “well capitalized” or, with the FDIC’s approval, “adequately capitalized.” However, as a result of the EGRRCPA, the FDIC undertook a comprehensive review of its regulatory approach to brokered deposits, including reciprocal deposits, and interest rate caps applicable to banks that are less than “well capitalized.” On December 15, 2020, the FDIC issued final rules that amended the FDIC’s methodology for calculating interest rate caps, provided a new process for banks that seek FDIC approval to offer a competitive rate on deposits when the prevailing rate in the Bank’s local market exceeds the national rate cap, and provided specific exemptions and streamlined application and notice procedures for certain deposit-placement arrangements that are not subject to brokered deposit restrictions. These final rules were effective as of April 1, 2021.

Prompt Corrective Action

Federal banking agencies have broad powers under current federal law to take prompt corrective action to resolve problems of insured depository institutions. The extent of these powers depends upon whether the institution in question is “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” or “critically undercapitalized.” These terms are defined under uniform regulations issued by each of the federal banking agencies regulating these institutions. An insured depository institution which is less than adequately capitalized must adopt an acceptable capital restoration plan, is subject to increased regulatory oversight and is increasingly restricted in the scope of its permissible activities. As of December 31, 2021, the Bank was considered “well capitalized.”

Incentive Compensation

The federal banking agencies have issued regulatory guidance (the “Incentive Compensation Guidance”) intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations do not undermine the safety and soundness of such organizations by encouraging excessive risk-taking. The FDIC will review, as part of the regular, risk-focused examination process, the incentive compensation arrangements of banking organizations, such as the Bank, that are not “large, complex banking organizations.” The findings will be included in reports of examination, and deficiencies will be incorporated into the organization’s supervisory ratings. 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.

In 2016, the SEC and the federal banking agencies proposed rules that prohibit covered financial institutions (including bank holding companies and banks) from establishing or maintaining incentive-based compensation arrangements that encourage inappropriate risk taking by providing covered persons (consisting of senior executive officers and significant risk takers, as defined in the rules) with excessive compensation, fees or benefits that could lead to material financial loss to the financial institution. The proposed rules outline factors to be considered when analyzing whether compensation is excessive and whether an incentive-based compensation arrangement encourages inappropriate risks that could lead to material loss to the covered financial institution, and establishes minimum requirements that incentive-based compensation arrangements must meet to be considered to not encourage inappropriate risks and to appropriately balance risk and reward. The proposed rules also impose additional corporate governance requirements on the boards of directors of covered financial institutions and impose additional record-keeping requirements. The comment period for these proposed rules has closed and a final rule has not yet been published.

Confidentiality and Required Disclosures of Customer Information

The Company is subject to various laws and regulations that address the privacy of nonpublic personal financial information of consumers. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and certain regulations issued thereunder protect against the transfer and use by financial institutions of consumer nonpublic personal information. A financial institution must provide to its customers, at the beginning of the customer relationship and annually thereafter, the institution’s policies and procedures regarding the handling of customers’ nonpublic personal financial information. These privacy provisions generally prohibit a financial institution from providing a customer’s personal financial information to unaffiliated third parties unless the institution discloses to the customer that the information may be so provided and the customer is given the opportunity to opt-out of such disclosure. Certain exceptions may apply to the requirement to deliver an annual privacy notice based on how a financial institution limits sharing

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of nonpublic personal information, and whether the institution’s disclosure practices or policies have changed in certain ways since the last privacy notice that was delivered.

The Company is also subject to various laws and regulations that attempt to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The Bank Secrecy Act (the “BSA”) requires all financial institutions to, among other things, create a system of controls designed to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism, and imposes recordkeeping and reporting requirements. The USA PATRIOT Act added regulations to facilitate information sharing among governmental entities and financial institutions for the purpose of combating terrorism and money laundering and requires financial institutions to establish anti-money laundering programs. Regulations adopted under the BSA impose on financial institutions customer due diligence requirements, and the federal banking regulators expect that customer due diligence programs will be integrated within a financial institution’s broader BSA and anti-money laundering compliance program. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), which is a division of the U.S. Department of Treasury, is responsible for helping to ensure that United States entities do not engage in transactions with “enemies” of the United States, as defined by various Executive Orders and Acts of Congress. If the Company finds the name of an “enemy” of the United States on any transaction, account or wire transfer that is on an OFAC list, it must freeze such account or place transferred funds into a blocked account, and report it to OFAC.

Although these laws and programs impose compliance costs and create privacy obligations and, in some cases, reporting obligations, and compliance with all of the laws, programs, and privacy and reporting obligations may require significant resources of the Company and the Bank, these laws and programs do not materially affect the Bank’s products, services or other business activities.

Corporate Transparency Act

On January 1, 2021, as part of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) to issue regulations implementing reporting requirements for “reporting companies” (as defined in the CTA) to disclose beneficial ownership interests of certain U.S. and foreign entities by January 1, 2022. The CTA imposes additional reporting requirements on entities not previously subject to such beneficial ownership disclosure regulations and also contains exemptions for several different types of entities, including among others: (i) certain banks, bank holding companies, and credit unions; (ii) money transmitting businesses registered with FinCEN; and (iii) certain insurance companies. Reporting companies subject to the CTA are required to provide specific information with respect to beneficial owner(s) (as defined in the CTA) as well as satisfy initial filing obligations (for newly-formed reporting companies) and submit on-going periodic reports. Non-compliance with FinCEN regulations promulgated under the CTA may result in civil fines and criminal penalties. The Company and the Bank will continue to monitor regulatory developments related to the CTA and will continue to assess the ultimate impact of the CTA on the Company and the Bank.

Cybersecurity

The federal banking agencies have also adopted guidelines for establishing information security standards and cybersecurity programs for implementing safeguards under the supervision of a financial institution’s board of directors. These guidelines, along with related regulatory materials, increasingly focus on risk management and processes related to information technology and the use of third parties in the provision of financial products and services. The federal banking agencies expect financial institutions to establish lines of defense and ensure that their risk management processes also address the risk posed by compromised customer credentials, and also expect financial institutions to maintain sufficient business continuity planning processes to ensure rapid recovery, resumption and maintenance of the institution’s operations after a cyber-attack. If the Company or the Bank fails to meet the expectations set forth in this regulatory guidance, the Company or the Bank could be subject to various regulatory actions and any remediation efforts may require significant resources of the Company or the Bank. In addition, all federal and state banking agencies continue to increase focus on cybersecurity programs and risks as part of regular supervisory exams.

In October 2016, the federal banking agencies issued proposed rules on enhanced cybersecurity risk-management and resilience standards that would apply to very large financial institutions and to services provided by third parties to these institutions. The comment period for these proposed rules has closed and a final rule has not been published. Although the proposed rules would apply only to bank holding companies and banks with $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets, these rules could influence the federal banking agencies’ expectations and supervisory requirements for information security standards and cybersecurity programs of smaller financial institutions, such as the Bank.

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On November 18, 2021, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued final rule to improve the sharing of information about cyber incidents that may affect the U.S. banking system. Such rule requires a banking organization to notify its primary federal regulator of any significant computer-security incident as soon as possible and no later than 36 hours after the banking organization determines that a cyber-incident has occurred. Notification is required for incidents that have materially affected—or are reasonably likely to materially affect—the viability of a banking organization’s operations, its ability to deliver banking products and services, or the stability of the financial sector. In addition, the rule requires a bank service provider to notify affected banking organization customers as soon as possible when the provider determines that it has experienced a computer-security incident that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to materially affect banking organization customers for four or more hours. Compliance with the final rule is required by May 1, 2022. The Company and the Bank are currently assessing the impact of this rule, but do not anticipate any material impact to their respective operations at this time.

Stress Testing

The federal banking agencies have implemented stress-testing requirements for certain large or risky financial institutions, including bank holding companies and state-chartered banks. Although these requirements do not apply to the Company and the Bank, the federal banking agencies emphasize that all banking organizations, regardless of size, should have the capacity to analyze the potential effect of adverse market conditions or outcomes on the organization’s financial condition. Based on existing regulatory guidance, the Company and the Bank will be expected to consider its interest rate risk management, commercial real estate loan concentrations and other credit-related information, and funding and liquidity management during this analysis of adverse market conditions or outcomes.

Volcker Rule

The Dodd-Frank Act prohibits bank holding companies and their subsidiary banks from engaging in proprietary trading except in limited circumstances, and places limits on ownership of equity investments in private equity and hedge funds (the “Volcker Rule”). The EGRRCPA and final rules adopted to implement the EGRRCPA exempt all banks with less than $10 billion in assets (including their holding companies and affiliates) from the Volcker Rule, provided that the institution has total trading assets and liabilities of 5% or less of total assets, subject to certain limited exceptions. The Company believes that its financial condition and its operations are not significantly affected by the Volcker Rule, amendments thereto, or its implementing regulations.

Call Reports and Examination Cycle

All institutions, regardless of size, submit a quarterly call report that includes data used by federal banking agencies to monitor the condition, performance, and risk profile of individual institutions and the industry as a whole. The EGRRCPA contained provisions expanding the number of regulated institutions eligible to use streamlined call report forms. In June 2019, the federal banking agencies issued a final rule to permit insured depository institutions with total assets of less than $5 billion that do not engage in certain complex or international activities to file the most streamlined version of the quarterly call report, and to reduce data reportable on certain streamlined call report submissions.

Effect of Governmental Monetary Policies

As with other financial institutions, the earnings of the Company and the Bank are affected by general economic conditions as well as by the monetary policies of the FRB. Such policies, which include regulating the national supply of bank reserves and bank credit, can have a major effect upon the source and cost of funds and the rates of return earned on loans and investments, and on levels of inflation in the United States. The FRB exerts a substantial influence on interest rates and credit conditions, primarily through establishing target rates for federal funds, open market operations in U.S. Government securities, varying the discount rate on member bank borrowings and setting cash reserve requirements against deposits. Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, will influence the origination of loans, the purchase of investments, the generation of deposits, and rates received on loans and investment securities and paid on deposits. Fluctuations in the FRB’s monetary policies have had a significant impact on the operating results of the Company and the Bank and all financial institutions in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future.

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Application of Supervisory Guidance to the Company and the Bank

On March 31, 2021, the Federal Reserve issued a final rule outlining and confirming the use of supervisory guidance for regulated institutions, including bank holding companies like the Company. The rule generally codifies a statement issued by the federal banking agencies in September 2018 clarifying the differences between regulations and guidance, and provides that, unlike a law or regulation, supervisory guidance does not have the force and effect of law, and the agencies do not take enforcement actions based on supervisory guidance. Rather, guidance outlines expectations and priorities, or articulates views regarding appropriate practices for a specific subject. The rule became effective on April 30, 2021. The Company was not materially impacted by the effectiveness of this rule.

Legislative and Regulatory Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal banking agencies have adopted regulations and policies that are applicable to the operations and activities of the Company and the Bank. In addition, the U.S. Congress adopted several laws containing significant economic relief packages, including the CARES Act, which was enacted on March 27, 2020. Set forth below is a brief overview of certain provisions of the CARES Act and certain other regulations and policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are applicable to the Company and the Bank.

The PPP was authorized by the CARES Act and is a loan program that was administered under the SBA’s 7-A loan program. The PPP is a guaranteed, unsecured loan program created to fund certain payroll and operating costs of eligible businesses, organizations and self-employed persons during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was later expanded to cover additional borrowers. In total, we authorized $953 million in loans under the PPP in multiple tranches, the last of which was utilized in full during 2021. As a participating PPP lender, the Bank continues to monitor legislative, regulatory and administrative developments related to the PPP, and continues to evaluate PPP compliance in connection with the forgiveness of principal for qualifying PPP loans.

The CARES Act permits banks to suspend requirements under GAAP for loan modifications to borrowers affected by COVID-19 that would otherwise be characterized as TDRs and suspend any determination related thereto if (i) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and the earlier of December 31, 2020 or 60 days after the end of the COVID-19 emergency declaration and (ii) the applicable loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. The provisions of the CARES Act dealing with temporary relief related to TDRs were extended pursuant to the CAA, which was signed into law on December 27, 2020. The CAA extended the “applicable” period to the earlier of January 1, 2022 or 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 pandemic terminates. 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. In response to COVID-19, the Bank applied this guidance to qualifying loan modifications, and assessed the impact of the expiration of the “applicable” period for the temporary relief related to TDRs.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 16, 2020, the FRB’s Federal Open Market Committee (the “FOMC”) set the federal funds target rate (the interest rate at which depository institutions such as the Bank lend reserve balances to other depository institutions overnight on an uncollateralized basis) at 0-0.25%, an historic low. Consistent with FRB policy, the FRB has committed to the use of overnight reverse repurchase agreements as a supplementary policy tool, as necessary, to help control the federal funds rate and keep it in the target range set by the FOMC. The FOMC has indicated its intention to raise the federal funds target rate in 2022.

Future Regulation

From time to time, various legislative and regulatory initiatives are introduced in Congress and state legislatures, as well as by regulatory agencies. Such initiatives may include proposals to expand or contract the powers of bank holding companies and depository institutions or to substantially change the financial institution regulatory system. Such legislation could change banking statutes and the operating environment of the Company and the Bank 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 with which we compete. The Company cannot predict whether any such legislation will be enacted, and, if enacted, the effect that it, or any

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implementing regulations, would have on its financial condition or results of operations. A change in statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company and the Bank could have a material effect on our business.

Where You Can Find More Information

The Company files quarterly, annual and periodic reports, proxy statements and insider filings with the SEC. The Company’s SEC filings are available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s SEC filings also are available through our website, www.CBTCares.com. Copies of documents may also be obtained free of charge by directing a request by telephone to (276) 656-1776 or mail to Investor Relations, Carter Bankshares, Inc., 1300 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, Virginia 24112.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Investments in the Company’s common stock involve risk. In addition to the other information set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the information addressed above under “Important Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” investors in the Company’s common stock should carefully consider the factors discussed below. The following discussion highlights the risks that we believe are material to the Company, but the following discussion does not necessarily include all risks that we may face, and an investor in the Company’s common stock should not interpret the disclosure of a risk in the following discussion to state or imply that the risk has not already materialized. These factors could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, and capital position, and could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from its historical results or the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, in which case, the trading price of the Company’s common stock could decline.

Risks Related to Credit

A large percentage of the Company’s loans are secured by real estate, and an adverse change in the real estate market may result in losses and adversely affect our profitability.

Approximately 83% of the Company’s commercial loan portfolio as of December 31, 2021, was comprised of loans secured by real estate. An adverse change in the economy affecting occupancy and/or rental rates in the investment real estate market areas we serve could increase the likelihood of defaults. Real estate collateral securing the Company's loans are a secondary source of repayment in the event of unremedied defaults. The value of the Company's collateral could be impaired by changes in demand, rental rates and capitalization rates and could be insufficient to recover outstanding principal and interest. As a result, the Company’s profitability and financial condition could be negatively impacted by an adverse change in the real estate market.

The Company relies on independent appraisals to determine the value of the real estate which secures a significant portion of our loans, and the values indicated by such appraisals may not be realizable if foreclose on such loans is forced.

A significant portion of the Company’s loan portfolio consists of loans secured by real estate. We rely on independent appraisers to estimate the value of such real estate. Appraisals are only estimates of value and the independent appraisers may make mistakes of fact or judgment that adversely affect the reliability of their appraisals. In addition, events occurring after the initial appraisal may cause the value of the real estate to increase or decrease. As a result of any of these factors, the real estate securing some of the loans may be more or less valuable than anticipated at the time the loans were made. If a default occurs on a loan secured by real estate that is less valuable than originally estimated, the Company may not be able to recover the outstanding balance of the loan.

The Company’s level of credit risk is elevated due to the concentration of commercial real estate loans in its portfolio.

As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s exposure to loans secured by commercial purpose real estate, including investment real estate loans related to hospitality, retail and multifamily apartments (but excluding construction) equated to $1.5 billion, or 51.7% of its total loan portfolio. The average balance of these loans are generally larger and these loans generally involve a more complex degree of financial and credit risk than loans secured by residential real estate. Repayment of these loans is dependent on the success of the borrower’s underlying business and/or the borrower’s ability to generate leases in order to receive sufficient cash flow to service its debts. The financial and credit risk associated with these loans is a result of several factors, including macroeconomic conditions affecting supply, demand and property valuations, as well as larger balances in a smaller population of loans. The ongoing adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic could potentially exacerbate the financial and credit risk associated with these loans.

The Company’s exposure to hospitality at December 31, 2021 equated to approximately $418.6 million, or 14.9% of its total loan portfolio. These were mostly loans secured by upscale or top tier flagged hotels, which have historically exhibited low leverage and strong operating cash flows. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted demand for both leisure and business travel resulting in overall declines in occupancy and room rates. The Company offered an assistance program that deferred payments in order to alleviate the financial pressures related to depressed revenues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company closely monitored these borrowers, identified underperforming operators and de-risked the portfolio through note sales. The recovery for the hospitality industry, especially leisure travel, has improved. Conditions in the

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hospitality industry, and especially leisure travel, have improved despite the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing. We believe this is driven in part by the desire to vacation within a drivable distance, which enables social distancing and the avoidance of airline travel, and also in part by increasing COVID-19 vaccination and immunity rates in the United States. While we believe business travel is still depressed when compared to conditions prior to COVID-19, we believe borrowers focused on business travel were able to survive, in part due to the Company’s deferral programs. These programs ended on June 30, 2021 and these borrowers have returned to contractual payments and continue to perform. Property values have generally not deteriorated and, in certain circumstances, have increased. However, it is possible that additional COVID variants could impact demand and affect borrowers’ abilities to service debt. These developments, together with widespread labor shortages and additional shocks to economic conditions could generally impact operations and property valuations in hospitality and other commercial real estate exposures. As a result, our capital levels and results of operations could be adversely affected.

The Company’s exposure to commercial real estate construction loans at December 31, 2021 equated to approximately $355.4 million, or 12.6% of total portfolio loans. Construction loans are inherently risky. These risks include, but are not limited to, potential adverse changes in material costs resulting in cost overruns, the potential that the general contractors develop financial stress and are unable to complete projects and the speculative nature of lease up risk. A severe downturn in real estate could affect demand for leases, capitalization rates and property valuations, which could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our allowance for credit losses may be insufficient.

The measure of our allowance for credit losses is dependent on the interpretation and application of the CECL methodology, which the Company adopted effective January 1, 2021, and which replaced the incurred loss methodology that was used by the Company and the Bank under GAAP prior to that date. The CECL methodology reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. Accordingly, the implementation of the CECL model changed the Company’s current method of providing allowance for credit losses (“ACL”) and resulted in material changes in the Company’s accounting for credit losses on financial instruments. The CECL model may create more volatility in the Company’s level of ACL, which, if materially increased, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

We will implement further enhancements or changes to our methodology, models and the underlying assumptions, estimates and assessments, as needed. If the assumptions or estimates we use in adopting the new standard are incorrect or we need to change our underlying assumptions and estimates, there may be a material adverse impact on our results of operation and financial condition.

Our real estate lending business can result in increased costs associated with Other Real Estate Owned (“OREO”).

Because we originate loans secured by real estate, we may have to foreclose on the collateral property to protect our investment and may thereafter own and operate such property, in which case we are exposed to the risks inherent in the ownership of real estate. We use methods for valuing collateral for impaired loans and OREO that are in compliance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 310 Receivables. The methods require the use of assumptions that are subject to change based on events impacting real estate values. The amount that we may realize after a default is dependent upon factors outside of our control, including, but not limited to, general or local economic conditions, environmental cleanup liability, neighborhood values, interest rates, real estate tax rates, operating expenses of the mortgaged properties, and supply of and demand for properties. Certain expenditures associated with the ownership of income producing real estate, principally real estate taxes and maintenance costs, may adversely affect the net cash flows generated by the real estate. Therefore, the cost of operating income-producing real property may exceed the rental income earned from such property, and we may have to advance funds to protect our investment or we may be required to dispose of the real property at a loss.

Risks Related to Our Operations

A failure in or breach of our operational or security systems or infrastructure, or those of third parties, could disrupt the Company’s businesses, and adversely impact our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, as well as cause reputational harm.

The Company’s operational and security systems, infrastructure, including our computer systems, data management, and internal processes, as well as those of third parties, are integral to our business. We rely on our associates and third parties in

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our day-to-day and ongoing operations, who may, as a result of human error, misconduct or malfeasance, or failure or breach of third-party systems or infrastructure, expose us to risk. We have taken measures to implement backup systems and other safeguards to support our operations, but our ability to conduct business may be adversely affected by any significant disruptions to us or to third parties with whom we interact. In addition, our ability to implement backup systems and other safeguards with respect to third-party systems is more limited than with our own systems.

The Company handles a substantial volume of customer and other financial transactions every day. Our financial, accounting, data processing, check processing, electronic funds transfer, loan processing, online and mobile banking, backup or other operating or security systems and infrastructure may fail to operate properly or become disabled or damaged as a result of a number of factors including events that are wholly or partially beyond our control. This could adversely affect our ability to process these transactions or provide these services. There could be sudden increases in customer transaction volume, electrical, telecommunications or other major physical infrastructure outages, natural disasters, events arising from local or larger scale political or social matters, including terrorist acts, and cyber-attacks. We continuously update these systems to support our operations and growth. This updating entails significant costs and creates risk associated with implementing new systems and integrating them with existing ones. Operational risk exposures could adversely impact our results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, and cause reputational harm.

A cyber-attack, information or security breach, or a technology failure of ours or of a third-party could adversely affect the Company’s ability to conduct business or manage exposure to risk, resulting in the disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, increase costs to maintain and update our operational systems, security systems, and infrastructure, and adversely impact results of operations, liquidity and financial condition, as well as cause reputation harm.

The Company’s business is highly dependent on the security and efficacy of our infrastructure, computer and data management systems, as well as those of third parties with whom we interact. Cyber security risks for financial institutions have significantly increased in recent years in part because of the proliferation of new technologies, the use of the internet and telecommunications technologies to conduct financial transactions, and the increased sophistication and activities of organized crime, hackers, terrorists and other external parties, including foreign state actors. Our operations rely on the secure processing, transmission, storage and retrieval of confidential, proprietary and other information in our computer and data management systems and networks, and in the computer and data management systems and networks of third parties. We rely on digital technologies, computer, database and email systems, software, and networks to conduct our operations. In addition, to access our network, products and services, our customers and third parties may use personal mobile devices or computing devices that are outside of our network environment.

Financial services institutions have been subject to, and are likely to continue to be the target of, cyber-attacks, including computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, phishing attacks, denial of service or other security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information of the institution, its associates or customers or of third parties, or otherwise materially disrupt network access or business operations. For example, denial of service attacks has been launched against a number of large financial institutions and several large retailers have disclosed substantial cyber security breaches affecting debit and credit card accounts of their customers. We have not experienced cyber security incidents in the past, but there is no assurance that we will not experience an attack in the future. Technology failures, cyber-attacks or other information or security breaches can cause material losses or other material consequences.

In addition to external threats, insider threats also represent a risk to us. Insiders, having legitimate access to our systems and the information contained in them, have the opportunity to make inappropriate use of the systems and information. We have policies, procedures and controls in place designed to prevent or limit this risk, but we cannot guarantee that policies, procedures and controls fully mitigate this risk.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, we may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify and enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities or incidents. Any of these matters could result in our loss of customers and business opportunities, significant disruption to our operations and business, misappropriation or destruction of our confidential information and /or that of our customers, or damage to computers or systems of our customers and/or third parties, and could result in a violation of applicable privacy laws and other laws, litigation exposure, regulatory fines, penalties or intervention, loss of confidence in our security measures, reputational damage,

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reimbursement or other compensatory costs, and additional compliance costs. In addition, any of the matters described above could adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition.

The Company relies on third-party providers and other suppliers for a number of services that are important to our business. An interruption or cessation of an important service by any third-party could have a material adverse effect on our business.

The Company is dependent for the majority of our technology, including our core operating system, on third-party providers. If these companies were to discontinue providing services to us, we may experience significant disruptions to our business. In addition, each of these third parties faces the risk of a cyber-attack, information breach or loss, or technology failure. If any of our third-party service providers experience such difficulties, or if there is any other disruption in our relationships with them, we may be required to find alternative sources of such services, which may not be on comparable or commercially reasonable terms. We are dependent on these third-party providers securing their information systems, over which we have no control. A breach of our third-party providers’ information systems could adversely affect our ability to process transactions, service our clients or manage our exposure to risk and could result in the disclosure of sensitive, personal customer information, which could have a material adverse impact on our business through damage to our reputation, loss of customer business, remedial costs, additional regulatory scrutiny or exposure to civil litigation and possible financial liability. Assurance cannot be provided that we could negotiate terms with alternative service sources that are as favorable or could obtain services with similar functionality as found in our existing systems without the need to expend substantial resources, if at all, thereby resulting in a material adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

The Company is dependent on its management team, and the loss of its senior executive officers or other key associates could impair its relationship with its customers and adversely affect its business and financial results.

We believe that our growth and future success will depend in large part on the skills of our executive officers. We also depend upon the experience of the senior officers and other key personnel and their relationship with the communities they serve. The loss of the services of one or more of these officers or key personnel could have an adverse impact on the business of the Company because of their skills, knowledge of the market, years of industry experience and the difficulty promptly finding qualified replacement personnel.

Risks Related to Market Conditions, Interest Rates and Investments

The Company’s business is subject to interest rate risk and fluctuations in interest rates may adversely affect its earnings and capital levels.

The majority of our assets are monetary in nature and, as a result, we are subject to significant risk from changes in interest rates. Changes in interest rates can impact our net interest income as well as the valuation of our assets and liabilities. Also, our earnings are significantly dependent on net interest income, which is the difference between interest income on interest-earning assets, such as loans and securities, and interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings. We expect we will experience “gaps” in the interest rate sensitivities of our assets and liabilities, meaning that either our interest-bearing liabilities will be more sensitive to changes in market interest rates than our interest-earning assets, or vice versa. In either event, if market interest rates should move contrary to our position, this “gap” will work against us and our earnings may be negatively affected.

A decrease in the general level of interest rates may, among other things, lead to an increase in prepayments on loans and increased competition for deposits. Conversely, an increase in the general level of interest rates may also, among other things, reduce the demand for loans or increase the rate of default on existing loans. Accordingly, changes in the general level of market interest rates may affect net yield on interest-earning assets, loan origination volume, loan portfolios, and funding costs which impact our overall results.

Although our asset-liability management strategy is designed to control our risk from changes in the general level of market interest rates, market interest rates will be affected by many factors outside of our control, including inflation, recession, changes in unemployment, other economic conditions, money supply and international disorder and instability in domestic and foreign financial markets. It is possible that significant or unexpected changes in interest rates may take place in the future, and we cannot always accurately predict the nature or magnitude of such changes or how such changes may affect our business.

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Uncertainty relating to London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) calculation process and potential phasing out of LIBOR may adversely affect us.

On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates LIBOR, announced that it intends to stop persuading or compelling banks to submit rates for the calibration of LIBOR to the administrator of LIBOR after 2021. Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., the company that administers LIBOR, has stated that it intends to cease the publication of one week and two-month LIBOR rates immediately after the LIBOR publication on December 31, 2021, and the remaining LIBOR rates immediately following the LIBOR publication on June 30, 2023, and will consult on such intentions. It is not possible to predict what rate or rates may become accepted alternatives to LIBOR and it is impossible to predict the effect of any such alternatives on the value of LIBOR-based securities and variable rate loans, debentures, or other securities or financial arrangements, given LIBOR's role in determining market interest rates globally. Uncertainty as to the nature of alternative reference rates, including the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, (“SOFR”), and as to potential changes or other reforms to LIBOR may adversely affect LIBOR rates and the value of LIBOR-based loans and securities in our portfolio and may impact the availability and cost of hedging instruments and borrowings. If LIBOR rates are no longer available, and we are required to implement substitute indices for the calculation of interest rates under our loan agreements with our borrowers, we may incur significant expenses in effecting the transition. Furthermore, failure to adequately manage this transition process with our customers could adversely impact our reputation. Although we are currently unable to assess what the ultimate impact of the transition from LIBOR will be, failure to adequately manage the transition could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting adverse economic conditions has adversely impacted the Company’s business and results, and could have a more material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The ongoing COVID-19 global and national health emergency has caused significant disruptions in the global economies and financial markets. The spread of COVID-19 in the United States has caused illness, quarantines, cancellation of events and travel, business and school shutdowns, reductions in commercial activity and financial transactions, supply chain interruptions, increased unemployment, and overall economic and financial market instability. Many state and local governments have implemented and continue to maintain regulations and social guidelines, including social distancing restrictions, in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions to the Company’s business and could cause material disruptions to our business and operations in the future. Impacts to our business have included decreased operating effectiveness due to additional health and safety precautions we implemented at our branches and the transition of 20% of our workforce to home locations, decreases in customer traffic in our branches and increases in requests for forbearance and loan modifications. Further, loan payment deferment programs that we have implemented and government stimulus programs, like the PPP, may be masking credit deterioration in our loan portfolio by making less applicable standard measures of developing financial weakness in a client or portfolio, such as past due monitoring and non-accrual assessments. To the extent that commercial and social restrictions increase, the Company’s expenses, delinquencies, charge-offs, foreclosures and credit losses could materially increase, and we could experience reductions in interest and fee income. In addition, we anticipate that potential declines in credit quality could significantly affect the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses, which we expect could lead to increases in the provision for credit losses and related declines in our net income.

Unfavorable economic conditions and increasing unemployment figures may also make it more difficult for the Company to maintain deposit levels and loan origination volume and to obtain additional financing. Furthermore, such conditions have and may continue to cause the value of our Company’s investment portfolio and of collateral associated with our existing loans to decline. In addition, in March 2020, the FRB lowered the target range for the federal funds rate to a range from 0 to 0.25 percent, in part, as a result, of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the FRB has indicated an intention to raise the federal funds rate in 2022, a prolonged period of very low interest rates could reduce the Company’s net interest income and have a material adverse impact on our cash flows and the market value of our investments or the manner in which we redeploy proceeds from maturing investments.

While we have taken and continue to take precautions to protect the safety and well-being of our associates and customers, no assurance can be given that the steps we’ve taken will be adequate or appropriate, nor can we predict the level of disruption to

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our associates’ ability to provide customer support and service. The continued or renewed spread of COVID-19 or variants thereof could negatively impact the availability of key personnel necessary to conduct the Company’s business, the business and operations of our third-party service providers who perform critical services for the Company’s business, or the businesses of many of our customers and borrowers. If COVID-19 is not successfully contained, we could experience a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.

Among the factors outside the Company’s control that are likely to affect the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will ultimately have on the Company’s business are, without limitation:

•the pandemic’s course and severity;

•the uncertainty regarding new variants of COVID-19 that have emerged or may emerge in the future;

•the speed and efficacy of vaccine and treatment developments;

•the direct and indirect results of the pandemic, such as recessionary or inflationary economic trends, or impacts on employment levels, wages and benefits, commercial activity, the residential housing market, consumer spending and real estate and investment securities market values;

•political, legal and regulatory actions and policies in response to the pandemic, including the effects of restrictions on commerce and banking, such as moratoria and other suspensions of collections, foreclosures, and related obligations;

•the timing, magnitude and effect of public spending, directly or through subsidies, its direct and indirect effects on commercial activity and incentives of employers and individuals to resume or increase employment, wages and benefits and commercial activity;

•effects on the Company’s liquidity position due to changes in customers’ deposit and loan activity in response to the pandemic and its economic effects;

•the timing and availability of direct and indirect governmental support for various financial assets, including mortgage loans;

•the long-term effect of the economic downturn on the Company’s intangible assets such as our deferred tax asset;

•potential longer-term effects of increased government spending on the interest rate environment and borrowing costs for non-governmental parties;

•the ability of the Company’s associates to work effectively during the course of the pandemic;

•the ability of the Company’s third-party vendors to maintain a high-quality and effective levels of service;

•the possibility of increased fraud, cybercrime and similar incidents, due to vulnerabilities posed by the significant increases in our associates and customers handling their banking interactions remotely from home, or otherwise;

•required changes to the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting to reflect a rapidly changing work environment;

•potential longer-term shifts toward mobile banking, telecommuting and telecommerce;

•geographic variation in the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in Virginia and North Carolina, where the Company operates physically; and

•depending on the extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of our common stock could experience volatility and declines.

The Company continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and related risks, although the rapid development and fluidity of the situation precludes any specific prediction as to its ultimate impact on the Company. However, if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread or otherwise result in a continuation or worsening of the current economic and commercial environments, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

The full effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may have a material adverse effect on the Company in numerous ways.

While the scope, duration, and full effects of COVID-19 are rapidly evolving and not fully known, the pandemic and related efforts to contain it have disrupted global economic activity, adversely affected the functioning of financial markets, impacted interest rates, inflation and increased economic and market uncertainty. If these effects continue for a prolonged period or result in sustained economic stress or recession, many of the risk factors identified in this Annual Report on Form 10-K could be exacerbated and such effects could have a material adverse impact on us in a number of ways related to credit, collateral, customer demand, funding, operations, interest rate risk and human capital.

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•Our results of operations may continue to be negatively impacted by general economic or business conditions and uncertainty, including the strength of economic conditions in our principal area of operations impacting the demand for our products and services.

•A low interest rate environment will negatively impact our net interest income and net interest margin.

•Credit losses may be higher and our provision for credit losses may continue to increase, due to deterioration in the financial condition of our commercial and consumer loan customers.

•Declining asset and collateral values may necessitate increases in our provision for credit losses and net charge-offs.

•The hospitality industry and portions of our hospitality loan portfolio may continue to suffer the negative effects of reduced travel, which could result in additional credit losses and net charge-offs.

•We may have an interruption or cessation of an important service provided by a third-party provider.

•Our liquidity and regulatory capital could be adversely impacted.

•Investors may have less confidence in the equity markets in general and in financial services industry in particular, which could have a negative impact on our stock price and resulting market valuation.

•The negative economic consequences of the pandemic may last longer in the areas where we do business, which could negatively affect our financial performance.

•We face heightened cyber security risks in connection with our operation in a remote working environment.

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, we believe the U.S. economy will likely require time to recover. It is uncertain how long this recovery will take. As a result, we anticipate our business may be adversely affected during this recovery.

Risks Related to Our Business Strategy

Our profitability depends significantly on economic conditions.

Our success depends primarily on the general economic conditions of the geographic markets in which we operate, primarily in Virginia and North Carolina. The local economic conditions in the areas where we operate have a significant impact on our commercial, real estate and construction loans, the ability of our borrowers to repay their loans and the value of the collateral securing these loans and on customer demand for loans, deposits and other bank products. A significant decline in general economic conditions, including a decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, recession, acts of terrorism, outbreak of hostilities (including the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine) or other international or domestic calamities, unemployment or other factors, all of which are beyond our control, could impact economic conditions and negatively affect our financial results.

We face strong competition from financial services companies and other companies that offer banking services which could negatively affect our business.

We conduct our banking operations primarily in Virginia and North Carolina, including Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Roanoke, Christiansburg, Martinsville, Danville, Greensboro, Fayetteville, and Mooresville. Increased competition in these markets may result in reduced loans and deposits. Ultimately, we may not be able to compete successfully against current and future competitors. Many competitors offer the same banking services that we offer in our service area. These competitors include national banks, regional banks and other community banks. We also face competition from many other types of financial institutions, including without limitation, savings and loan institutions, finance companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies, credit unions, mortgage banks and other financial intermediaries. In particular, our competitors include several major financial companies whose greater resources may afford them a marketplace advantage by enabling them to maintain numerous banking locations and ATMs, conduct extensive promotional and advertising campaigns and offer a wider range of products, services and technologies.

Additionally, banks and other financial institutions with larger capitalization and financial intermediaries not subject to bank regulatory restrictions have larger lending limits and are thereby able to serve the credit needs of larger customers. Areas of competition include interest rates for loans and deposits, efforts to obtain deposits, and range and quality of products and services provided, including new technology-driven products and services. Technological innovation continues to contribute to greater competition in domestic and international financial services markets as technological advances enable more companies to provide financial services. We also face competition from out-of-state financial intermediaries that have opened loan

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production offices or that solicit deposits in our market areas. If we are unable to attract and retain banking customers, we may be unable to continue to grow our loan and deposit portfolios or may be required to increase the rates we pay on deposits or lower the rates we offer on loans and results of operations and financial condition may otherwise be adversely affected.

Our customers may increasingly decide not to use the Bank to complete their financial transactions, which would have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and operations.

Technology and other changes are allowing parties to complete financial transactions through alternative methods that have historically involved banks. For example, customers can now maintain funds that would have historically been held as bank deposits in brokerage accounts, mutual funds, or general-purpose reloadable prepaid cards. Customers can also complete transactions such as paying bills and/or transferring funds directly without the assistance of banks. We face increasing competition from fintech companies, as trends toward digital financial transactions have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of eliminating banks as intermediaries, known as “disintermediation,” could result in the loss of fee income, as well as the loss of customer deposits and the related income generated from those deposits. The loss of these revenue streams and the lower cost of deposits as a source of funds could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Regulatory Compliance and Legal Matters

We are subject to extensive government regulation and supervision.

Banking regulations are primarily intended to protect depositors’ funds, federal deposit insurance funds and the banking system as a whole, not security holders. These regulations affect our lending practices, capital structure, investment practices, dividend policy and growth, among other things. Congress and federal regulatory agencies continually review banking laws, regulations and policies for possible changes. Changes to statutes, regulations or regulatory policies, including changes in interpretation or implementation of statutes, regulations or policies, could affect us in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such changes could subject us to additional costs, limit the types of financial services and products we may offer and/or increase the ability of non-banks to offer competing financial services and products, among other things. For example, we currently derive a portion of our noninterest income from consumer overdraft fees, which have recently come under scrutiny by banking regulators and politicians. Such regulators or politicians could act to impose additional restrictions on overdraft fee programs which could reduce our noninterest income, increase our compliance costs, or increase our exposure to regulatory and legal claims related to our overdraft program. Failure to comply with laws, regulations, policies or supervisory guidance could result in enforcement and other legal actions by Federal or state authorities, including criminal and civil penalties, the loss of FDIC insurance, the revocation of a banking charter, other sanctions by regulatory agencies, civil money penalties and/or reputational damage. In this regard, government authorities, including the bank regulatory agencies, are pursuing aggressive enforcement actions with respect to compliance and other legal matters involving financial activities, which heightens the risks associated with actual and perceived compliance failures. See “Supervision and Regulation” included in Item 1, Business, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a more detailed description of the certain regulatory requirements applicable to the Bank.

The Company is subject to more stringent capital and liquidity requirements as a result of the Basel III regulatory capital reforms and the Dodd-Frank Act, which could adversely affect its return on equity and otherwise affect its business.

The Company and the Bank are each subject to capital adequacy guidelines and other regulatory requirements specifying minimum amounts and types of capital, which each must maintain. From time to time, regulators implement changes to these regulatory capital adequacy guidelines. In addition, regulators may require the Company to maintain higher levels of regulatory capital based on the Company’s condition, risk profile, or growth plans or conditions in the banking industry or economy. The capital adequacy standards applicable to the Company and the Bank impose stricter capital requirements and leverage limits than the requirements to which the Company and the Bank were subject in the past.

The application of more stringent capital requirements could, among other things, result in lower returns on equity, require the raising of additional capital, and result in regulatory actions if the Company were to be unable to comply with such requirements. Furthermore, the imposition of liquidity requirements in connection with the implementation of Basel III could result in the Company having to lengthen the term of its funding, restructure its business models, and/or increase its holdings of liquid assets. Implementation of changes to asset risk weightings for risk-based capital calculations, items included or deducted in calculating regulatory capital and/or additional capital conservation buffers could result in management modifying its

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business strategy, and could limit the Company’s ability to make distributions, including paying out dividends or buying back shares. If the Company and the Bank fail to meet these minimum capital guidelines and/or other regulatory requirements, the Company’s financial condition would be materially and adversely affected.

Failure to maintain effective systems of internal control over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on our results of operation and financial condition.

Effective internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud and to operate successfully as a public company. We are required to establish and maintain an adequate internal control structure over financial reporting. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our reputation and operating results would be harmed. As part of our ongoing monitoring of internal control, we may discover material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control that require remediation. A “material weakness” is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Our inability to maintain the operating effectiveness of the controls described above could result in a material misstatement to our financial statements or other disclosures, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, any failure to maintain effective controls or to timely effect any necessary improvement of our internal and disclosure controls could, among other things, require significant investments of management time, funds and other resources in remediation efforts, result in losses from fraud or error or harm to our reputation, or cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operation and financial condition.

The Company is a defendant in a variety of litigation and other actions, which may have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operation or business.

The Company may be involved from time to time in a variety of litigation arising out of its business, and the Company operates in a legal and regulatory environment that exposes it to potential significant litigation risk. The Company’s insurance may not cover all claims that may be asserted against it in legal or administrative actions or costs that it may incur defending such actions, and any claims asserted against it, regardless of merit or eventual outcome, may harm the Company’s reputation. Should the ultimate judgments or settlements and/or costs incurred in any litigation exceed any applicable insurance coverage, they could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operation for any period.

Our risk management framework may not be effective in mitigating risk and loss.

We maintain an enterprise risk management program that is designed to identify, quantify, monitor, report and control the risks we face. These risks include, but are not limited to, interest rate, credit, liquidity, operational, reputation, legal, compliance, economic and litigation risk. Although we assess our risk management program on an ongoing basis and make identified improvements to it, we can offer no assurances that this approach and risk management framework (including related controls) will effectively mitigate the risks listed above or limit losses that we may incur. If our risk management program has flaws or gaps, or if our risk management controls do not function effectively, our results of operations, financial condition or business may be adversely affected.

Our earnings are significantly affected by the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government and its agencies.

The policies of the FRB affect us significantly. The FRB regulates the supply of money and credit in the United States. Its policies directly and indirectly influence the rate of interest earned on loans and paid on borrowings and interest-bearing deposits and can also affect the value of financial instruments we hold. Those policies determine, to a significant extent, our cost of funds for lending and investing, and can significantly impact the levels of inflation in the United States. Changes in those policies are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. FRB policies can also affect our borrowers, potentially increasing the risk that they may fail to repay their loans. For example, a tightening of the money supply by the FRB could reduce the demand for a borrower's products and services. This could adversely affect the borrower’s earnings and ability to repay a loan, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS - (continued)

Risks Related to Liquidity

We rely substantially on deposits obtained from customers in our target markets to provide liquidity and support growth.

Our primary funding and liquidity source to support our business strategies is a stable customer deposit base. Deposit levels may be affected by a number of factors, including interest rates paid by competitors, general interest rate levels, returns available to customers on alternative investments and general economic conditions. If our deposit levels fall, we could lose a relatively low-cost source of funding and our interest expense would likely increase as we obtain alternative funding to replace lost deposits. If local customer deposits are not sufficient to fund our normal operations and growth, we will look to outside sources, such as fed funds lines with other financial institutions or borrowings with the FHLB and we have access to the institutional CD market and the brokered deposit market. We may also seek to raise funds through the issuance of shares of our common stock, or other equity or equity-related securities, or debt securities including subordinated notes as additional sources of liquidity. A number of factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, could make accessing such financing more difficult or more expensive, or could make such financing unavailable altogether, including the financial condition of the Company, rate disruptions in the capital markets, the attractiveness of investing in or lending to financial services companies generally, and competition for funding from other banks, holding companies or similar financial service companies, some of which could be substantially larger or have stronger credit ratings or profiles. If we are unable to access funding sufficient to support our business operations and growth strategies or are only able to access such funding on unattractive terms, we may not be able to implement our business strategies which may negatively affect our financial performance.

Our ability to meet contingency funding needs, in the event of a crisis that causes a disruption to our core deposit base, is dependent on access to wholesale markets, including funds provided by the FHLB of Atlanta.

We own stock in the FHLB of Atlanta, in order to qualify for membership in the FHLB system, which enables us to borrow on our line of credit with the FHLB that is secured by a blanket lien on select commercial loans, multifamily loans, residential mortgages and investment securities available-for-sale and is estimated to be equal to 25% of our assets approximating $1.0 billion, with available borrowing capacity subject to the amount of eligible collateral pledged at any given time. Changes or disruptions to the FHLB or the FHLB system in general may materially impact our ability to meet short and long-term liquidity needs or meet growth plans. Additionally, we cannot be assured that the FHLB will be able to provide funding to us when needed, nor can we be certain that the FHLB will provide funds specifically to us, should our financial condition and/or our regulators prevent access to our line of credit. The inability to access this source of funds could have a materially adverse effect on our ability to meet our customer’s needs. Our financial flexibility could be severely constrained if we were unable to maintain our access to funding or if adequate financing is not available at acceptable interest rates.

Risks Related to Owning Our Stock

The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors.

Our operating results may fluctuate due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control, including the changing U.S. economic environment and changes in the commercial and residential real estate market, any of which may cause our stock price to fluctuate. If our operating results fall below the expectation of investors or securities analysts, the price of our common stock could decline substantially.

Our stock price can fluctuate significantly in response to a variety of factors including, among other things:

•volatility of stock market prices and volumes in general;

•changes in market valuations of similar companies;

•changes in the conditions of credit markets;

•changes in accounting policies or procedures as required by the FASB, or other regulatory agencies;

•legislative and regulatory actions, including the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act and related regulations, that may subject us to additional regulatory oversight which may result in increased compliance costs and/or require us to change our business model;

•government intervention in the U.S. financial system and the effects of and changes in trade and monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the FRB;

•additions or departures of key members of management;

•fluctuations in our quarterly or annual operating results; and

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS - (continued)

•changes in analysts’ estimates of financial performance.

Future issuances of the Company’s common stock could adversely affect the market price of the common stock and could be dilutive.

The Company is not restricted from issuing additional shares of common stock, and may issue securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, shares of common stock. Issuances of a substantial number of shares of common stock, or the expectation that such issuances might occur, including in connection with acquisitions by the Company, could materially adversely affect the market price of the shares of common stock and could be dilutive to shareholders. Because the Company’s decision to issue equity securities in the future will depend on market conditions and other factors, it cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of possible future stock issuances. Accordingly, the Company’s shareholders bear the risk that future stock issuances will reduce market prices and dilute their stock holdings in the Company.

Common stock is equity and is subordinate to the Company’s existing and future indebtedness and effectively subordinated to all the indebtedness and other non-equity claims against the Bank.

Shares of the Company’s common stock are equity interests and do not constitute indebtedness. As such, shares of the common stock will rank junior to all of the Company’s indebtedness and to other non-equity claims against the Company and its assets available to satisfy claims against it, including in the event of the Company’s liquidation. The Company is permitted to incur additional debt. Upon liquidation, lenders and holders of the Company’s debt securities would receive distributions of the Company’s available assets prior to holders of the Company’s common stock. Furthermore, the Company’s right to participate in a distribution of assets upon the Bank’s liquidation or reorganization is subject to the prior claims of the Bank’s creditors, including holders of any depositors of the Bank or any debt issued by the Bank.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

Not applicable.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

The Company’s principal executive office is located at 1300 Kings Mountain Road in Martinsville, Virginia. There are also two other corporate administrative locations that house its operations center and various other corporate functions. We offer our community banking services through 69 combined depository locations in Virginia and North Carolina at December 31, 2021, 56 offices are located in Virginia and 13 are located in North Carolina. Two of these depository banking locations are held under lease contracts. In addition, the Bank leases a loan production office and a commercial banking office. Management believes the terms of the various leases are consistent with market standards and were arrived at through arm’s length bargaining. The leases are described in Note 8, Premises and Equipment, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

In the normal course of business, the Company is subject to various legal and administrative proceedings and claims. Legal and administrative proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties and unfavorable rulings could occur, and the timing and outcome of any legal or administrative proceeding cannot be predicted with certainty. As of December 31, 2021, the Company is not involved in any material pending or threatened legal proceedings other than proceedings occurring in the ordinary course of business.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

PART II

Market for Common Stock and Dividends

The Company’s common stock trades on NASDAQ, under the ticker symbol “CARE.” As of the close of business on March 8, 2022, we had 2,379 shareholders of record.

Dividends

On October 14, 2016, prior to the Reorganization, the board of directors of the Bank (the "Bank Board") determined that it was prudent not to declare a quarterly cash dividend on the Bank's common stock beginning in the fourth quarter of 2016. Notwithstanding the Bank’s history of paying a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock, the Bank Board believed this decision was necessary and appropriate as the Bank committed, and now the Company commits, additional resources to assist with regulatory compliance, preserve capital during the COVID-19 pandemic, and makes significant investments in new technology and human resources. While recognizing the importance of dividends to its shareholders, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that preservation of capital is of paramount importance at this time.

The Bank Board paid a special one-time cash dividend of $0.14 per share on March 3, 2020. This was a one-time dividend and there are no immediate plans to reinstate a quarterly dividend. The amount and timing of future dividends, if any, remains subject to the discretion of the Board and will depend upon a number of factors, including future earnings, financial condition, liquidity and capital requirements of the Company, applicable governmental regulations and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

Repurchases of Shares of Common Stock

The following table is a summary of our purchases of common stock during the fourth quarter of 2021:

(1) On December 13, 2021, the Company authorized, effective December 10, 2021, a common stock repurchase program to purchase up to two million shares of the Company’s common stock over a period of twelve months. As of December 31, 2021, 30,407 shares of common stock have been repurchased under this program at an average price of $15.22 per share. The program authorizes the purchase of the Company’s common stock in open market transactions or privately negotiated transactions, including pursuant to a trading plan in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 and/or Rule 10b-18 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The authorization permits management to repurchase shares of the Company’s common stock from time to time at management’s discretion. The actual means and timing of any shares purchased under the program will depend on a variety of factors, including the market price of the Company’s common stock, general market and economic conditions, and applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The repurchase program is authorized through December 9, 2022, although it may be modified or terminated by the Board at any time. The repurchase program does not obligate the Company to purchase any particular number of shares.

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES - (continued)

Five-Year Cumulative Total Return

The following chart compares the cumulative total shareholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total return of the NASDAQ Composite Index and S&P U.S. BMI Banks Index, which includes the stocks of banks, thrifts and bank and financial holding companies listed on all major exchanges (NYSE, AMEX, NASDAQ) in the S&P Global Market Intelligence’s coverage universe. All SNL indices were retired in 2021, therefore we have replaced that index with the S&P U.S. BMI Banks Index.

Period Ending

(1)An investment in Carter Bankshares, Inc. prior to November 2020 represents an investment in Carter Bank & Trust.

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ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

OVERVIEW

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand Carter Bankshares, Inc., our operations, and our present business environment. The MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes thereto contained in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The MD&A includes the following sections:

•Explanation of Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

•Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

•Our Business

•Results of Operations and Financial Condition

•Capital Resources

•Contractual Obligations

•Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

•Liquidity

•Inflation

•Stock Repurchase Program

This section reviews our financial condition for each of the past two years and results of operations for each of the past three years. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods to place them on a basis comparable with the current period presentation. Some tables may include additional time periods to illustrate trends within our Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto. The results of operations reported in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected in future periods.

Explanation of Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

In addition to the results of operations presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States, management uses, and this annual report references, adjusted net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent, or (“FTE”), basis, which is a non-GAAP financial measure. Management believes this measure provides information useful to investors in understanding our underlying business, operational performance and performance trends as it facilitates comparisons with the performance of other companies in the financial services industry. The Company believes the presentation of net interest income on an FTE basis ensures the comparability of net interest income arising from both taxable and tax-exempt sources and is consistent with industry practice. Net interest income per the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) is reconciled to net interest income adjusted to an FTE basis in the Net Interest Income section of the "Results of Operations – Year ended December 31, 2021."

Although management believes that this non-GAAP financial measure enhances investors’ understanding of our business and performance, this non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered an alternative to GAAP or considered to be more relevant than financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, nor is it necessarily comparable with similar non-GAAP measures which may be presented by other companies.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - (continued)

Critical Accounting Estimates

The Company’s preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Over time, these estimates, assumptions and judgments may prove to be inaccurate or vary from actual results and may significantly affect our reported results and financial position for the periods presented or in future periods. We currently view the determination of the allowance for credit losses to be critical, because it is made in accordance with GAAP, is highly dependent on subjective or complex judgments, assumptions and estimates made by management and have had or is reasonably likely to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

We have identified the following critical accounting estimates:

Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”)

The ACL represents an amount which, in management's judgment, is adequate to absorb expected credit losses on outstanding loans at the balance sheet date based on the evaluation of the size and current risk characteristics of the loan portfolio, past events, current conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions and prepayment experience. The ACL is measured and recorded upon the initial recognition of a financial asset. The ACL is reduced by charge-offs, net of recoveries of previous losses, and is increased or decreased by a provision for credit losses, which is recorded as a current period operating expense.

Determination of an appropriate ACL is inherently complex and requires the use of significant and highly subjective estimates. The reasonableness of the ACL is reviewed quarterly by management.

Management believes it uses relevant information available to make determinations about the ACL and that it has established the existing allowance in accordance with GAAP. However, the determination of the ACL requires significant judgment, and estimates of expected credit losses in the loan portfolio can vary from the amounts actually observed. While management uses available information to recognize expected credit losses, future additions to the ACL may be necessary based on changes in the loans comprising the portfolio, changes in the current and forecasted economic conditions, changes to the interest rate environment which may directly impact prepayment and curtailment rate assumptions, and changes in the financial condition of borrowers.

The ACL “base case” model is derived from various economic forecasts provided by widely recognized sources. Management evaluates the variability of market conditions by examining the peak and trough of economic cycles. These peaks and troughs are used to stress the base case model to develop a range of potential outcomes. Management then determines the appropriate reserve through an evaluation of these various outcomes relative to current economic conditions and known risks in the portfolio. For the year ended December 31, 2021 the range of outcomes would produce a 17% reduction or a 27% increase in reserves based on the best and worst case scenarios, respectively.

Refer to Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, for further detailed descriptions of our estimation process and methodology related to the ACL and Note 6, Allowance for Credit Losses, of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our Business

Carter Bankshares, Inc. (the “Company”) is a bank holding company headquartered in Martinsville, Virginia with assets of $4.1 billion at December 31, 2021. The Company is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Carter Bank & Trust (the “Bank”). The Bank is an insured, Virginia state-chartered bank, which operates branches in Virginia and North Carolina. The Company provides a full range of financial services with retail, and commercial banking products and insurance. Per the 2020 Annual Report of the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions, our Company continues to be the fourth largest state-chartered bank by asset size at year end 2020. Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “CARE.”

The Company earns revenue primarily from interest on loans and securities and fees charged for financial services provided to our customers. The Company incurs expenses for the cost of deposits, provision for credit losses and other operating costs such as salaries and employee benefits, data processing, occupancy and tax expense.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - (continued)

Our mission is that the Company strives to be the preferred lifetime financial partner for our customers and shareholders, and the employer of choice in the communities the Company is privileged to serve. Our strategic plan focuses on restructuring the balance sheet to provide more diversification and higher yielding assets to increase the net interest margin. Another area of focus is the transformation of the infrastructure of the Company to provide a foundation for operational efficiency and provide new products and services for our customers that will ultimately increase noninterest income.

Our focus continues to be on loan and deposit growth with a shift in the composition of deposits to more low cost core deposits with less dependence in higher cost certificates of deposits (“CDs”), as well as, implementing opportunities to increase fee income while closely monitoring our operating expenses. The Company is focused on executing this strategy to successfully build our brand and grow our business in our markets.

The Company’s Response to COVID-19

Lending Operations

The Company elected to take advantage of Section 4014 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) provision to temporarily delay adoption of the CECL methodology. The Company was subject to the adoption of the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) accounting method under the FASB ASU 2016-03 and related amendments, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) on January 1, 2020 and has since implemented CECL on January 1, 2021. Refer to Note 1, Basis of Presentation and Note 6, Allowance for Credit Losses, of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional disclosures relating to CECL in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company quickly responded to the pandemic and the CARES Act, offering the option of payment deferrals, participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), fee waivers and other relief actions to customers. In 2021 and, to date in 2022, we continued to prioritize the safety of our associates and customers by taking precautions to protect both customers and associates through enhanced cleaning services, social distancing and personal protective equipment requirements for both. A portion of the Company’s workforce continues to work remotely.