Item 1A.Risk Factors
An investment in the Company’s common stock is subject to risks inherent to the Company’s business. The material risks and uncertainties that management believes affect the Company are described below. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties that management is not aware of or focused on or that management currently deems immaterial may also impair the Company’s business operations. You should carefully consider the risks described below, as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, before making an investment in the Company’s common stock. If any of the following risks occur, the Company’s financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected, and you could lose all or part of your investment. In this section, the term "Company" includes City National unless the circumstances dictate otherwise.
Economic Risks
Economic Conditions in the Company's Market Areas Could Negatively Impact the Company's Business and Financial Condition.
The Company’s business is concentrated in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and southeastern Ohio. As a result, the Company’s results of operation, cash flows and financial condition are affected by local and regional economic conditions. A downturn in the economies within the Company’s market areas, or in any one of them, could negatively impact the Company’s results of operation and financial condition. Some examples of economic deterioration include declines in economic growth, declines in consumer and business confidence, prolonged increases in inflation, increases in the cost of capital and credit, and limitations in the availability of credit. The Company’s financial performance generally, and the ability of its customers to pay interest on and repay principal of outstanding loans to City National, is highly dependent on the strength of the economic and business environment in the market areas where the Company operates and in the United States as a whole. Additionally, the value of collateral securing loans made and held by City National is impacted by the strength of the economy. Deteriorating economic conditions in the Company’s market areas could cause declines in the overall quality of the loan portfolio requiring charge-off of a greater percentage of loans and/or an increase in the allowance for credit losses, which could negatively impact the Company’s results of operations and financial condition.
While the economic and business environments in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and southeastern Ohio have shown resilience during the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and have shown improvement since the brief recession of 2020, there can be no assurance that such resilience and improvement will continue or that the economies in the Company’s market areas, or the United States as a whole, will not slip into another recession. A lack of continued economic improvement or economic recession could adversely affect the Company’s results of operation and financial condition. An economic slowdown could have the following consequences:
•Loan delinquencies may increase;
•Problem assets and foreclosures may increase;
•Demand for City National's products and services may decline; and
•Collateral (including real estate) that secures loans made by City National may decline in value, in turn reducing customers’ borrowing power and making existing loans less secure.
The oil, natural gas and coal industries, and businesses ancillary thereto, play an important role in the economies of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and southeastern Ohio. Ongoing volatility in oil and gas prices since 2014 has negatively impacted oil and gas and other businesses in the Company’s market areas. Additionally, the coal industry continues to be in decline as a result of increased environmental and safety regulatory burden, increased competition from alternative energy sources and a decline in demand for coal. The Company has limited direct exposure to coal industry specific loans. Prolonged low oil and gas prices, and continued decline in the coal industry, could result in downward pressure on businesses in the Company’s market area which could negatively affect City National’s customers (both individuals and businesses). As a result, the Company’s operating results and financial condition could be negatively impacted.
Credit and Interest Rate Risks
The Value of Real Estate Collateral May Fluctuate Significantly Resulting in an Under-Collateralized Loan Portfolio.
The market value of real estate, particularly real estate held for investment, can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time as a result of market conditions in the geographic area in which the real estate is located. If the value of the real estate serving as collateral for the Company's loan portfolio were to decline materially, a significant part of the Company's loan portfolio could become under-collateralized. If the loans that are collateralized by real estate become
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troubled during a time when market conditions are declining or have declined, then, in the event of foreclosure, we may not be able to realize the amount of collateral that we anticipated at the time of originating the loan. This could have a material adverse effect on the Company's provision for credit losses and the Company's operating results and financial condition.
The Company Is Subject to Lending Risk, and the Impacts of Interest Rate Changes Could Adversely Impact the Company.
There are inherent risks associated with the Company’s lending activities. These risks include, among other things, the impact of changes in interest rates and changes in the economic conditions in the markets where the Company operates. Increases in interest rates and/or weakening economic conditions could adversely impact the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans or the value of the collateral securing these loans. The Company is also subject to various laws and regulations that affect its lending activities. Failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could subject the Company to regulatory enforcement action that could result in restrictions of the Company's activities or the assessment of significant civil money penalties against the Company.
A substantial portion of the Company's loan portfolio is comprised of residential and commercial real estate loans. The Company's concentration of real estate loans may subject the Company to additional risk, such as fluctuations in market value of collateral, environmental liability associated with hazardous or toxic substances found on, in or around the collateral, and difficulty monitoring income-producing property serving as a source of repayment and collateral. Any of these or other risks relating to real estate loans could adversely affect the collection by the Company of the outstanding loan balances.
Default on the Repayment of Loans May Impact Operating Expenses and Earnings.
The Company’s customers may default on the repayment of loans, which may negatively impact the Company’s earnings due to loss of principal and interest income. Increased operating expenses may result from management's allocation of time and resources to the collection and work-out of the loan. Collection efforts may or may not be successful causing the Company to write off the loan or repossess the collateral securing the loan, which may or may not exceed the balance of the loan.
Remediation Costs for Real Property Could Impact the Financial Outcomes of the Company.
A significant portion of the Company’s loan portfolio is secured by real property. In the ordinary course of the Company's business, it sometimes takes title to real property collateral through foreclosure after a borrower defaults on the loan for which the real property is collateral. There is a risk that hazardous or toxic substances could be present on properties that the Company acquires by way of foreclosure. Though the Company conducts regular remediation evaluations in the ordinary course of business, the Company may be liable for remediation costs, as well as for personal injury and property damage relating to any hazardous or toxic substances present on the properties it acquires in foreclosure. Environmental laws may require the Company to incur substantial expenses and may materially reduce the affected property’s value or limit the Company’s ability to use or sell the affected property. Furthermore, remediation costs and financial and other liabilities associated with an environmental hazard could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.
Changes to Interest Rates Could Impact the Financial Outcomes of the Company.
Changes in monetary policy, including changes in interest rates, could influence not only the interest income the Company receives on loans and securities and the amount of interest it pays on deposits and borrowings, but such changes could also affect (i) the Company’s ability to originate loans and obtain deposits, (ii) the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities, and (iii) the average duration of the Company’s mortgage-backed securities portfolio. The Company’s earnings and cash flows are largely dependent upon its net interest income. Net interest income is the difference between interest income earned on interest-earning assets, such as loans and securities, and interest expense paid on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowed funds. Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond the Company’s control, including general economic conditions and policies of various governmental and regulatory agencies and, in particular, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, the Company’s net interest income, and therefore its earnings and net profit, could be adversely affected. Earnings also could be adversely affected if the interest rates received on loans and other investments fall more quickly than the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings. Changes in interest rates may also negatively affect the ability of the Company's borrowers to repay their loans, particularly as interest rates rise and adjustable-rate loans become more expensive.
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Although management believes it has implemented effective asset and liability management strategies, including the use of derivatives as hedging instruments, to reduce the potential effects of changes in interest rates on the Company’s results of operations, any substantial, unexpected, prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. See the section in Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk located elsewhere in this report for further discussion related to the Company’s management of interest rate risk.
The Company’s Allowance for Credit Losses May Not be Sufficient.
The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses, which is a valuation account that is deducted from the loans' amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans. Loans are charged off against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Expected recoveries do not exceed the aggregate of amounts previously charged-off and expected to be charged-off. Management estimates the allowance balance using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical credit loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for differences in current loan-specific risk characteristics, such as differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, or term as well as for changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in unemployment rates, property values, or other relevant factors. These evaluations are conducted at least quarterly and more frequently if deemed necessary.
The determination of the appropriate level of the allowance for credit losses inherently involves a high degree of subjectivity and requires the Company to make significant estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which may undergo material changes. Changes in economic conditions affecting borrowers, new information regarding existing loans, identification of additional problem loans and other factors, both within and outside of the Company’s control, may require an increase in the allowance for credit losses. In addition, bank regulatory agencies periodically review the Company’s allowance for credit losses and may require an increase in the provision for credit losses or the recognition of further loan charge-offs based on judgments different than those of management. Any increases in the allowance for credit losses will result in a decrease in net income and capital, and may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.
See the section captioned "Allowance for Credit Losses" in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations located elsewhere in this report for further discussion related to the Company’s process for determining the appropriate level of the allowance for credit losses.
Risks Related to an Investment in the Company's Securities
The Value of the Company’s Common Stock Fluctuates.
The market for the Company’s common stock may experience significant price and volume fluctuations in response to a number of factors including actual or anticipated variations in operating results, changes in expectations of future financial performance, changes in estimates by securities analysts, governmental regulatory action, banking industry reform measures, customer relationship developments and other factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control.
Furthermore, the stock market in general, and the market for financial institutions in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that often has been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of the Company’s common stock, regardless of actual operating performance.
The Trading Volume in the Company’s Common Stock Is Less Than That of Other Larger Financial Services Companies.
Although the Company’s common stock is listed for trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the trading volume in its common stock is less than that of other financial services companies. A public trading market having the desired characteristics of depth, liquidity and orderliness depends on the presence in the marketplace of willing buyers and sellers of the Company’s common stock at any given time. This presence depends on the individual decisions of investors and general economic and market conditions over which the Company has no control. Given the lower trading volume of the Company’s common stock, significant sales of the Company’s common stock, or the expectation of these sales, could cause the Company’s stock price to fall.
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Future Sales or the Issuance of Shares of the Company’s Common Stock Could Negatively Affect its Market Price.
Future sales of substantial amounts of the Company’s common stock, , agreements for the issuance of additional shares of the Company’s common stock (such as the issuance of shares as consideration in connection with the Merger), or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of the Company’s common stock in the open market. We make no prediction as to the effect, if any, that future sales of shares, the issuance of shares as consideration in the Merger, or the availability of shares for future sale, will have on the market price of the Company’s common stock.
Shares of the Company’s Common Stock Are Not FDIC Insured.
Neither the FDIC nor any other governmental agency insures the shares of the Company’s common stock. Therefore, the value of common stock of the Company will be based on market value and may decline.
Strategic Risks
Due to Increased Competition, the Company May Not be Able to Attract and Retain Banking Customers.
The Company faces substantial and intense competition in all areas of its operation, including interest rates and other terms for loans and deposits and the range and quality of services provided. Competition comes from a variety of different competitors, many of which have competitive advantages over the Company. The Company faces competition from:
•local, regional and national banks;
•savings and loans associations;
•Internet banks;
•credit unions;
•mutual funds;
•mortgage banking firms;
•finance companies;
•financial technology ("fin-tech") companies;
•brokerage firms;
•investment advisory and wealth management firms;
•investment banking firms; and
•other entities.
In particular, many of City National’s competitors are larger banks and financial institutions whose greater resources may afford them a marketplace advantage by enabling them to maintain numerous banking locations and mount extensive promotional and advertising campaigns. Additionally, the Company’s competitors may have products and services not offered by the Company, which may cause current and potential customers to choose those institutions over the Company. The financial services industry could become even more competitive as a result of legislative, regulatory, and technological changes and the continued consolidation within the banking industry. Consumer preferences and expectations continue to evolve, and technology and regulatory changes have lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for banks to expand their geographic reach by providing services over the internet and for non-banks to offer products and services typically provided by banks. Many of our non-bank competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and expenses associated with regulatory compliance and may have lower cost structures, such as credit unions that are not subject to federal income tax.
The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including our ability to develop, maintain, and build long-term customer relationships; our ability to expand our market area and range of services and products offered; our ability to keep up-to-date with technological advancements, both with respect to new and existing products and with respect to cybersecurity; customer satisfaction with our products and services; and general industry and economic trends. Failure to perform successfully in any of these areas could significantly weaken our competitive position. If the Company is unable to attract new customers and retain current customers, loan and deposit growth could decrease, causing the Company’s results of operations and financial condition to be negatively impacted.
New Lines of Business or New Products and Services May Subject the Company to Additional Risks.
From time to time, the Company may implement new lines of business or offer new products and services within existing lines of business. There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. In developing and marketing new lines of business and/or products and services, the Company may invest significant time and resources. External factors, such as compliance with regulations, competitive alternatives, and shifting market preferences, may also impact the successful implementation of a new line of business or a
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new product or service. If we are unable to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new lines of business or new products or services, it could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and result of operations.
The Company Faces Technological Change and the Emergence of Nonbank Alternatives to the Financial System.
Consumers may decide not to use banks to complete their financial transactions or invest or deposit their funds. Technology and other changes, including the emergence of fin-tech companies are allowing parties to complete financial transactions through alternative methods that historically have involved banks. For example, consumers can pay bills and transfer funds directly without the assistance of banks. 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.
The banking and financial services industry continually undergoes technological change, with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. The Company’s future success depends on its ability to address the needs and preferences of its customers by using technology to provide products and services that enhance customer convenience and that create additional efficiencies in the Company’s operations. Many of the Company’s competitors have greater resources to invest in technological improvements, and the Company may not be able to implement new technology-driven products and services as quickly and effectively as its competitors. In addition, the necessary process of updating technology can itself lead to disruptions in the availability or function of systems. Failure to successfully keep pace with technological change affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and results of operations.
The Value of the Company's Investments Could Decline.
The Company holds available-for-sale investment securities, which are carried at fair value. The determination of fair value for certain of these securities requires significant judgment of the Company’s management. Therefore, the market price the Company receives for its investment securities could be less than the carrying value for such securities. Further, the value of the Company’s investment portfolio could decline for numerous reasons, many of which are outside the Company’s control, including general market conditions, volatility in the securities market, and inflation rates or expectations of inflation. A portion of the Company’s investment portfolio consists of municipal securities. The value of these securities is subject to additional factors, including the financial condition of the government issuer and general demand for municipal securities.
The Company May Be Required to Write Down Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, Causing Its Financial Condition and Results to Be Negatively Affected.
When the Company acquires a business, a portion of the purchase price of the acquisition is allocated to goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets. The excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired determines the amount of the purchase price that is allocated to goodwill acquired. At December 31, 2023, the Company’s goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets were approximately $163 million. Under current accounting standards, if the Company determines goodwill or intangible assets are impaired, it would be required to write down the value of these assets. The Company conducts an annual review to determine whether goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets are impaired. The Company recently completed such an impairment analysis and concluded that no impairment charge was necessary for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company cannot provide assurance whether it will be required to take an impairment charge in the future. Any impairment charge would have a negative effect on its shareholders’ equity and financial results and may cause a decline in the Company's stock price.
The Company May Require Additional Capital in the Future, But That Capital May Not Be Available or May Be Dilutive.
The Company faces liquidity risk, which is the possibility that the Company may not be able to meet its obligations as they come due, both to creditors and customers, or capitalize on growth opportunities because of a lack of liquidity. Lack of liquidity can be caused by an inability to liquidate assets or obtain adequate financing on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost and on other reasonable terms, and within acceptable risk tolerances. The Company is also required by its regulators to maintain specified levels of capital to maintain its operations. The Company’s business needs and future growth, including future acquisitions or organic growth into new markets and business lines, may require it to raise additional capital.
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One of the Company’s main sources for liquidity is customer deposits. Increased competition and the availability of alternative products may reduce the Company’s ability to attract and retain core deposits. If customers move money out of bank deposits into other investments, we could lose a relatively low cost source of funds.
The Company’s ability to raise additional capital, whether in the form of debt or equity, is dependent on several factors, including the condition of capital markets, investment demand, and the Company’s financial condition and performance. We cannot assure that we will be able to raise additional capital in the future on terms that are favorable or acceptable to us, or at all.
The issuance of debt may increase our capital costs and reduce our liquidity. The issuance of equity securities, including common stock or one or more series of preferred stock, of the Company may reduce the value of our common stock and have a dilutive effect on holders of our common stock. The Company may issue debt or equity securities that are senior in priority to our common stock as to distributions and liquidation, which could negatively affect the value of our common stock.
Acquisition and Other Growth Opportunities May Present Challenges.
Any future acquisitions may result in unforeseen difficulties, which could require significant time and attention from the Company’s management that would otherwise be directed at developing its existing business and managing expenses. In addition, the Company could discover undisclosed liabilities resulting from any acquisitions for which it may become responsible. Further, the benefits that the Company anticipates from these acquisitions may not develop. We may experience difficulty integrating businesses acquired through mergers and acquisitions and may fail to realize the expected revenue increases, cost savings, increases in market presence, and other projected benefits from acquisition activity. Acquisitions utilizing the Company’s common stock as consideration may dilute the value of the Company’s common stock, which dilution may not be recouped or recovered for a significant amount of time after the acquisition, if ever.
Any merger or acquisition opportunity that we decide to pursue will ultimately be subject to regulatory approval and other closing conditions. We may expend significant time and resources pursing potential acquisitions that are never consummated due to lack of regulatory approval or other issues. Competition for acquisition candidates in the banking industry is intense. We may expend significant time and resources evaluating acquisition candidates and conducting due diligence that does not lead to an acquisition opportunity.
The Company may implement new lines of business, enter new market areas, or offer new products and services from time to time. There can be substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts. The Company may invest significant time and resources in developing and marketing new lines of business, but the benefits that the Company anticipates from these activities may not develop as expected. External factors, such as compliance with regulations, competitive alternatives, and shifting market preferences may impact the Company’s ability to successfully implement organic growth strategies. Failure to successfully manage these risks could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.
Operational Risks
The Company May be Adversely Affected by the Soundness of Third Parties, Including Other Financial Institutions.
The Company's business is highly dependent on third party vendors, especially with respect to information technology and telecommunication systems, payment processing system, and mobile and online banking systems. Our operations rely heavily on the secure processing, storage, transmission, and monitoring of information and transactions, and many of these services are outsourced to third party vendors. The failure of these systems or the inability of a third party vendor to continue providing these services on a reliable basis could adversely affect our operations. In addition, the failure of third parties to comply with applicable laws and regulations, or fraud or misconduct on the part of any of these third parties, could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our reputation. It may be difficult for us to replace some of our critical third party vendors, particularly vendors providing our core banking, debit card services and information services, in a timely manner and on terms that are favorable or acceptable to us. Any of these events could increase our expenses and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Financial services institutions are interrelated with one another as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, and other relationships. The Company has exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and routinely executes transactions with counterparties in the financial services industry, including commercial banks, brokers and dealers, investment banks, and other institutional clients. Many of these transactions expose the Company to credit risk in the event of a default by a counterparty or client. In addition, the Company’s credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by
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the Company cannot be realized upon or is liquidated at prices not sufficient to recover the full amount of the credit or derivative exposure due to the Company. Any such losses could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, as a result of financial entities and technology systems becoming more interdependent and complex, a cybersecurity incident, information breach or loss, or technology failure that comprises the systems or data of one financial entity could have a material impact on counterparties or other market participants, including the Company.
The Company Depends on the Accuracy and Completeness of Information About Our Customers and Counterparties.
The Company relies on information provided to us by or on behalf of customers and other third parties, including financial statements, credit reports, and other financial information, in deciding whether to extend credit or enter into other transactions and in evaluating and monitoring our loan portfolio. The Company also relies on representations from our customers, counterparties, and other third parties, such as independent auditors, as to the accuracy and completeness of that information. Reliance on inaccurate, incomplete, fraudulent or misleading financial or business information could result in credit losses, reputational damage, or other effects that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operation.
The Company's Risk Management Practices May Prove to be Inadequate or Not Fully Effective.
The Company's risk management framework seeks to mitigate risk and appropriately balance risk and return. The Company has established policies and procedures intended to identify, monitor and manage the types of risk which it is subject to, including credit risk, market risk, liquidity risk, operational risk and reputational risk. Although the Company has devoted significant resources to develop its risk management policies and procedures and expects to continue to do so in the future, these policies and procedures, as well as its risk management techniques, may not be fully effective. In addition, as regulations and markets in which the Company operates continue to evolve, its risk management framework may not always keep sufficient pace with those changes. If the Company's risk management framework does not effectively identify or mitigate its risks, the Company could suffer unexpected losses and could be materially adversely affected. Management of the Company's risks in some cases depends upon the use of analytical and/or forecasting models. If the models the Company uses to mitigate these risks are inadequate, it may incur increased losses. In addition, there may be risks that exist, or that develop in the future, that the Company has not appropriately anticipated, identified or mitigated.
The Company May Not Be Able to Attract and Retain Skilled Key Employees.
The Company’s success depends, in in large part, on its ability to attract, retain, motivate and develop key employees. Competition for key employees is ongoing and the Company may not be able to attract, retain or hire the key employees who are wanted or needed, which may also negatively impact the Company’s ability to execute identified business strategies. Because the Company operates primarily in specific geographic markets, its hiring pool is also limited by those markets. Competition for key employees may require the Company to offer higher compensation to attract or retain key employees, which may adversely affect the salaries and employee benefit costs of the Company.
Various restrictions on the compensation which may be paid to certain executive officers were imposed under the Dodd-Frank Act and other legislation and regulations. In addition, the Company’s incentive compensation structure is subject to review by regulators, who may identify deficiencies in the structure or issue additional guidance on the Company’s compensation practices, causing the Company to make changes that may affect its ability to offer competitive compensation to these individuals or that place it at a disadvantage to non-financial service competitors. The Company’s ability to attract and retain talented employees may be affected by these restrictions, or any new executive compensation limits or regulations.
Risks Related to Legal, Reputational and Compliance Matters
Certain Banking Laws May Have an Anti–Takeover Effect.
Application of certain federal banking laws and regulations applicable to the Company and City National, including regulatory approval requirements for change in control, merger or other business combination transactions, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire the Company or City National, even if doing so would be perceived to be beneficial to the Company's shareholders. These laws and regulations effectively inhibit a non–negotiated merger or other business combination, which, in turn, could adversely affect the market price of the Company's common stock.
The Company’s Ability to Pay Dividends Is Limited.
Although the Board of Directors has declared cash dividends in the past, the Company's current ability to pay dividends is largely dependent upon the receipt of dividends from City National. Federal laws impose restrictions on the
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ability of City National to pay dividends. Holders of shares of the Company’s common stock are entitled to dividends if, and when, they are declared by the Company’s Board of Directors out of funds legally available for that purpose. Additional restrictions are placed upon the Company by the policies of federal regulators, including the Federal Reserve Board’s November 14, 1985 policy statement, which provides that bank holding companies should pay dividends only out of the past year’s net income, and then only if their prospective rate of earnings retention appears consistent with their capital needs, asset quality, and overall financial condition. In general, future dividend policy is subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including the Company’s and City National’s future earnings, capital requirements, regulatory constraints and financial condition. There can be no assurance that the Company will continue to pay dividends to its shareholders in the future.
The Company and City National Are Extensively Regulated.
The Company operates in a highly regulated environment and is subject to supervision and regulation by a number of governmental regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve Board, the OCC and the FDIC. Regulations adopted by these agencies, which are generally intended to provide protection for depositors and customers rather than for the benefit of shareholders, govern a comprehensive range of matters including but not limited to (i) ownership and control of the Company's equity, (ii) acquisition of other companies and businesses, (iii) permissible activities and investments, (iv) maintenance of adequate capital levels and (v) other operational aspects. Compliance with banking regulations is costly and restricts certain of our activities, including the payment of dividends, mergers and acquisitions, investments, loan amounts and concentrations, interest rates, opening and closing branch locations, and other activities. The bank regulatory agencies also possess broad authority to prevent or remedy unsafe or unsound practices or violations of law. These agencies have significant discretion in their ability to enforce penalties and further limit the Company's activities if the Company fails to comply with applicable regulations.
The Dodd-Frank Act instituted major changes to the bank and financial institutions regulatory regimes, and additional changes continue to be proposed and implemented by various regulatory agencies. Other changes to statutes, regulations or regulatory policies, including changes in interpretation or implementation of statutes, regulations or policies, could affect the Company in substantial and unpredictable ways. Such changes could subject the Company to reduced revenues, additional costs, limit the types of financial services and products the Company may offer and/or increase the ability of non-banks to offer competing financial services and products, among other things. The burden and expenses associated with regulatory compliance have been increasing and may continue to increase. Failure to comply with laws, regulations or policies could result in sanctions by regulatory agencies, civil money penalties and/or reputation damage, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations.
Proposals to change the laws and regulations governing financial institutions are frequently raised in Congress and before bank regulatory authorities. Changes in applicable laws or regulations could materially affect the Company’s business, and the likelihood of any major changes in the future and their effects are impossible to determine. Moreover, it is impossible to predict the ultimate form any proposed legislation might take or how it might affect the Company.
The Company’s Controls and Procedures May Fail or Be Circumvented.
Any failure or circumvention of the Company’s controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. Management regularly reviews and updates the Company’s internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and corporate governance policies and procedures. Any system of controls, no matter how well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met.
Significant Legal Actions Could Result in Substantial Liabilities.
From time to time, the Company is subject to claims related to its operations. These claims and legal actions, including supervisory actions by its regulators, could involve large monetary claims and cause the Company to incur significant defense expenses. As a result, the Company may be exposed to substantial liabilities, which could negatively affect its shareholders’ equity and financial results.
The Company Faces Reputational Risk.
The Company faces threats to its reputation from many sources, including adverse sentiment about financial institutions generally, unethical practices, employee misconduct, failure to deliver expected standards of service or quality, regulatory compliance deficiencies, and questionable or fraudulent activities of the Company’s employees and customers.
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Negative publicity may arise regarding the Company’s business, employees, or customers, with or without merit, and could result in the loss of customers, investors and employees, costly litigation, a decline in revenue, and increased regulatory oversight.
The Company Is Subject to Possible Claims and Litigation Relating to Fiduciary Activities.
A significant portion of the business conducted in the Company's trust division involves the Company assuming the special role of a fiduciary to its customers and to the beneficiaries of its customers' assets. Customers or beneficiaries could make claims and take legal action relating to the Company’s fiduciary activities. Whether such claims and legal action related to the Company's performance of its fiduciary responsibilities are founded or unfounded, if such matters are not resolved in a manner favorable to the Company, they may result in significant financial liability. Furthermore, the mere existence of a claim or legal action related to the Company’s fiduciary activities could adversely affect the Company’s reputation among customers and prospective customers. Any financial liability or reputation damage could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, which, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in Tax Law and Accounting Standards Could Materially Affect the Company's Operations.
Changes in tax laws, or changes in the interpretation of existing tax laws, could materially adversely affect the Company’s operations. Similarly, new accounting standards, changes to existing accounting standards, and changes to the methods of preparing financial statements could impact the Company’s reported financial condition and results of operations. These factors are outside the Company’s control and it is impossible to predict changes that may occur and the effect of such changes.
Risks Related to Privacy and Technology
System Failure, Cybersecurity Breaches, Fraud and Employee Misconduct Could Subject the Company to Increased Operating Costs, as Well as Litigation and Other Potential Losses.
The computer systems and network infrastructure that the Company uses could be vulnerable to unforeseen hardware and cybersecurity issues, including "hacking" and "identity theft." The Company’s operations are dependent upon its ability to protect its computer equipment against damage from fire, power loss, telecommunications failure or a similar catastrophic event. Any damage or failure that causes an interruption in the Company’s operations could have an adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the Company’s operations are dependent upon its ability to protect the computer systems and network infrastructure utilized by the Company, including its mobile and Internet banking activities, against damage from physical break-ins, cybersecurity breaches, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, theft of information, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors, and other disruptive problems. The Company is further exposed to the risk that its third-party service providers may be unable to fulfill their contractual obligations with respect to managing the Company’s information and systems. Any cybersecurity breach or other disruptions, whether by the Company or its third-party vendors, would jeopardize the security of information stored in and transmitted through the Company’s computer systems and network infrastructure, which may result in significant liability to the Company, damage its reputation and inhibit current and potential customers from its using Internet banking services. The Company could incur substantial costs and suffer other negative consequences, such as: remediation costs, such as liability for stolen assets or information, repairs of system damage, and incentives to customers in an effort to maintain relationships after an attack; increased cybersecurity protection costs, such as organizational changes, deploying additional personnel and protection technologies, training employees, and engaging third party experts and consultants; and damage to the Company's competitiveness, stock price, and long-term shareholder values.
Despite efforts to ensure the integrity of the Company's systems, the Company will not be able to anticipate all security breaches of these types, nor will it be able to implement guaranteed preventive measures against such security breaches. Persistent attackers may succeed in penetrating defenses given enough resources, time and motive. The techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently, may not be recognized until launched, and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized crime affiliates, terrorist organizations or hostile foreign governments. These risks may increase in the future as the Company continues to increase its mobile payment and other Internet-based product offerings and expand its internal usage of web-based products and applications.
A successful attack to the Company's system security or the system security of one of its critical third-party vendors could cause it serious negative consequences, including significant disruption of operations, misappropriation of confidential information, and damage to its computers or systems or those of its customers and counterparties. A successful security breach could result in violations of applicable privacy and other laws, financial loss to the Company or to its customers, loss
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of confidence in its security measures, significant litigation exposure, and harm to its reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Criminals are committing fraud at an increasing rate and are using more sophisticated techniques, including through use of artificial intelligence technologies. The Company faces risk of fraudulent activity in many forms, including online payment transfer fraud, debit card fraud, check fraud, mechanical devices attached to ATMs or ITMs, phishing attacks to obtain personal information, email-related frauds and the impersonation of Company executives or vendors, and impersonation of clients through the use of falsified or stolen credentials. The Company may suffer losses as a result of fraudulent activity committed against it, its customers, and other counterparties.
The Company could be adversely affected if one of its employees causes a significant operational breakdown or failure, either as a result of human error or where an individual purposefully sabotages or fraudulently manipulates the Company’s operations or systems. Misconduct by employees could include fraudulent, improper or unauthorized activities on behalf of customers or improper use of confidential information. Employee errors or misconduct could subject the Company to regulatory enforcement action, legal action, reputational damage, and other losses. For more information on how the Company manages cybersecurity risk, please refer to Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
General Risk Factors
The Company Relies Heavily on Its Management Team, and the Unexpected Loss of Key Management May Adversely Affect Its Operations.
The Company's success to date has been strongly influenced by its ability to attract and to retain senior management personnel experienced in banking in the markets it serves. Competition for key personnel is intense. The Company's ability to retain executive officers and the current management teams will continue to be important to the successful implementation of its strategies. The Company has employment agreements with these key employees in the event of a change of control, as well as confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-competition agreements related to its stock options. The unexpected loss of services of any key management personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on the Company's business and financial results.
Severe Weather, Natural Disasters, Acts of War or Terrorism, and Other External Events Could Significantly Impact the Company's Business.
Severe weather, natural disasters, health emergencies (including COVID-19), acts of war or terrorism, and other adverse external events, especially those that directly affect the Company’s market areas, could have a significant impact on the Company’s ability to conduct business. These events could adversely affect the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, decrease the value of collateral securing loans, cause significant property and infrastructure damage, and affect the stability of the Company’s deposit base. The Company may experience decreased revenue, increased charge-offs, and other expenses.
Climate Change Could Materially Impact the Company’s Underlying Customers or the General Economic Conditions, Resulting in Impacts on the Company.
The Company’s business, as well as the operations and activities of its customers, could be negatively impacted by climate change. Climate change presents both immediate and long-term risks to the Company and its customers, and these risks are expected to increase over time. Climate change presents multi-faceted risks, including: operational risk from the physical effects of climate events on the Company and its customers’ facilities and other assets; credit risk from borrowers with significant exposure to climate risk; transition risks associated with the transition to a less carbon-dependent economy; and reputational risk from stakeholder concerns about the Company’s practices related to climate change, the Company’s carbon footprint, and the Company’s business relationships with clients who operate in carbon-intensive industries. The Company’s success depends on its relationships with customers and general economic conditions. Because the Company’s customer base is geographically concentrated in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, and southeastern Ohio, if the customers in those geographies are physically impacted by climate change, the Company may be financially impacted as well. In addition, an economic transition to mitigate climate change on a broader scale could have a negative or destabilizing impact on the general economic conditions of the country, which could also have a negative impact on the financial outcomes of the Company.
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Item 1B.Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
Risk Management and Strategy
The Company's information security program encompasses the security policies and procedures in place throughout the enterprise network to address compliance, transaction, reputation, and strategic risks. Our Information Security Officer is primarily responsible for this managing the information security program that includes identifying, assessing, and mitigating cyber threats. Our Information Security Officer reports directly to the Chief Information Officer.
Our objective for managing cybersecurity as part of the information security program is to ensure adequate procedures and proper controls are in place in order to provide an objective system for recording and aggregating information, supporting the institution's strategic goals and objectives, and protecting the security and confidentiality of the institution’s customers and business activities. Our information security program leverages guidance from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (“NIST”) Cybersecurity Framework, regulatory guidance, and other industry standards. The information security program is periodically reviewed by the board of directors and updated by the Information Security Officer to adapt to potential new threats and conditions.
The Company employs a combination of patch management, network security, malicious code prevention, and user awareness and training to assist with preventing cybersecurity incidents. Users are made aware of policies and procedures regarding appropriate use of networks, systems, and applications. Additionally, employees are trained in handling sensitive data and made aware of specific requirements when handling client data. Periodic review and assessment of network infrastructure is completed. The Company, in certain instances, may rely on vendors, third-party support, or other outsourcing opportunities. Before introducing a new product or service, the internal controls and competence of a vendor, maintenance and upkeep of a third-party provider’s systems, and financial condition of the third-party vendor are evaluated. Internal and external auditors and independent external partners are engaged and periodically review the Company's processes, systems, and controls, including with respect to our information security program, to assess their design and operating effectiveness and make recommendations to strengthen our risk management program.
We maintain an Incident Response Policy that provides a documented framework for bringing together and organizing the resources for dealing with any event that harms or threatens the security of information. The goal of the Incident Response Policy is to facilitate a quick and efficient response to incidents, and to limit their impact while protecting information assets. The plan defines roles and responsibilities, documents the steps necessary for effectively and efficiently managing an information security incident, and defines channels of communication. The Information Security Officer and Chief Information Officer coordinate investigations of potential cybersecurity incidents.
Our internal processes, and controls are designed to contain, mitigate, or resolve cybersecurity incidents. As of the report date, risks from cybersecurity threats have not materially affected our company. For further discussion of risks from cybersecurity threats, see the section captioned “System Failure, Cybersecurity Breaches, Fraud and Employee Misconduct Could Subject the Company to Increased Operating Costs, as Well as Litigation and Other Potential Losses” in Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Governance
As mentioned, the Company's Information Security Officer is primarily responsible for managing and updating the information security program. The responsibilities for managing the information security program include cybersecurity risk assessment, assessing the types and appropriateness implemented controls and coordinating related control testing, coordinating user training with each department and the appropriateness, data storage and maintenance, incident response, and third-party risk management. Specifically, the information technology department, as a whole, consists of information security professionals with varying degrees of education and experience with senior management in department having higher professional education and experience. Individuals within the department are generally subject to professional education and certification requirements. In particular, the Company's Information Security Officer and Chief Information Officer have relevant expertise and formal training in the areas of information security and cybersecurity risk management.
Our board of directors has approved and delegated initial cybersecurity threat responses to the Incident Response Team. The Information Security Officer and Chief Information Officer are assigned as the Incident Response Team leaders
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and reports summaries of key issues, including significant cybersecurity and/or privacy incidents to Incident Response Team which includes the Chief Executive Officer. If appropriate, the Chief Executive Officer will communicate actions taken the actions taken to our board of directors. Further, given the ultimate oversight of the Company's information security programs, the Chief Legal Counsel will communicate any regulatory compliance matters related to information system, including cybersecurity, to the board of directors.
Item 2.Properties
City National owns the Company’s executive office, located at 25 Gatewater Road, Charleston, West Virginia. This facility has approximately 60,000 square feet and houses the Company's executive and administrative personnel.
As of December 31, 2023, City National owns seventy-eight bank branch locations and leases twenty bank branch locations, pursuant to operating leases. All of the properties are suitable and adequate for their current operations. City National also operates a loan production office leased in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The Company also owns parcels of real estate for potential future branch development.
Item 3.Legal Proceedings
The Company is engaged in various legal actions that it deems to be in the ordinary course of business. As these legal actions are resolved, the Company could realize positive and/or negative impact to its financial performance in the period in which these legal actions are ultimately decided. There can be no assurance that current actions will have immaterial results, either positive or negative, or that no material actions may be presented in the future.
Item 4.Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
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PART II
Item 5.Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Common Stock Market and Dividends
The Company’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "CHCO". This table sets forth the cash dividends declared per share and information regarding the closing market prices per share of the Company’s common stock for the periods indicated. The price ranges are based on transactions as reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. At February 26, 2024, there were 2,516 shareholders of record.
The Company generally pays dividends on a quarterly basis. As noted in the section captioned "Dividends and Other Payments" included in Item 1. Business, the section captioned "Liquidity and Capital Resources" included in Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and in Note Seventeen of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company’s ability to pay dividends to its shareholders is dependent upon the ability of City National to pay dividends to the Company. At December 31, 2023, City National could pay $53.3 million in dividends without prior regulatory permission.
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Stock Performance
The following graph sets forth the cumulative total shareholder return (assuming reinvestment of dividends) to the Company’s shareholders during the five-year period ended December 31, 2023, as well as the NASDAQ Composite Index and the KBW NASDAQ Bank Index.
This graph shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, unless the Company specifically incorporates this report by reference. It will not be otherwise filed under such Acts.
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Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
On May 25, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the Company to buy back up to 1,000,000 shares of its common stock (approximately 7% of outstanding shares) in open market transactions at prices that are accretive to the earnings per share of continuing shareholders. No time limit was placed on the duration of the share repurchase program. As part of this authorization, the Company terminated its previous repurchase program that was approved in March 2021. The following table sets forth information regarding the Company's common stock repurchases transacted during the quarter ended December 31, 2023:
Total Number Maximum Number
of Shares Purchased of Shares that May
as Part of Publicly Yet Be Purchased
Total Number of Average Price Announced Plans Under the Plans
Period Shares Purchased Paid per Share or Programs or Programs
*There were no common stock repurchases in November or December 2023.
Subsequent to year-ended December 31, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the Company to buy back up to 1,000,000 shares of its common stock. Similar to prior approval, no time limit was placed on the duration of the share repurchase program. As part of this authorization, the Company rescinded its previous repurchase program that was approved in May 2022.
Item 6. Reserved
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Item 7.Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Statistical Information
The information noted below is provided pursuant to Guide 3 - Statistical Disclosure by Bank Holding Companies and 17 CFR § 229.1400.
Description of Information PageReference
Item I. Distribution of Assets, Liabilities and Stockholders'
Equity; Interest Rates and Interest Differential
a. Average Balance Sheets 33
b. Analysis of Net Interest Earnings 34
c. Rate Volume Analysis of Changes in Interest Income and Expense 34
II. Investment Portfolio
a. Maturity Schedule of Investments 43
III. Loan Portfolio
a. Types of Loans 44
b. Maturities and Sensitivity to Changes in Interest Rates 44
c. Other Interest Bearing Assets None
d. Risk Elements 76
V. Deposits
a. Breakdown of Deposits by Categories, Average Balance and Average Rate Paid 33
b. Maturity Schedule of Uninsured Time Certificates of Deposit 49
VI. Return on Equity and Assets 31
VII. Short-term Borrowings 39
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CITY HOLDING COMPANY
City Holding Company (the "Company"), a West Virginia corporation headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, is a registered financial holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act and conducts its principal activities through its wholly owned subsidiary, City National Bank of West Virginia ("City National"). City National is a retail and consumer-oriented community bank with 98 bank branches in West Virginia (58), Kentucky (23), Virginia (13) and southeastern Ohio (4). City National provides credit, deposit, and trust and investment management services to its customers in a broad geographical area that includes many rural and small community markets in addition to larger cities including Charleston (WV), Huntington (WV), Martinsburg (WV), Ashland (KY), Lexington (KY), Winchester (VA) and Staunton (VA). In the Company's key markets, the Company's primary subsidiary, City National, often ranks in the top three relative to deposit market share and the top two relative to branch share (Charleston/Huntington MSA, Beckley/Lewisburg counties, Staunton MSA and Winchester, VA/WV Eastern Panhandle counties). In addition to its branch network, City National's delivery channels include automated-teller-machines ("ATMs"), interactive-teller-machines ("ITMs"), mobile banking, debit cards, interactive voice response systems, and Internet technology. The Company’s business activities are currently limited to one reportable business segment, which is community banking.
On March 10, 2023, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares of Citizens Commerce Bancshares, Inc. ("Citizens") and its principal banking subsidiary, Citizens Commerce Bank of Versailles, Kentucky. See Note Three for additional information on the acquisition.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
The accounting policies of the Company conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and require management to make estimates and develop assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and related footnotes. These estimates and assumptions are based on information available to management as of the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ significantly from management’s estimates. As this information changes, management’s estimates and assumptions used to prepare the Company’s financial statements and related disclosures may also change. The most significant accounting policies followed by the Company are presented in Note One of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included herein. Based on the valuation techniques used and the sensitivity of financial statement amounts to the methods, assumptions, and estimates underlying those amounts, management has identified: (i) the determination of the allowance for credit losses (ii) income taxes and (iii) acquisition and preliminary purchase price accounting to be the accounting areas that require the most subjective or complex judgments and, as such, could be most subject to revision as new information becomes available.
Allowance for Credit Losses
The Allowance for Credit Losses section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K provides management’s analysis of the Company’s allowance for credit losses and related provision. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the loans' amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans. Loans are charged off against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Expected recoveries do not exceed the aggregate of amounts previously charged-off and expected to be charged-off. Management estimates the allowance balance using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical credit loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information are made for differences in current loan-specific risk characteristics, such as differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, or term as well as for changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in unemployment rates, property values, or other relevant factors. These evaluations are conducted at least quarterly and more frequently if deemed necessary. Additionally, all commercial loans within the portfolio are subject to internal risk grading. Risk grades are generally assigned by the primary lending officer and are periodically evaluated by the Company’s internal loan review process.
In evaluating the appropriateness of its allowance for credit losses, the Company stratifies the loan portfolio into six major groupings. The Company has identified the following portfolio segments and measures the allowance for credit losses using the following methods:
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Portfolio Segment Measurement Method
Commercial and industrial Migration
Commercial real estate:
1-4 family Migration
Hotels Migration
Multi-family Migration
Non Residential Non-Owner Occupied Migration
Non Residential Owner Occupied Migration
Residential real estate Vintage
Home equity Vintage
Consumer Vintage
Migration is an analysis that tracks a closed pool of loans for a configurable period of time and calculates a loss ratio on only those loans in the pool at the start date based on outstanding balance. Vintage is a predictive loss model that includes a reasonable approximation of probable and estimable future losses by tracking each loan's net losses over the life of the loan as compared to its original balance. For demand deposit overdrafts, the allowance for credit losses is measured using the historical loss rate. Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. Loans evaluated individually are not included in the collective evaluation. When management determines that foreclosure is probable, the expected credit losses are based on the fair value of the collateral at the reporting date, adjusted for selling costs as appropriate.
Expected credit losses are estimated over the contractual term of the loan, adjusted for expected prepayments when appropriate. The contractual term excludes expected extensions, renewals, and modifications unless either of the following applies: management has a reasonable expectation at the reporting date that a troubled-debt restructuring will be executed with an individual borrower or the extension or renewal options are included in the original or modified contract at the reporting date and are not unconditionally cancellable by the Company.
The Company uses a number of economic variables in its scenarios to estimate the allowance for credit losses, with the most significant drivers being an unemployment rate forecast and qualitative adjustments. In the December 31, 2023 estimate, the Company assumed an unemployment forecast range of 3.8% to 4.8%, compared to a range of 3.7% to 4.9% utilized in the December 31, 2022 estimate. Historical loss rates from periods where the average unemployment rate matches the forecast range are considered when calculating the forecast period loss rate. Based on sensitivity of the portfolio, the change had no material impact on the reserve.
Based on sensitivity analysis of all portfolios, a 0.0050% change (slight improvement or decline on bank's scale) in all 11 qualitative risk factors (where assigned) would have a $2.2 million impact on the reserve allocation. Changing each factor by 0.01% (moderate improvement or decline) would have a $4.3 million impact. Management recognizes that these are extreme scenarios and it is very unlikely that all risk factors would change by 0.005% or 0.01% simultaneously. Between December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023, management assigned a "moderate decline," or 1.0 basis point increase, to the interest rate risk factor for all pools due to the rising rate environment. Additionally, management assigned a "decline," or 1.5 basis point increase, to the criticized/classified factor for the Commercial substandard loan pool and a "decline," or 1.5 basis point increase, to the loan growth factor for the non-owner occupied loan pool due to growth in the portfolio. In total, the qualitative changes increased the ACL by approximately $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Income Taxes
The Income Taxes section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K provides management’s analysis of the Company’s income taxes. The Company is subject to federal and state income taxes in the jurisdictions in which it conducts business. In computing the provision for income taxes, management must make judgments regarding interpretation of laws in those jurisdictions. Because the application of tax laws and regulations for many types of transactions is susceptible to varying interpretations, amounts reported in the financial statements could be changed at a later date upon final determinations by taxing authorities. On a quarterly basis, the Company estimates its annual effective tax rate for the year and uses that rate to provide for income taxes on a year-to-date basis. The Company's unrecognized tax benefits could change over the next twelve months as a result of various factors. The Company is currently open to audit under the statute of limitations by the Internal Revenue Service and various state taxing authorities for the years ended December 31, 2020 and forward.
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The effective tax rate is calculated by taking the statutory rate and adjusting for permanent and discrete items. The discrete items can vary between periods but historically have remained consistent.
Acquisition and Preliminary Purchase Price Allocation
The calculation of the Company's acquisition and preliminary purchase price allocation is considered a critical accounting estimate as it involves a significant level of estimation and uncertainty, particularly in relation to the fair value and goodwill calculations. Under GAAP, management has up to twelve months following the date of the acquisition to finalize the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities. The measurement period ends as soon as the Company receives information it was seeking about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date or learns that more information is not obtainable. Any subsequent adjustments to the fair value of the acquired assets and liabilities, intangible assets or other purchase accounting adjustments will result in adjustments to the goodwill recorded.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The Company’s financial performance over the previous three years is summarized in the following table:
Earnings per common share, basic $ 7.62 $ 6.81 $ 5.67
Earnings per common share, diluted $ 7.61 $ 6.80 $ 5.66
*ROA (Return on Average Assets) is a measure of the effectiveness of asset utilization. ROE (Return on Average Equity) is a measure of the return on shareholders’ investment. ROATCE (Return on Average Tangible Common Equity) is a measure of the return on shareholders’ equity less intangible assets.
BALANCE SHEET ANALYSIS
Select balance sheet fluctuations and ratios are summarized in the following table (in millions):
December 31,
FHLB long-term advances 100.0 — $ 100.0 N/A
Tangible equity to tangible assets 8.57 % 8.02 %
Cash and cash equivalents decreased $43.7 million (21.9%) from $200.0 million at December 31, 2022, to $156.3 million at December 31, 2023 primarily due to an increase in gross loans that were partially offset by a decrease in investment balances, an increase in FHLB long-term advances, and an increase deposit balances.
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Investment securities decreased $160.2 million (10.5%) from $1.53 billion at December 31, 2022, to $1.37 billion at December 31, 2023 due to maturities and calls.
Gross loans increased $479.6 million (13.2%) from December 31, 2022 to $4.13 billion at December 31, 2023 primarily due to the Company’s acquisition of Citizens ($254.7 million). Excluding the acquisition, total loans increased $224.9 million, (6.2%), from December 31, 2022 to $3.87 billion at December 31, 2023. Commercial real estate loans increased $101.4 million (7.3%), residential real estate loans increased $51.3 million (3.0%), commercial and industrial loans increased $38.4 million (10.3%), and consumer loans increased $13.4 million (27.4%).
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net, increased $46.9 million (40.5%) from December 31, 2022 to $162.6 million at December 31, 2023, due to the acquisition of Citizens.
Total deposits increased $64.4 million (1.3%) from December 31, 2022 to $4.9 billion at December 31, 2023 due to the Company's acquisition of Citizens ($298.7 million). Excluding the acquisition, depository balances declined $234.3 million, or 4.8% from December 31, 2022. Savings deposit balances decreased $208 million, noninterest-bearing demand deposit balances decreased $66.5 million, and interest-bearing demand deposit balances decreased $ 45.6 million. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in time deposit balances of $85.8 million.
FHLB long-term advances increased $100.0 million from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023. During the second quarter of 2023, the Company borrowed $100.0 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank at a weighted average rate of 4.01%.
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TABLE ONE
AVERAGE BALANCE SHEETS AND NET INTEREST INCOME
(In thousands)
Assets
Loan portfolio(1):
Securities:
Liabilities
Net yield on earning assets 4.01 % 3.33 % 2.89 %
1.For purposes of this table, non-accruing loans have been included in average balances and the following net loan fees (in thousands) have been included in interest income:
2.Includes the Company's residential real estate and home equity loan categories.
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3.Included in the above table are the following amounts (in thousands) for the accretion of the fair value adjustments related to the Company's acquisitions:
Installment loans to individuals 41 45 87
4.Includes the Company’s consumer and DDA overdrafts loan categories.
5.Computed on a fully federal tax-equivalent basis assuming a tax rate of approximately 21%.
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TABLE TWO
RATE/VOLUME ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN INTEREST INCOME AND INTEREST EXPENSE
(In thousands)
Volume Rate Net Volume Rate Net
Interest-earning assets:
Loan portfolio
Previously securitized loans — — — — (195) (195)
Securities:
Interest-bearing liabilities:
FHLB long-term advances 2,709 — 2,709 — — —
1.Fully federal taxable equivalent using a tax rate of approximately 21%.
NET INTEREST INCOME
2023 vs. 2022
The Company’s net interest income increased from $180.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $219.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company’s tax equivalent net interest income increased $39.0 million, or 21.5%, from $181.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 to $220.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The acquisition of Citizens during the first quarter of 2023 added $10.6 million of net interest income during the year ended December 31, 2023. Due to increases in market rates, net interest income increased by $47.2 million due to an increase in loan yields (net of loan fees and accretion) of 127 basis points, by $14.2 million due to an increase in the yield on investment securities of 97 basis points, and by $4.9 million due to a 342 basis point increase on deposits in depository institutions. In addition, net interest income increased $4.4 million due to an increase in balances of loans of $110.2 million and by $2.0 million due to additional accretion from the year ended December 31, 2022.
These increases were partially offset by an increase in the cost of interest bearing liabilities (110 basis points) which decreased net interest income by $41.6 million, lower balances of deposits in depository institutions ($214.9 million) that
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lowered net interest income by $2.3 million, and lower investment balances ($57.8 million) that lowered net interest income by $1.6 million. The Company’s reported net interest margin increased from 3.33% for the year ended December 31, 2022 to 4.01% for the year ended December 31, 2023.
2022 vs. 2021
The Company’s net interest income increased from $155.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $180.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Company’s tax equivalent net interest income increased $24.4 million, or 15.6%, from $156.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $181.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Net interest income increased by $12.0 million, $7.3 million and $3.4 million, respectively, due to increases in the yields on loans (net of loan fees and accretion), investments, and deposits in depository institutions, of 35 basis points, 47 basis points and 94 basis points, respectively, all due primarily to increases in the Federal Funds rate during 2022. In addition, higher average investment and loan balances ($189.2 million and $37.5 million, respectively) increased net interest income by $3.9 million and $1.8 million, respectively. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in loan fees associated with PPP loans of $3.5 million from 2021 and a decrease in accretion from fair value adjustments of $1.0 million. The Company’s reported net interest margin increased from 2.89% for the year ended December 31, 2021 to 3.33% for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Management of the Company uses measures in its analysis of the Company's performance other than those in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). These measures are useful when evaluating the underlying performance of the Company's operations. The Company's management believes that these non-GAAP measures enhance comparability of results with prior periods and demonstrate the effects of significant gains and charges in the current period. The Company's management believes that investors may use these non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate the Company's financial performance without the impact of those items that may obscure trends in the Company's performance. These disclosures should not be viewed as a substitute for financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP, nor are they comparable to non-GAAP financial measures that may be presented by other companies. The following table reconciles fully taxable equivalent net interest income with net interest income as derived from the Company's financial statements, as well as other non-GAAP measures (dollars in thousands):
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TABLE THREE
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(In thousands)
Effect of goodwill and other intangibles, net (2.41) (1.81) (1.76)
Tangible common equity to tangible assets 8.57 % 8.02 % 9.58 %
Return on average tangible equity ("GAAP") 23.8 % 20.3 % 15.3 %
Impact of merger related expenses 0.8 — —
Impact of merger related provision 0.3 — —
Return on assets ("GAAP") 1.87 % 1.71 % 1.49 %
Impact of merger related expenses 0.07 — —
Impact of merger related provision 0.03 — —
Impact of merger expenses (1.8) — —
Efficiency ratio, net of merger expenses 46.0 % 48.2 % 51.3 %
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NON-INTEREST INCOME AND NON-INTEREST EXPENSE
2023 vs. 2022
Selected income statement fluctuations and ratios are summarized in the following table (dollars in millions):
For the year ended December 31,
Net realized investment security (losses) gains $ (4.9) $ — (4.9) N/A
Non-interest expense, excluding merger-related expenses 138.4 124.0 14.3 12 %
Efficiency ratio, excluding merger-related expenses 46.0 48.2
Full-time equivalent employees 957 909
Non-interest income was $70.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $72.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. In 2023, the Company reported $4.9 million of realized security losses and $0.4 million of unrealized security gains on the Company’s equity securities as compared to $1.6 million of unrealized security losses on the Company’s equity securities in 2022. The realized security losses during 2023, which lowered diluted earnings per share by $0.25, were executed to reposition a portion of our investment securities.
Exclusive of these realized and unrealized gains and losses, non-interest income increased $1.4 million, or 2.0%, from $73.7 million for 2022 to $75.1 million for 2023. This increase was largely attributable to an increase of $0.8 million, or 8.7%, in trust and investment management fee income and a $0.6 million, or 2.2%, increase in bankcard revenue. In addition, death benefits from bank owned life insurance increased $0.5 million from the year ended December 31, 2022. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $0.6 million in service charges.
Non-interest expenses, excluding merger expenses, increased $14.3 million, or 12%, from $124.0 million for the year ended 2022 to $138.4 million for the year ended 2023. This increase was largely due to an increase in salaries and employee benefits of $6.6 million due to salary adjustments, Citizens personnel ($1.9 million), and increased health insurance along with increase in other expenses of $4.9 million. In addition, bankcard expense increased $1.4 million, FDIC expense increased $1.2 million and occupancy related expenses increased $0.6 million.
2022 vs. 2021
Selected income statement fluctuations are summarized in the following table (dollars in millions):
For the year ended December 31,
Sale of VISA shares — — — — %
Non-interest expense, less merger related expenses 124.0 117.2 6.8 6 %
Full-time equivalent employees 909 905
Non-interest income was $72.1 million for 2022 as compared to $69.6 million for 2021. The Company reported $1.6 million of unrealized fair value losses on the Company’s equity securities during 2022 compared to $0.3 million of realized security gains on the sale of investments and $0.5 million of unrealized fair value gains on the Company’s equity securities during 2021. Exclusive of these realized and unrealized gains and losses, non-interest income increased from $68.8
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million for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $73.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. This increase was largely attributable to an increase of $2.8 million, or 10.9%, in service charges and a $1.7 million, or 42.7%, increase in bank owned life insurance due to higher death benefit proceeds received in 2022 compared to 2021. In addition, trust and investment management fee income and bankcard revenues each increased $0.4 million from the year ended December 31, 2021. These increases were partially offset by a decrease of $0.4 million in other income.
Non-interest expenses increased from $117.2 million for 2021 to $124.3 million for 2022. This increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and employee benefit expenses ($4.7 million, due to higher salary adjustments during 2022, increased incentive compensation, and increased health insurance) and equipment and software related expenses ($1.3 million). In addition, occupancy related expenses increased $0.6 million, advertising increased $0.3 million, and merger-related expenses increased $0.3 million.
INCOME TAXES
Selected information regarding the Company's income taxes is presented in the table below (dollars in millions):
For the year ended December 31,
A reconciliation of the effective tax rate to the statutory rate is included in Note Twelve of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The Company was in a net deferred tax asset position ($42.2 million) at December 31, 2023 and a net deferred tax asset position ($44.9 million) at December 31, 2022. The decrease in net deferred tax asset was largely due to a decrease in the Company's investment valuation, primarily in the mortgage-backed security portfolio.
The components of the Company’s net deferred tax assets are disclosed in Note Twelve of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Realization of the most significant net deferred tax assets is primarily dependent on future events taking place that will reverse the current deferred tax assets. The deferred tax asset associated with unrealized securities losses is the tax impact of the unrealized losses on the Company’s available-for-sale security portfolio. The impact of the Company’s unrealized losses is noted in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity as an adjustment to Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income. This deferred tax asset would be realized if the unrealized securities losses on the Company's securities were realized from the sales of the related securities. The Company believes that it is more likely than not that each of the deferred tax assets will be realized and that no significant valuation allowances were necessary as of December 31, 2023 or 2022.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Liquidity
The Company evaluates the adequacy of liquidity at both the Parent Company level and at the banking subsidiary level. At the Parent Company level, the principal source of cash is dividends from its banking subsidiary, City National. Dividends paid by City National to the Parent Company are subject to certain legal and regulatory limitations. Generally, any dividends in amounts that exceed the earnings retained by City National in the current year plus retained net profits for the preceding two years must be approved by regulatory authorities. At December 31, 2023, City National could pay dividends up to $53.3 million without prior regulatory permission.
During 2023, the Parent Company used cash obtained from the dividends received primarily to: (1) pay common dividends to shareholders and (2) fund repurchases of the Company's common shares. Additional information concerning sources and uses of cash by the Parent Company is discussed in Note Nineteen of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
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The Parent Company anticipates continuing the payment of dividends, which are expected to approximate $42.4 million on an annualized basis for 2024 based on common shareholders of record at December 31, 2023 at a dividend rate of $2.86 per share for 2024. However, dividends to shareholders can, if necessary, be suspended. In addition to these anticipated cash needs, the Parent Company has operating expenses and other contractual obligations, which are estimated to require $1.6 million of additional cash over the next 12 months. As of December 31, 2023, the Parent Company reported a cash balance of $64.0 million and management believes that the Parent Company’s available cash balance, together with cash dividends from City National, will be adequate to satisfy its funding and cash needs over the next twelve months. Excluding the dividend payments discussed above, the Parent Company has no significant commitments or obligations in years after 2024.
City National manages its liquidity position in an effort to effectively and economically satisfy the funding needs of its customers and to accommodate the scheduled repayment of borrowings. Funds are available to City National from a number of sources, including depository relationships, sales and maturities within the investment securities portfolio, and borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank ("FHLB"), the Federal Reserve Discount Window, and other financial institutions. City National had an additional $1.9 billion and $1.6 billion available from unused portions of lines of credit with the FHLB and Federal Reserve Discount Window at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. No short-term or long-term funding has been utilized with certain other financial institutions the Company maintains business relationships as of December 31, 2023. City National maintains a contingency funding plan, incorporating these borrowing facilities, to address liquidity needs in the event of an institution-specific or systemic financial industry crisis. Also, although it has no current intention to do so, City National could liquidate its unpledged securities, if necessary, to provide an additional funding source. City National also segregates certain mortgage loans, mortgage-backed securities, and other investment securities in a separate subsidiary so that it can separately monitor the asset quality of these primarily mortgage-related assets, which could be used to raise cash through securitization transactions or obtain additional equity or debt financing if necessary.
The Company manages its asset and liability mix to balance its desire to maximize net interest income against its desire to minimize risks associated with capitalization, interest rate volatility, and liquidity. With respect to liquidity, the Company has chosen a conservative posture and believes that its liquidity position is strong. As illustrated in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, the Company generated $137.6 million of cash from operating activities during 2023, primarily from interest income received on loans and investments, net of interest expense paid on deposits and borrowings.
The Company has obligations to extend credit, but these obligations are primarily associated with existing home equity loans that have predictable borrowing patterns across the portfolio. The Company has investment security balances with carrying values that totaled $1.37 billion at December 31, 2023, and that greatly exceeded the Company’s non-deposit sources of borrowing, which totaled $435 million.
The Company’s net loan to asset ratio is 66.5% as of December 31, 2023 and deposit balances fund 80.0% of total assets as compared to 72.9% for its peers (Bank Holding Company Peer Group, as of the most recent data available as of September 30, 2023, which includes commercial banks with assets ranging from $3 billion to $10 billion). Further, the Company’s deposit mix has a very high proportion of transaction and savings accounts that fund 63.1% of the Company’s total assets and the Company uses time deposits over $250,000 to fund 5.5% of total assets compared to its peers, which fund 12.3% of total assets with such deposits.
Capital Resources
During 2023, Shareholders’ Equity increased $99 million, or 17.2%, from $578 million at December 31, 2022 to $677 million at December 31, 2023. This increase was primarily due to net income of $114 million, the issuance of 667,000 shares of common stock for the acquisition of Citizens Commerce Bancshares, Inc. of $62 million, and other comprehensive income of $21 million that were partially offset by common share repurchases of $60 million and cash dividends declared of $41 million.
During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased approximately 666,575 common shares at a weighted average price of $90.21 per share as part of a one million share repurchase plan authorized by the Board of Directors in May 2022. At December 31, 2023, the Company could repurchase an additional approximately 150,319 shares under the current plan.
The Basel III Capital Rules require City Holding and City National to maintain minimum CET 1, Tier 1 and Total Capital ratios, along with a capital conservation buffer, effectively resulting in minimum capital ratios (which are shown in the table below). The capital conservation buffer is designed to absorb losses during periods of economic stress. Banking institutions with a ratio of CET 1 capital to risk-weighted assets above the minimum but below the conservation buffer (or
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below the combined capital conservation buffer and countercyclical capital buffer, when the latter is applied) will face constraints on dividends, equity repurchases and compensation based on the amount of the shortfall. The Basel III Capital Rules also provide for a "countercyclical capital buffer" that is applicable to only certain covered institutions and does not have any current applicability to City Holding Company or City National Bank.
The Company’s minimum required capital ratios for both City Holding and City National include the 2.5% capital conservation buffer and are illustrated in the following tables (in thousands):
Capital Amount Ratio Capital Amount Ratio Capital Amount Ratio
CET 1 Capital
Tier 1 Capital
Total Capital
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio
Capital Amount Ratio Capital Amount Ratio Capital Amount Ratio
CET 1 Capital
Tier 1 Capital
Total Capital
Tier 1 Leverage Ratio
As of December 31, 2023, management believes that City Holding Company, and its banking subsidiary, City National, were "well capitalized." City Holding is subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by the Federal Reserve, while City National is subject to regulatory capital requirements administered by the OCC and the FDIC. Regulatory agencies can initiate certain mandatory actions if either City Holding or City National fails to meet the minimum capital requirements, as shown above. As of December 31, 2023, management believes that City Holding and City National meet all capital adequacy requirements.
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In November 2019, the federal banking regulators published final rules implementing a simplified measure of capital adequacy for certain banking organizations that have less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets. Under the final rules, which went into effect on January 1, 2020, depository institutions and depository institution holding companies that have less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets and meet other qualifying criteria, including a leverage ratio of greater than 9%, off–balance–sheet exposures of 25% or less of total consolidated assets and trading assets plus trading liabilities of 5% or less of total consolidated assets, are deemed "qualifying community banking organizations" and are eligible to opt into the "community bank leverage ratio framework." A qualifying community banking organization that elects to use the community bank leverage ratio framework and that maintains a leverage ratio of greater than 9% is considered to have satisfied the generally applicable risk–based and leverage capital requirements under the Basel III Rules and, if applicable, is considered to have met the "well capitalized" ratio requirements for purposes of its primary federal regulator’s prompt corrective action rules, discussed below. The final rules include a two–quarter grace period during which a qualifying community banking organization that temporarily fails to meet any of the qualifying criteria, including the greater–than–9% leverage capital ratio requirement, is generally still deemed "well capitalized" so long as the banking organization maintains a leverage capital ratio greater than 8%. A banking organization that fails to maintain a leverage capital ratio greater than 8% is not permitted to use the grace period and must comply with the generally applicable requirements under the Basel III Rules and file the appropriate regulatory reports. The Company and its subsidiary bank do not have any immediate plans to elect to use the community bank leverage ratio framework but may make such an election in the future.
Contractual Obligations
The Company has various financial obligations that may require future cash payments according to the terms of the obligations. Demand, both noninterest- and interest-bearing, and savings deposits are, generally, payable immediately upon demand at the request of the customer. Therefore, the contractual maturity of these obligations is presented in the following table as "less than one year." Time deposits, typically certificates of deposit, are customer deposits that are evidenced by an agreement between the Company and the customer that specify stated maturity dates; early withdrawals by the customer are subject to penalties assessed by the Company. Short-term borrowings and FHLB long-term advances represent borrowings of the Company and have stated maturity dates. Operating leases between the Company and the lessor have stated expiration dates and renewal terms.
TABLE FOUR
CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS
The composition of the Company's contractual obligations as of December 31, 2023 is presented in the following table (in thousands):
Contractual Maturity in
Less than One Year Greater than One Year Total
(1)Includes interest on both fixed- and variable-rate obligations. The interest associated with variable-rate obligations is based upon interest rates in effect at December 31, 2023. The contractual amounts to be paid on variable-rate obligations are affected by market interest rates that could materially affect the contractual amounts to be paid.
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The Company’s liability for uncertain tax positions at December 31, 2023 was $1.3 million pursuant to ASC Topic 740. This liability represents an estimate of tax positions that the Company has taken in its tax returns that may ultimately not be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. As the ultimate amount and timing of any future cash settlements cannot be predicted with reasonable reliability, this estimated liability has been excluded from the contractual obligations table.
As disclosed in Note Fifteen of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company has entered into agreements with its customers to extend credit or to provide conditional commitments to provide payment on drafts presented in accordance with the terms of the underlying credit documents (including standby and commercial letters of credit). The Company also provides overdraft protection to certain demand deposit customers that represent an unfunded commitment. As a result of the Company’s off-balance sheet arrangements for 2023 and 2022, no material revenue, expenses, or cash flows were recognized. In addition, the Company had no other indebtedness or retained interests nor entered into agreements to extend credit or provide conditional payments pursuant to standby and commercial letters of credit.
INVESTMENTS
The investment portfolio is structured to provide flexibility in managing liquidity needs and interest rate risk, while providing acceptable rates of return.
The majority of the Company’s investment securities continue to be mortgage-backed securities. These securities are collateralized by both residential and commercial properties. The mortgage-backed securities in which the Company has invested are predominantly issued by government-sponsored agencies such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.
The Company's municipal bond portfolio of $213 million as of December 31, 2023 has an average tax equivalent yield of 2.45% with an average maturity of 12.1 years. The average dollar amount invested in each security is $0.8 million. The portfolio has 93% rated "A" or better and the remaining portfolio is unrated, as the issuances represented small issuances of revenue bonds. Additional credit support has been purchased by the issuer for 24% of the portfolio, while 76% has no additional credit support. Management re-underwrites 100% of the portfolio on an annual basis, using the same guidelines that are used to underwrite its commercial loans. Revenue bonds were 57% of the portfolio, while the remaining 43% were general obligation bonds. Geographically, the portfolio supports the Company's footprint, with 15% of the portfolio being from municipalities throughout West Virginia, and the remainder from communities in Texas, Washington, Ohio and various other states.
The weighted average yield of the Company's investment portfolio is presented in the following table (dollars in thousands):
Within After One But After Five But After
One Year Within Five Years Within Ten Years Ten Years
Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield Amount Yield
Securities available-for-sale:
Mortgage-backed securities:
Trust preferred securities — — — — — — 4,278 7.36
Weighted-average yields on tax-exempt obligations of states and political subdivisions have been computed on a taxable-equivalent basis using the federal statutory tax rate of 21%. Average yields on investments available-for-sale are computed based on amortized cost. Mortgage-backed securities have been allocated to their respective maturity groupings based on their contractual maturity.
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TABLE FIVE
LOAN PORTFOLIO
Loans increased $479.7 million (13.2%) from December 31, 2022 to $4.13 billion at December 31, 2023. The Company’s acquisition of Citizens increased total loans by $254.7 million. Excluding the acquisition, total loans increased $225.0 million (6.2%) from December 31, 2022. Commercial real estate loans increased $101.4 million (7.3%); residential real estate loans increased $51.3 million (3.0%); commercial and industrial loans increased $38.4 million (10.3%); home equity loans increased $19.1 million (14.3%); and consumer loans increased $13.4 million (27.4%). The composition of the Company’s loan portfolio as of the dates indicated follows (in thousands):
The commercial and industrial ("C&I") loan portfolio consists of loans to corporate and other legal entity borrowers, primarily small to mid-size industrial and commercial companies. C&I loans typically involve a higher level of risk than other loan types, including industry specific risks such as the pertinent economy, new technology, labor rates and cyclicality, as well as customer specific factors, such as cash flow, financial structure, operating controls and asset quality. Collateral securing these loans includes equipment, machinery, inventory, receivables and vehicles. C&I loans increased $38.4 million from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023, excluding $14.7 million of C&I loans acquired from Citizens.
Commercial real estate loans consist of commercial mortgages, which generally are secured by nonresidential and multi-family residential properties, including hotel/motel and apartment lending. Commercial real estate loans are to many of the same customers and carry similar industry risks as C&I loans, but have different collateral risk. Commercial real estate loans increased $101.4 million to $1.67 billion at December 31, 2023, excluding $179.8 million of commercial real estate loans acquired from Citizens. At December 31, 2023, $2 million of the commercial real estate loans were for commercial properties under construction.
In order to group loans with similar risk characteristics, the portfolio is further segmented by product types:
◦Commercial 1-4 Family loans consist of residential single-family, duplex, triplex, and fourplex rental properties and totaled $206.2 million as of December 31, 2023. Risk characteristics are driven by rental housing demand as well as economic and employment conditions. These properties exhibit greater risk than multi-family properties due to fewer income sources.
◦The Hotel portfolio is comprised of all lodging establishments and totaled $357.1 million as of December 31, 2023. Risk characteristics relate to the demand for both business and personal travel.
◦Multi-family consists of 5 or more family residential apartment lending. The portfolio totaled $189.2 million as of December 31, 2023. Risk characteristics are driven by rental housing demand as well as economic and employment conditions.
◦Non-residential commercial real estate includes properties such as retail, office, warehouse, storage, healthcare, entertainment, religious, and other nonresidential commercial properties. The non-residential product type is further segmented into owner- and non-owner occupied properties. Nonresidential non-owner occupied commercial real
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estate totaled $680.6 million while nonresidential owner-occupied commercial real estate totaled $240.3 million as of December 31, 2023. Risk characteristics relate to levels of consumer spending and overall economic conditions.
The Company categorizes commercial loans by industry according to the North American Industry Classification System ("NAICS") to monitor the portfolio for possible concentrations in one or more industries. Management monitors industry concentrations against internally established risk-based capital thresholds. As of December 31, 2023, City National was within its internally designated concentration limits. As of December 31, 2023, City National's loans to borrowers within the Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings categories exceeded 10% of total loans (15%). No other NAICS industry classification exceeded 10% of total loans as of December 31, 2023. Management also monitors non-owner occupied commercial real estate as a percent of risk based capital (based upon regulatory guidance). At December 31, 2023, the Company had $1.5 billion of commercial loans classified as non-owner occupied and was within its designated concentration threshold.
Residential real estate loans increased $51.3 million from December 31, 2022 to $1.79 billion at December 31, 2023, excluding $43.4 million of residential real estate loans acquired from Citizens. Residential real estate loans include loans for the purchase or refinance of consumers' residence and first-priority home equity loans allow consumers to borrow against the equity in their home. These loans primarily consist of single family three- and five-year adjustable rate mortgages with terms that amortize up to 30 years. City National also offers fixed-rate residential real estate loans. Residential purchase real estate loans are generally underwritten to comply with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, while first priority home equity loans are underwritten with typically less documentation, lower loan-to-value ratios and shorter maturities. Additionally, the Company periodically purchases residential mortgage loans. The credit and collateral documents for each potential purchased loan are reviewed to ensure the credit metrics are acceptable to management. At December 31, 2023, $23 million of the residential real estate loans were for properties under construction.
Home equity loans increased $19.1 million from December 31, 2022 to $167 million at December 31, 2023, excluding $13.7 million of home equity loans acquired from Citizens. City National's home equity loans represent loans to consumers that are secured by a second (or junior) priority lien on a residential property. Home equity loans allow consumers to borrow against the equity in their home without paying off an existing first priority lien. These loans include home equity lines of credit ("HELOC") and amortized home equity loans that require monthly installment payments. Second priority lien home equity loans are underwritten with less documentation than first priority lien residential real estate loans but typically have similar loan-to-value ratios and other terms as first priority lien residential real estate loans. The amount of credit extended is directly related to the value of the real estate securing the loan at the time the loan is made.
All mortgage loans, whether fixed rate or adjustable rate, are originated in accordance with acceptable industry standards and comply with regulatory requirements. Fixed rate mortgage loans are processed and underwritten in accordance with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, while adjustable rate mortgage loans are underwritten in accordance with City National's internal loan policy.
Consumer loans may be secured by automobiles, boats, recreational vehicles, certificates of deposit and other personal property, or they may be unsecured. The Company manages the risk associated with consumer loans by monitoring such factors as portfolio size and growth, internal lending policies and pertinent economic conditions. City National's underwriting standards are continually evaluated and modified based upon these factors. Consumer loans increased $13.4 million from 2022 to $65 million at December 31, 2023, excluding $3.0 million of consumer loans acquired from Citizens.
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The following table shows the scheduled maturity of loans outstanding as of December 31, 2023 (in thousands):
The maturity table above is based on actual loan maturity dates and does not consider prepayments or any other
assumptions.
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ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES
The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments" effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective method for all financial assets measured at amortized cost and off-balance sheet credit exposures. ASU No. 2016-13 replaced the incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The current expected credit losses model ("CECL") applies to the allowance for credit losses, available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities, purchased financial assets with credit deterioration and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures.
Management systematically monitors the loan portfolio and the appropriateness of the allowance for credit losses on a quarterly basis to provide for expected losses inherent in the portfolio. Management assesses the risk in each loan type based on historical trends, the general economic environment of its local markets, individual loan performance and other relevant factors. The Company's estimate of future economic conditions utilized in its provision estimate is primarily dependent on expected unemployment ranges over a two-year period. Beyond two years, a straight line reversion to historical average loss rates is applied over the life of the loan pool in the migration methodology. The vintage methodology applies future average loss rates based on net losses in historical periods where the unemployment rate was within the forecasted range.
Individual credits in excess of $1 million are selected at least annually for detailed loan reviews, which are utilized by management to assess the risk in the portfolio and the appropriateness of the allowance.
Determination of the Allowance for Credit Losses "ACL" is subjective in nature and requires management to periodically reassess the validity of its assumptions. Differences between actual losses and estimated losses are assessed such that management can timely modify its evaluation model to ensure that adequate provision has been made for risk in the total loan portfolio.
As a result of the Company’s analysis of the adequacy of the Allowance for Credit Losses, the Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and $0.5 million for year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in provision for the year ended December 31, 2023 was due to the acquisition of Citizens ($2.0 million), loan growth, and credit downgrades that were partially offset by lower historical loss rates in the portfolio.
Based on the Company’s analysis of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses and in consideration of the known factors utilized in computing the allowance, management believes that the allowance for credit losses as of December 31, 2023 is adequate to provide for expected losses inherent in the Company’s loan portfolio. Future provisions for credit losses will be dependent upon trends in loan balances including the composition of the loan portfolio, changes in loan quality and loss experience trends, and recoveries of previously charged-off loans, among other factors.
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TABLE SIX
ALLOCATION OF THE ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES
The allocation of the allowance for credit losses by portfolio segment and the percent of loans in each category to total loans is shown in the table below (dollars in thousands). The allocation of a portion of the allowance in one portfolio segment does not preclude its availability to absorb losses in other portfolio segments.
The ACL increased from $17.1 million at December 31, 2022 to $22.7 million at December 31, 2023. The allowance attributed to the commercial real estate loan portfolio increased $4.5 million from $6.6 million at December 31, 2022 to $11.1 million at December 31, 2023. This increase was due to the acquisition of Citizen's Commerce Bank, overall loan growth in the portfolio, and downgrades of certain loans.
The following table shows asset quality ratios as of December 31, 2022 and 2021:
Net charge offs to average loans 0.01 % 0.04 %
Provision for (recovery of) credit losses to average loans 0.08 0.01
Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans 290.56 317.28
Allowance for credit losses to total loans 0.55 0.47
Non-performing assets as a percentage of total loans and OREO 0.21 0.17
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GOODWILL
The Company evaluates the recoverability of goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets annually as of November 30th, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances warrant, such as a material adverse change in the Company's business. Goodwill is considered to be impaired when the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are considered impaired if their carrying value exceeds their estimated fair value. As described in Note One of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company conducts its business activities through one reportable business segment – community banking. Fair values are estimated by reviewing the Company’s stock price as it compares to book value and the Company’s reported earnings. In addition, the impact of future earnings and activities is considered in the Company’s analysis. The Company had increased to approximately $150 million of goodwill at December 31, 2023 from $109 million at December 31, 2022 due to the acquisition of Citizens Commerce in March 2023 (see Note Three for further information). No impairment was required to be recognized in 2023 or 2022, as the estimated fair value of the Company has continued to exceed its book value.
CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
The Company has time certificates of deposit that meet or exceed the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 totaling an estimated $338.4 million. Scheduled maturities of uninsured time certificates of deposit are estimated at December 31, 2023 and are summarized in the table below (in thousands).
TABLE SEVEN
MATURITY DISTRIBUTION OF UNINSURED CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT
Amounts
Three months or less $ 26,647
Over three months through six months 36,533
Over six months through twelve months 41,224
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
The Company determines the fair value of its financial instruments based on the fair value hierarchy established in ASC Topic 820, whereby the fair value of certain assets and liabilities is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. ASC Topic 820 establishes a three-level hierarchy for disclosure of assets and liabilities recorded at fair value. The hierarchy classification is based on whether the inputs in the methodology for determining fair value are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market-based information obtained from independent sources (Level 1 or Level 2), while unobservable inputs reflect management’s estimate of market data (Level 3). Assets and liabilities that are actively traded and have quoted prices or observable market data require a minimal amount of subjectivity concerning fair value. Management’s judgment is necessary to estimate fair value when quoted prices or observable market data are not available.
At December 31, 2023, approximately 23% of total assets, or $1.4 billion, consisted of financial instruments recorded at fair value. Most of these financial instruments used valuation methodologies involving observable market data, collectively Level 1 and Level 2 measurements, to determine fair value. At December 31, 2023, approximately $49 million of derivative liabilities were recorded at fair value using methodologies involving observable market data. The Company does not believe that any changes in the unobservable inputs used to value the financial instruments mentioned above would have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, liquidity, or capital resources. See Note Eighteen of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information regarding ASC Topic 820 and its impact on the Company’s financial statements.
LEGAL ISSUES
The Company is engaged in various legal actions that it deems to be in the ordinary course of business. As these legal actions are resolved, the Company could realize impacts to its financial performance in the period in which these legal
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actions are ultimately decided. There can be no assurance that current actions will have immaterial results, or that no material actions may be presented in the future.
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Note Two, "Recent Accounting Pronouncements," of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, discusses recently issued new accounting pronouncements and their expected impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
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Item 7A.Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market risk is the risk of loss due to adverse changes in current and future cash flows, fair values, earnings or capital due to adverse movements in interest rates and other factors, including foreign exchange rates, underlying credit risk and commodity prices. Because the Company has no significant foreign exchange activities and holds no commodities, interest rate risk represents the primary risk factor affecting the Company’s balance sheet and net interest margin. Significant changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve could result in similar changes in LIBOR and SOFR interest rates, prime rates, and other benchmark interest rates that could materially affect the estimated fair value of the Company’s investment securities portfolio, interest paid on the Company’s short-term and long-term borrowings, interest earned on the Company’s loan portfolio and interest paid on its deposit accounts. The Company utilizes derivative instruments, primarily in the form of interest rate swaps, to help manage its interest rate risk on commercial loans.
The Company’s Asset and Liability Committee ("ALCO") has been delegated the responsibility of managing the Company’s interest-sensitive balance sheet accounts to maximize earnings while managing interest rate risk. ALCO, comprised of various members of executive and senior management, is also responsible for establishing policies to monitor and limit the Company’s exposure to interest rate risk and to manage the Company’s liquidity position. ALCO satisfies its responsibilities through at least quarterly meetings during which product pricing issues, liquidity measures and interest sensitivity positions are monitored.
In order to measure and manage its interest rate risk, the Company uses an asset/liability management simulation software model to periodically update the interest sensitivity position of the Company’s balance sheet. The model is also used to perform analyses that measure the impact on net interest income and capital as a result of various changes in the interest rate environment. Such analyses quantify the effects of various interest rate scenarios on projected net interest income.
The Company’s policy objective is to avoid negative fluctuations in net income or the economic value of equity of more than 15% within a 12-month period, assuming an immediate parallel increase of 100 to 300 basis points. The Company measures the long-term risk associated with sustained increases and decreases in rates through analysis of the impact to changes in rates on the economic value of equity.
The following table summarizes the sensitivity of the Company’s net income to various interest rate scenarios. The results of the sensitivity analyses presented below differ from the results used internally by ALCO in that, in the analyses below, interest rates are assumed to have an immediate and sustained parallel shock. The Company recognizes that rates are volatile, but rarely move with immediate and parallel effects. Internally, the Company considers a variety of interest rate scenarios that are deemed to be possible while considering the level of risk it is willing to assume in "worst-case" scenarios such as shown by the following:
These estimates are highly dependent upon assumptions made by management, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding the manner in which interest-bearing demand deposit and savings deposit accounts reprice in different interest rate scenarios, changes in the composition of deposit balances, pricing behavior of competitors, prepayments of loans
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and deposits under alternative rate environments, and new business volumes and pricing. As a result, there can be no assurance that the estimates above will be achieved in the event that interest rates increase or decrease during 2023 and beyond. The estimates above do not necessarily imply that the Company will experience increases in net income if market interest rates rise. The table above indicates how the Company’s net income and the economic value of equity behave relative to an increase or decrease in rates compared to what would otherwise occur if rates remain stable.
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Item 8.Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
REPORT ON MANAGEMENT’S ASSESSMENT OF INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
The management of City Holding Company is responsible for the preparation, integrity, and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report. The consolidated financial statements of City Holding Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and necessarily include some amounts that are based on the best estimates and judgments of management.
The management of City Holding Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting that is designed to produce reliable financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The system of internal control over financial reporting is evaluated for effectiveness by management and tested for reliability through a program of internal audits with actions taken to correct potential deficiencies as they are identified. Because of inherent limitations in any internal control system, no matter how well designed, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected, including the possibility of the circumvention or overriding of controls. Accordingly, even an effective internal control system can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. Further, because of changes in conditions, internal control effectiveness may vary over time.
Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 based upon the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013 Framework). Based on our assessment, management believes that, as of December 31, 2023, the Company's system of internal control over financial reporting is effective based on those criteria. Crowe LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, has issued an audit report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. This report appears on page 54.
February 28, 2024
/s/ Charles R. Hageboeck /s/ David L. Bumgarner
Charles R. Hageboeck David L. Bumgarner
President & Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer
Principal Executive Officer Principal Financial Officer
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Shareholders and the Board of Directors
of City Holding Company and Subsidiaries
Charleston, West Virginia
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of City Holding Company and Subsidiaries (the "Company") as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income (loss), changes in shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework: (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework: (2013) issued by COSO.
Basis for Opinions
The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Report on Management’s Assessment of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements and an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
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Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
Allowance for Credit Losses – Qualitative Factors
As more fully described in Notes 1 and 6 of the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s allowance for credit losses represents management’s best estimate of expected losses in the loan portfolio. Estimates of expected credit losses for loans are based on reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, historical loss experience and qualitative factors.
Management estimates the allowance for credit losses balance using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical credit loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information (i.e., qualitative adjustments) are made for differences in current loan-specific risk characteristics, such as differences in underwriting standards, portfolio mix, delinquency level, or term, as well as for changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in unemployment rates, property values, or other relevant factors.
The principal consideration resulting in our determination that auditing the allowance for credit losses qualitative adjustments is a critical audit matter is the high degree of subjectivity involved in management’s assessment of the risk of loss associated with each adjustment, and the determination of the adjustment amounts to historical loss rates.
The primary procedures performed to address this critical audit matter included:
•Testing the effectiveness of controls over the Company’s preparation and review of the allowance for credit loss calculation, specifically testing controls over the adherence to the framework aligned with the risk of loss, completeness and accuracy of data used as the basis for adjustments related to the qualitative factors and testing management’s review of the reasonableness of qualitative factors.
•Substantively testing management’s process for developing the qualitative factors, including alignment to the established framework, assessing the relevance and reliability of data used to develop the factors, and evaluating for reasonableness the judgments and assumptions used in the determination of the adjustment amounts.
/s/ Crowe LLP
We have served as the Company's auditor since 2019.
Washington, D.C.
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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands)
Assets
Interest-bearing deposits in depository institutions 33,243 129,743
Liabilities
Deposits:
Interest-bearing:
Short-term borrowings:
FHLB short-term advances 25,000 —
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase 309,856 290,964
FHLB long-term advances 100,000 —
Commitments and contingencies - see Note Fifteen
Shareholders’ Equity
Accumulated other comprehensive loss:
Unrealized loss on securities available-for-sale (107,958) (128,066)
Underfunded pension liability (2,581) (3,422)
Total Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income (110,539) (131,488)
To be read with the attached notes to consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands, except earnings per share data)
Year Ended December 31
Interest Income
Interest on investment securities:
Interest on deposits in depository institutions 6,382 3,794 693
Interest Expense
Interest on FHLB long-term advances 2,709 — —
Provision for (recovery of) credit losses 3,243 474 (3,165)
Non-Interest Income
Net (losses) gains on sale of investment securities (4,908) 4 312
Non-Interest Expense
Repossessed asset losses (gains), net of expenses 28 59 (57)
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME, CONTINUED
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands, except earnings per share data)
Year Ended December 31
Effect of dilutive securities 23 26 26
Basic earnings per common share $ 7.62 $ 6.81 $ 5.67
Diluted earnings per common share $ 7.61 $ 6.80 $ 5.66
To be read with the attached notes to consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31
Available-for-Sale Securities
Reclassification adjustment for net losses (gains) 4,908 (4) (312)
Defined Benefit Pension Plan
Net gain (loss) arising during period 777 (697) 1,726
Change in underfunded pension liability 1,121 83 2,848
To be read with the attached notes to consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(dollars and shares in thousands)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax — — — — (16,973) (16,973)
Cash dividends declared ($2.34 per share) — — (36,242) — — (36,242)
Stock-based compensation expense, net — 3,121 — — — 3,121
Restricted awards granted — (1,860) — 1,860 — —
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax — — — — (145,748) (145,748)
Cash dividends declared ($2.50 per share) — — (37,201) — — (37,201)
Stock-based compensation expense, net — 3,276 — — — 3,276
Restricted awards granted — (2,821) — 2,821 — —
Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 20,949 20,949
Cash dividends declared ($2.73 per share) — — (40,937) — — (40,937)
Stock-based compensation expense, net — 3,213 — — — 3,213
Restricted awards granted — (3,848) — 3,848 — —
To be read with the attached notes to consolidated financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31
Provision for (recovery of) credit losses 3,243 474 (3,165)
Net periodic employee benefit cost (52) 256 569
Pension contributions — — (1,000)
Unrealized and realized securities losses (gains) 4,476 1,581 (816)
Excess tax benefit from stock-compensation expense 228 (292) (579)
Increase in value of bank-owned life insurance (6,037) (5,559) (3,895)
Loans held for sale:
Change in accrued interest receivable (1,136) (2,660) 166
Securities available-for-sale
Proceeds from sales 205,627 — —
Other investments
Proceeds from maturities and calls 780 — —
Proceeds from the disposals of premises and equipment 283 190 367
Proceeds from the disposition of assets held-for-sale — — —
Proceeds from bank-owned life insurance policies 10,856 6,045 2,156
Payments for low income housing tax credits (8,051) (3,352) (2,891)
Acquisition of Citizens Commerce Bancshares, Inc. 14,016 — —
Proceeds from long-term debt 100,000 — —
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CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS CONTINUED
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
(in thousands)
Year Ended December 31
Proceeds from exercise of stock options — 798 691
Supplemental Cash Flow Information:
Acquisition
Identifiable assets acquired (net of purchase consideration) $ 319,961 $ — $ —
Liabilities assumed 307,617 — —
Core deposit intangible 8,278 — —
To be read with the attached notes to consolidated financial statements.
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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CITY HOLDING COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES