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

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Generally accepted accounting principles require management to apply significant judgment to certain accounting, reporting and disclosure matters. Management must use assumptions and estimates to apply those principles where actual measurement is not possible or practical. The judgments and assumptions made are based upon historical experience or other factors that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Because of the nature of the judgments and assumptions, actual results could differ from estimates, which could have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations. For a complete discussion of the Corporation’s significant accounting policies, see NOTE 1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following policies materially affect our reported earnings and financial condition and require significant judgments and estimates.

Business Combinations

Business combinations are accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. Under the acquisition method, assets and liabilities of the business acquired are recorded at their estimated fair values as of the date of acquisition with any excess of the cost of the acquisition over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets acquired recorded as goodwill. Results of operations of the acquired business are included in the income statement from the date of acquisition.

Investment Securities

Held to maturity securities are carried at amortized cost when the Corporation has the positive intent and ability to hold them until maturity. Available for sale securities are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis with the unrealized gains and losses, net of applicable income taxes, recorded in other comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses are recorded in earnings and the prior fair value adjustments are reclassified within stockholders' equity. Gains and losses on sales of securities are determined on the specific-identification method. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are amortized to their earliest call date and are recorded as interest income from securities.

Available for sale and held to maturity securities are evaluated for OTTI at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market conditions warrant such an evaluation. In determining OTTI, management considers many factors, including: (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, (2) the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuer, (3) whether the market decline was affected by macroeconomic conditions, and (4) whether the Corporation has the intent to sell the debt security or more likely than not, will be required to sell the debt security before its anticipated recovery. The assessment of whether an other-than-temporary decline exists involves a high degree of subjectivity and judgment and is based on the information available to management at a point in time.

When OTTI occurs, the amount of OTTI recognized in the income statement depends on whether the Corporation intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss. If the intent is to sell, or it is more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss, the OTTI shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss, and its fair value at the balance sheet date. If the intent is not to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost basis less any recognized credit loss, the OTTI has been separated into the amount representing the credit loss and the amount related to all other factors. The amount of the total OTTI related to the credit loss is determined based on the present value of cash flows expected to be collected and is recognized in earnings. The amount of the total OTTI related to other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable income taxes. The previous amortized cost basis less the OTTI recognized in earnings becomes the new amortized cost basis of the investment.

For held to maturity debt securities, the amount of an OTTI recorded in other comprehensive income for the noncredit portion of a previous other-than-temporary impairment is amortized prospectively over the remaining life of the security on the basis of the timing of future estimated cash flows of the security.

Loans

The Corporation’s loan portfolio is carried at the principal amount outstanding, net of unearned income and principal charge-offs. Certain loan fees and direct costs are being deferred and amortized as an adjustment of yield on the loans. Interest income is accrued on the principal balances of loans. The accrual of interest is discontinued on a loan when, in management’s opinion, the borrower may be unable to meet payments as they become due. When the interest accrual is discontinued, all unpaid accrued interest is reversed against earnings when considered uncollectible. Interest income accrued in the prior year, if any, is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Interest income is subsequently recognized only to the extent cash payments are received and the loan is returned to accruing status.

Certain non-accrual, substantially delinquent and renegotiated loans classified as troubled debt restructures may be considered to be impaired in accordance with ASC 310, Receivables. Under ASC 310-10, a loan is impaired when, based on current information or events, it is probable all amounts due (principal and interest) according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement are uncollectible. Renegotiated consumer loans classified as troubled debt restructures are considered to be impaired. In applying the provisions of ASC 310-10, the Corporation considers all other investments in one-to-four family residential loans and consumer installment loans to be homogeneous and therefore excluded from separate identification for evaluation of impairment. Impaired loans are carried at the fair value of collateral if the loan is collateral dependent, or the present value of estimated future cash flows using the loan’s existing rate. A portion of the allowance for loan losses is allocated to impaired loans if the value of such loans is deemed to be less than the unpaid balance. If these allocations cause the allowance for loan losses to increase, such increase is reported as a component of the provision for loan losses. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectability of the loan is confirmed. The valuation would be considered Level 3, consisting of appraisals of underlying collateral and discounted cash flow analysis.

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The CARES Act and the Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications encourage financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provides that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a troubled debt restructure as defined by GAAP, from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) terminates. The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act extended the expiration date for COVID-related loan modifications exempt from troubled debt restructuring classification under GAAP until the earlier of January 1, 2022, or 60 days after the termination of the national emergency. Additional details of the Corporation's loan modifications under these programs are included in the "LOAN QUALITY" section of this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Purchased Loans

Loans acquired in a business combination with evidence of credit deterioration since origination and for which it is probable that all contractually required payments will not be collected are considered to be purchased credit impaired. Evidence of credit quality deterioration as of purchase dates may include information such as past-due and nonaccrual status, borrower credit risk grade and recent loan to value percentages. Purchased credit-impaired loans are accounted for under the accounting guidance for loans and debt securities acquired with deteriorated credit quality (ASC 310-30). These loans are initially measured at fair value based upon expected cash flows without anticipation of prepayments and includes estimated future credit losses expected to be incurred over the life of the loans. As a result, related discounts are recognized subsequently through accretion based on the expected cash flows of the acquired loans. For purposes of applying ASC 310-30, loans acquired in business combinations are individually evaluated for the initial fair value measurement. Accordingly, allowances for credit losses related to these loans are not carried over at the acquisition date.

The difference between contractually required payments and the cash flows expected to be collected at acquisition is referred to as the nonaccretable portion of the fair value discount or premium. The accretable portion of the fair value discount or premium is the difference between the expected cash flows and the net present value of expected cash flows, with such difference accreted into income over the term of the loans. Acquired loans not accounted for under ASC 310-30 are accounted for under ASC 310-20, which allows the fair value adjustment to be accreted into income over the remaining life of the loans.

Allowance for Loan Losses

The allowance for loan losses is maintained to absorb losses inherent in the loan portfolio and is based on ongoing, quarterly assessments of the probable losses inherent in the loan portfolio. The allowance is increased by the provision for loan losses, which is charged against current operating results. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectability of a loan is confirmed. Subsequent recoveries, if any, are credited to the allowance. The Corporation’s strategy for credit risk management includes credit policies and underwriting criteria for all loans, as well as an overall credit limit for each customer significantly below legal lending limits. The strategy also emphasizes diversification on regional geographic and industry levels, regular credit quality reviews and management reviews of large credit exposures and loans experiencing deterioration of credit quality.

The Corporation’s methodology for assessing the appropriateness of the allowance consists of three key elements – the determination of the appropriate reserves for impaired loans accounted for under ASC 310-10, probable losses estimated from historical loss rates, and probable losses resulting from economic, environmental, qualitative or other deterioration above and beyond what is reflected in the first two components of the allowance.

Where appropriate, reserves are allocated to individual loans based on management’s estimate of the borrower’s ability to repay the loan given the availability of collateral, other sources of cash flow and legal options available to the Corporation. Loans individually evaluated for impairment are those deemed impaired in accordance with ASC 310-10, including commercial relationships greater than $500,000 that exhibit well defined credit weaknesses. Any allowances for impaired loans are measured based on the fair value of the underlying collateral, if collateral dependent, or the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s effective interest rate. The Corporation evaluates the collectability of principal when assessing the need for a loss accrual. Historical loss rates are applied to other commercial loans not subject to specific reserve allocations.

The historical allocation for commercial loans graded pass are established by loan segments using loss rates based on the Corporation’s migration analysis. This migration analysis shows the loss rates for each segment of loans based on the loan grades at the beginning of the twelve month period. This loss rate is then applied to the current portfolio of loans in each respective loan segment.

Homogenous loans, such as consumer installment and residential mortgage loans, are not individually risk graded. Reserves are established for each segment of loans using loss rates based on charge-offs for the same period as the migration analysis used for commercial loans.

Historical loss allocations for commercial and consumer loans may be adjusted for significant factors that, in management’s judgment, reflect the impact of any current conditions on loss recognition. Factors which management considers in the analysis include the effects of the national and local economies, trends in loan growth and charge-off rates, changes in mix, concentration of loans in specific industries, asset quality trends (delinquencies, charge-offs and non-accrual loans), risk management and loan administration, changes in the internal lending policies and credit standards, examination results from bank regulatory agencies and the Corporation’s internal loan review.

Effective January 1, 2021, the Corporation adopted ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Measurement of Current Expected Credit Losses on Financial Instruments ("CECL"), which will modify the accounting for the allowance for loan losses from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model, as discussed more fully under NOTE 1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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PART II: ITEM 7. AND ITEM 7A. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Goodwill and Intangibles

For acquisitions, assets acquired, including identified intangible assets, and the liabilities assumed are required to be recorded at their fair value. These often involve estimates based on third party valuations, such as appraisals, or internal valuations based on discounted cash flow analysis or other valuation techniques that may include estimates of attrition, inflation, asset growth rates, or other relevant factors. In addition, the determination of the useful lives over which the intangible asset will be amortized is subjective. Intangible Assets that are subject to amortization, including core deposit intangibles, are being amortized on both the straight-line and accelerated basis over two to ten years. Intangible assets are periodically evaluated as to the recoverability of their carrying value.

Under ASC 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other, the Corporation must review goodwill for impairment on an annual basis, as well as on an interim basis if events or changes indicate that the asset might be impaired. An impairment loss must be recognized for any excess of carrying value over fair value of the goodwill. The Corporation completed its most recent annual goodwill impairment test as of October 1, 2020 and concluded, based on current events and circumstances, goodwill is not impaired. Details of the Corporation's goodwill impairment test are included in NOTE 8. GOODWILL of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative instruments, which are recorded as assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, are carried at fair value of the derivatives and reflects the estimated amounts that would have been received to terminate these contracts at the reporting date based upon pricing or valuation models applied to current market information.

As part of the asset/liability management program, the Corporation will utilize, from time to time, interest rate floors, caps or swaps to reduce its sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations. Changes in the fair values of derivatives are reported in the consolidated statements of operations or AOCI depending on the use of the derivative and whether the instrument qualifies for hedge accounting. The key criterion for hedge accounting is that the hedged relationship must be highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in those cash flows that are attributable to the hedged risk, both at inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis.

Derivatives that qualify for the hedge accounting treatment are designated as either: (1) a hedge of the fair value of the recognized asset or liability, or of an unrecognized firm commitment (a fair value hedge); or (2) a hedge of a forecasted transaction or the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability (a cash flow hedge). To date, the Corporation has only entered into a cash flow hedge. For cash flow hedges, changes in the fair values of the derivative instruments are reported in AOCI to the extent the hedge is effective. The gains and losses on derivative instruments that are reported in AOCI are reflected in the consolidated statements of income in the periods in which the results of operations are impacted by the variability of the cash flows of the hedged item. Generally, net interest income is increased or decreased by amounts receivable or payable with respect to the derivatives, which qualify for hedge accounting. At inception of the hedge, the Corporation establishes the method it uses for assessing the effectiveness of the hedging derivative and the measurement approach for determining the ineffective aspect of the hedge. The ineffective portion of the hedge, if any, is recognized in the consolidated statements of income. The Corporation excludes the time value expiration of the hedge when measuring ineffectiveness.

The Corporation offers interest rate derivative products (e.g. interest rate swaps) to certain of its high-quality commercial borrowers. This product allows customers to enter into an agreement with the Corporation to swap their variable rate loan to a fixed rate. These derivative products are designed to reduce, eliminate or modify the risk of changes in the borrower’s interest rate or market price risk. The extension of credit incurred through the execution of these derivative products is subject to the same approvals and rigorous underwriting standards as the related traditional credit product. The Corporation limits its risk exposure to these products by entering into a mirror-image, offsetting swap agreement with a separate, well-capitalized and rated counterparty previously approved by the Credit and Asset Liability Committee. By using these interest rate swap arrangements, the Corporation is also better insulated from the interest rate risk associated with underwriting fixed-rate loans. These derivative contracts are not designated against specific assets or liabilities under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and, therefore, do not qualify for hedge accounting. The derivatives are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value and changes in fair value of both the customer and the offsetting swap agreements are recorded (and essentially offset) in non-interest income. The fair value of the derivative instruments incorporates a consideration of credit risk (in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures), resulting in some volatility in earnings each period.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income is the total of the current year income tax due or refundable and the change in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are the expected future tax amounts from the temporary differences between carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities, computed using enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance, if needed, reduces deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. The Corporation files consolidated income tax returns with its subsidiaries. The Corporation is generally no longer subject to U.S. federal, state and local income tax examinations by tax authorities for tax years before 2017.

The Corporation adopted the provisions of the ASC 740, Income Taxes, which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. As a result of the implementation of ASC 740, the Corporation did not identify any uncertain tax positions that it believes should be recognized in the financial statements. The Corporation reviews income tax expense and the carrying value of deferred tax assets and liabilities quarterly; as new information becomes available, the balances are adjusted, if applicable. The Corporation's policy is to recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits, if any, as a component of income tax expense.

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PART II: ITEM 7. AND ITEM 7A. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

COVID-19, THE CARES ACT, THE 2021 CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT AND RELATED REGULATORY ACTIONS

Impact of COVID-19

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) announced that the outbreak of COVID-19 constituted a public health emergency of international concern. On March 11, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic and, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. The health concerns relating to the COVID-19 outbreak and related governmental actions taken to reduce the spread of the virus have significantly impacted the global economy (including the states and local economies in which the Corporation operates), disrupted supply chains, lowered equity market valuations, and created significant volatility and disruption in financial markets. The outbreak has resulted in authorities implementing numerous measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter in place or total lock-down orders and business limitations and shutdowns. As a result of the shelter in place mandates in effect beginning early in the second quarter of 2020, commercial activity throughout our geographic footprint, as well as nationally, decreased significantly during 2020. Most states have reopened, albeit under limited capacities and under other social distancing restrictions; however, commercial activity has not returned to the levels existing prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. Such measures have significantly contributed to rising unemployment and negatively impacted consumer and business spending. As a result, the demand for the Corporation’s products and services has been, and will continue to be, significantly impacted.

The continued impact of COVID-19 on the Corporation will depend on numerous factors and future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence. It is unknown how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last, or when restrictions on individuals and businesses will be fully lifted and businesses and their employees will be able to resume normal activities. Additional information may emerge regarding the severity of COVID-19 and additional actions may be taken by federal, state and local governments to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact. Changes in the behavior of customers, businesses and their employees as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, including social distancing practices, even after formal restrictions have been lifted and vaccination rates have increased, are also unknown. As a result of COVID-19 and the actions taken to contain it or reduce its impact, we may experience changes in the demand for our products and services, changes in the value of collateral securing outstanding loans, reductions in the credit quality of borrowers and the inability of borrowers to repay loans in accordance with their terms. Our commercial and consumer customers are experiencing varying degrees of financial distress, which is expected to continue in 2021, especially if positive cases increase and economic shutdowns continue. These and similar factors and events may have substantial negative effects on the business, financial condition and results of operations of the Corporation and its customers. While we expect nearly every industry to have some impact from COVID-19, some industries will be impacted more than others. In particular, senior living, hotel and accommodations, and restaurants and food service have been the most affected by COVID-19 and account for approximately 7 percent of total loans.

We have taken deliberate actions to ensure that we have the balance sheet strength to serve our clients and communities, including increases in liquidity and managing our assets and liabilities in order to maintain a strong capital position. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken a number of actions to offer various forms of support to our customers, employees and communities that have experienced impacts from this development. The Corporation contributed approximately $1 million to non-profit organizations in our communities on the front lines of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to social distancing protocols, we have modified office locations by installing protective barriers, required the use of personal protective equipment and incurred additional cleaning and janitorial expense to disinfect banking centers and office locations, which cost $1.5 million. Additionally, we have enhanced mobile and online services, such as increased mobile deposit limits, to allow more transactions to be completed outside the banking centers. We have also provided customer alerts focused on COVID-19 scams and fraud education and prevention.

Interest Rates

On March 3, 2020, the Federal Open Market Committee ("FOMC") reduced the target range for the federal funds rate by 50 basis points to 1.00 percent to 1.25 percent. This rate was further reduced to a target range of 0 percent to 0.25 percent on March 16, 2020. Additionally, there was a decline in one-month LIBOR from 1.76 percent as of December 31, 2019 to .14 percent on December 31, 2020. These reductions in interest rates and other effects of the COVID-19 outbreak are likely to negatively impact the Corporation’s net interest income.

The CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law, providing an approximately $2 trillion stimulus package that includes direct payments to individual taxpayers, economic stimulus to significantly impacted industry sectors, emergency funding for hospitals and providers, small business loans, increased unemployment benefits, and a variety of tax incentives.

For small businesses, eligible nonprofits and certain others, the CARES Act established a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which is administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). On April 24, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act was enacted. Among other things, this legislation amends the initial CARES Act program by raising the appropriation level for PPP loans from $349 billion to $670 billion. The PPP was further modified on June 5, 2020 with the adoption of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (the Flexibility Act), which extended the maturity date for PPP loans from two years to five years for loans disbursed on or after the date of enactment of the Flexibility Act. For PPP loans disbursed prior to such enactment, the Flexibility Act permits the borrower and lender to mutually agree to extend the term of the loan to five years. The Bank has actively participated in assisting its customers with applications for resources through the program. PPP loans earn interest at a fixed rate of 1 percent and primarily have a two-year term. The Bank anticipates that the majority of these loans will ultimately be forgiven, in whole or in part, by the SBA in accordance with the terms of the program. Under the terms of the PPP, the loans are fully guaranteed by the SBA. As of December 31, 2020, the Bank had over 4,400 PPP loans representing $667.1 million, which is net of $12.5 million of deferred processing fee income and costs. The weighted-average deferred processing fee on PPP loans was approximately 3.09 percent and is recognized over the term of the loan. If a loan is forgiven by the SBA or paid off by the borrower prior to maturity, any unamortized portion of the fee will be recognized immediately. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Corporation recognized interest income on PPP loans of $6.2 million and $16.2 million of PPP loan related deferred processing fee income as a yield adjustment.

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PART II: ITEM 7. AND ITEM 7A. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act

On December 27, 2020, a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, as passed by the U.S. Congress, was signed into law as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) that provides federal government funding through the end of its 2021 fiscal year. In addition to delivering direct stimulus payments to certain individuals, an increase in unemployment insurance benefits, an extension of the eviction moratorium, relief to the healthcare industry, and additional aid to various other businesses, the COVID-19-related provisions of the CAA provide for (i) an additional $284 billion in funding for the PPP, through March 31, 2021, (ii) an extension of the temporary delay for implementation of the CECL accounting standard, and (iii) further suspension of the troubled debt restructure assessment and reporting requirements for financial institutions under GAAP.

Main Street Business Lending Program

On April 9, 2020, the Federal Reserve announced its proposed Main Street emergency lending initiative as an additional measure to provide much-needed financial support to small and mid-sized businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Main Street programs are intended to provide credit flows to financial institutions so that they can provide loans to eligible small and mid-sized businesses. The funds available through the Main Street programs amount to $600 billion. Under this initiative, which was modified and supplemented by the Federal Reserve on April 30, 2020, three loan facilities have been established for "for profit" entities: (i) the Main Street New Loan Facility (the “MSNLF), (ii) the Main Street Priority Loan Facility (the “MSPLF”); and (iii) the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (the “MSELF”), each of which was authorized by the Federal Reserve under Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act. All three facilities use the same eligible lender and eligible borrower criteria, and have many of the same features, including the same maturity, interest rate, deferral of principal and interest for one year, and ability of the borrower to prepay without penalty. As required by the CARES Act, Main Street loans are full-recourse to the borrower and are not forgivable. The loan types differ in amounts and other terms, including in how they interact with the eligible borrower’s existing outstanding debt. The proposed minimum loan amounts under the MSNLF and the MSPLF were initially set at $250,000, but were lowered to $100,000 by the Federal Reserve effective October 30, 2020. The minimum loan amount under the MSELF has been set at $10 million. The maximum loan amount under all three programs is dependent upon the borrower's financial position. The Bank was an approved lender for all three Main Street programs until the program's termination on January 8, 2021.

Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility

To provide liquidity to small business lenders and the broader credit markets, to help stabilize the financial system, and to provide economic relief to small businesses nationwide, the Federal Reserve authorized each of the Federal Reserve Banks to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program Liquidity Facility (the “PPPL Facility”), pursuant to the Federal Reserve Act. Under the PPPL Facility, each of the Federal Reserve Banks will extend non-recourse loans to eligible financial institutions such as the Bank to fund loans guaranteed by the SBA under the PPP. The Bank has until March 31, 2021 to access funds under the PPPL Facility, unless further extended by the Federal Reserve and the Department of the Treasury. At December 31, 2020, the Corporation did not have an outstanding balance with the PPPL Facility.

Loan Modifications and Troubled Debt Restructures

On March 22, 2020, a statement was issued by the Bank's banking regulators and titled the “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus” (the "Interagency Statement") that encourages financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provides that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a troubled debt restructure as defined by GAAP, from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) terminates. The Interagency Statement was subsequently revised on April 7, 2020 to clarify the interaction of the original guidance with Section 4013 of the CARES Act, as well as setting forth the banking regulators’ views on consumer protection considerations. In accordance with such guidance, the Bank has offered short-term modifications made in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current and otherwise not past due. These included short-term, 180 days or less, modifications in the form of payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant. The CAA, as described above, extended the expiration date for COVID-related loan modifications exempt from troubled debt restructuring classification until the earlier of January 1, 2022, or 60 days after the termination of the national emergency. As of December 31, 2020, $120.3 million in loan balances remained in deferral. Details of the modifications are included in the "LOAN QUALITY" section of this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Optional Delay of CECL Implementation

Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit losses on Financial Instruments ("CECL") had an original adoption date of January 1, 2020, which included a day 1 measurement date of January 1, 2020. The CARES Act, passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, created an optional deferral of the CECL adoption date. Pursuant to the CARES Act and the related joint statement of federal banking regulators (which also became effective as of March 27, 2020), and consistent with guidance from the SEC and FASB, the Corporation elected to delay implementation of ASU No. 2016-13, which was set to expire on December 31, 2020. However, the CAA amended the CARES Act by extending the temporary relief from CECL compliance to the earlier of the first day of the fiscal year that begins after the date on which the national emergency concerning COVID-19 terminates, or January 1, 2022. The Corporation elected to delay implementation of CECL following the approval of the CARES Act and, with the enactment of the CAA, the Corporation has elected to further delay adoption of CECL to January 1, 2021. This will allow the Corporation to utilize the CECL standard for the entire year of adoption. As a result of the Corporation’s election, its 2020 financial statements have been prepared under the existing incurred loss model.

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Regulatory Capital

CECL Model. As part of the March 27, 2020 joint statement of federal banking regulators discussed above, an interim final rule that allows banking organizations to mitigate the effects of the CECL accounting standard on their regulatory capital was also announced. Banking organizations that are required under GAAP to adopt CECL during 2020 can elect to mitigate the estimated cumulative regulatory capital effects of CECL for up to two years. This two-year delay is in addition to the three-year transition period that federal banking regulators had already made available. While the Corporation has elected to delay implementation of ASU No. 2016-13 as described above, it expects to take advantage of the additional time permitted by this interim final rule, which will largely delay the effects of CECL on its regulatory capital through December 31, 2022. Beginning on January 1, 2023, the Corporation will be required to phase in 25 percent of the previously deferred estimated capital impact of CECL, with an additional 25 percent to be phased in at the beginning of each subsequent year until fully phased in by January 1, 2026. Under the interim final rule, the amount of adjustments to regulatory capital that can be deferred until the phase-in period includes both the initial impact of our adoption of CECL, and 25 percent of subsequent changes in our allowance for credit losses during each quarter following implementation of CECL until December 31, 2022.

PPP Loans and PPPL Facility. On April 9, 2020, federal banking regulators issued an interim final rule to modify the Basel III regulatory capital rules applicable to banking organizations to allow those organizations participating in the PPP to neutralize the regulatory capital effects of participating in the program. The interim final rule, which became effective on April 13, 2020, clarifies that PPP loans receive a zero percent risk weight for purposes of determining risk-weighted assets and the CET1, Tier 1 and Total Risk-Based capital ratios. At December 31, 2020, risk-weighted assets included $667.1 million of PPP loans at a zero risk weight. Additionally, in order to facilitate use of the PPPL Facility, the agencies have clarified that banking organizations, including the Corporation and the Bank, are allowed to neutralize the regulatory effects of PPP covered loans on the risk-based capital ratios, as well as PPP covered loans pledged under the PPPL Facility on the leverage capital ratios. At December 31, 2020, the Corporation did not have an outstanding balance with the PPPL Facility; therefore there were no adjustments to the leverage ratio for PPP loans.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - 2020

Net income available to stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $148.6 million compared to $164.5 million during the same period in 2019. Earnings per fully diluted common share for 2020 totaled $2.74 compared to $3.19 during the same period in 2019.

As of December 31, 2020, total assets equaled $14.1 billion, an increase of $1.6 billion, or 12.9 percent, from December 31, 2019. The Corporation's total loan portfolio increased $778.8 million, or 9.2 percent from December 31, 2019. At December 31, 2020, the Corporation's PPP loan portfolio totaled $667.1 million, net of $12.5 million of deferred processing fee income and costs, which were primarily included in the commercial and industrial loan class. Other loan segments that experienced large increases from December 31, 2019 were commercial real estate, non-owner occupied and public finance and other commercial loans. The largest loan segments that experienced a decrease were real estate construction and home equity loans. Additional details of the changes in the Corporation's loans are discussed within NOTE 5. LOANS AND ALLOWANCE of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the "LOAN QUALITY" section of this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Interest-bearing deposits increased $274.0 million from December 31, 2019 due to excess liquidity from deposit growth and an increase in wholesale funding. Additionally, total investment securities increased $550.7 million, or 21.2 percent, from December 31, 2019 as a portion of the excess liquidity from deposit growth and additional wholesale funding was used to invest in the bond portfolio. Also contributing to the increase in investment securities was a $62.1 million increase in net unrealized gains on the available for sale portfolio. The net increase in unrealized gains from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020 is primarily due to interest rate declines in 2020 as the longer term points on the yield curve have declined since year-end, which increases the fair value of securities in the portfolio. Additional details of the changes in the Corporation's investment securities portfolio are discussed within NOTE 4. INVESTMENT SECURITIES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Corporation’s allowance for loan losses totaled $130.6 million as of December 31, 2020 and equaled 1.41 percent of total loans. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Corporation's provision expense and net charge-offs were $58.7 million and $8.3 million, respectively, compared to provision expense and net charge-offs of $2.8 million and $3.1 million during the same period in 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2020, there were charge-offs greater than $500,000 on two commercial relationships, which totaled $7.3 million. The largest of the two charge-offs was $6.7 million for a university apparel relationship. For the same period in 2019, there were two commercial charge-offs greater than $500,000 which totaled $3.6 million. The increase in the allowance for loan losses and provision expense primarily reflects our view of increased credit risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional details of the changes in the Corporation's allowance for loan losses are discussed within NOTE 5. LOANS AND ALLOWANCE of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the "PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES" section of this Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit losses on Financial Instruments ("CECL") had an original adoption date of January 1, 2020, which included a day 1 measurement date of January 1, 2020. The CARES Act, passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, created an optional deferral of the CECL adoption date. Pursuant to the CARES Act and the related joint statement of federal banking regulators (which also became effective as of March 27, 2020), and consistent with guidance from the SEC and FASB, the Corporation elected to delay implementation of ASU No. 2016-13. The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020, provided the annual funding for the federal government and also contained several rules giving further COVID-19 relief, one of which was an extension of the adoption date for CECL to the earlier of January 1, 2022 or the first day of the fiscal year that begins after the termination of the national emergency. The Corporation elected to adopt CECL on January 1, 2021 with a day one measurement date of January 1, 2021. As a result of the Corporation’s election, its 2020 financial statements have been prepared under the existing incurred loss model.

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Non-accrual loans totaled $61.5 million at December 31, 2020, an increase of $45.6 million from the December 31, 2019 balance of $15.9 million. The increase in non-accrual loan balances during 2020 was primarily due to four non-owner occupied commercial real estate properties, in the senior and assisted living industry, moving to non-accrual. The total reported balance of these four loans was $40.0 million. Additional details of the Allowance for Loan Losses and non-performing loans are discussed within the “LOAN QUALITY" and "PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES” sections of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The Corporation's other assets increased $45.9 million from December 31, 2019. The Corporation's derivative asset (recorded in other assets) and derivative liability (recorded in other liabilities) relating to interest rate contracts increased $46.5 million and $47.1 million, respectively, from December 31, 2019. The increases are primarily due to a $292.7 million increase in the related outstanding notional balance. Additionally, yield curve rates used for valuation purposes were lower at each term point as of December 31, 2020 compared to December 31, 2019. This was primarily the result of investors seeking the safety of U.S. Treasuries, coupled with Federal Reserve purchases of U.S. Treasuries, as containment efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreak began to significantly reduce economic activity.

As of December 31, 2020, total deposits equaled $11.4 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion, or 15.5 percent, from December 31, 2019. The Corporation experienced increases from December 31, 2019 in demand and savings accounts of $1.6 billion and $765.5 million, respectively. A portion of the increase is due to PPP loans that have remained on deposit, in addition to consumer Economic Impact Payments from the IRS that have also remained on deposit. Offsetting these increases were decreases in certificates of deposit and brokered deposits of $673.2 million and $141.2 million, respectively, from December 31, 2019. The low interest rate environment has resulted in customers migrating funds from maturing time deposit products into non-maturity products due to similar rates offered for both products.

Total borrowings decreased $47.8 million as of December 31, 2020, compared to December 31, 2019. The Corporation's Federal Funds purchased decreased $55 million from December 31, 2019. The excess liquidity generated from deposit growth reduced the Corporation's need for overnight funding. Additionally, subordinated debentures and term loans decreased $20.3 million as the Corporation redeemed $20.0 million of subordinated debentures. Of the redemptions, $10.0 million was for a partial redemption of debentures held by First Merchants Capital Trust II (“FMC Trust II”) and the remaining $10.0 million was for a complete redemption of debentures held by Grabill Capital Trust I ("Grabill Trust"). Both FMC Trust II and Grabill Trust used the proceeds from the redemptions to concurrently redeem like amounts of their capital (preferred) securities, each with an aggregate principal redemption price of $10.0 million. The common securities of FMC Trust II are, and the common securities of Grabill Trust were, held by the Corporation (recorded in other assets). Subsequent to the redemption of its capital securities, Grabill Trust was dissolved. Offsetting these decreases, Federal Home Loan Bank advances increased $38.4 million compared to December 31, 2019. The Corporation took advantage of the low interest rate environment to lock in longer term FHLB advances at low rates.

The Corporation's other liabilities as of December 31, 2020 increased $50.4 million compared to December 31, 2019. As noted above, the derivative hedge liability increased $47.1 million from December 31, 2019. Additionally, the Corporation accrued $6.2 million of trade date accounting related to investment securities purchases as of December 31, 2020, of which, there was no accrual at December 31, 2019.

The Corporation was able to maintain all regulatory capital ratios in excess of the regulatory definition of “well-capitalized.” Details of the Stock Repurchase Programs and regulatory capital ratios are discussed within the “CAPITAL” section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS – 2019

Net income available to stockholders for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $164.5 million compared to $159.1 million during the same period in 2018. Earnings per fully diluted common share for 2019 totaled $3.19 compared to $3.22 during the same period in 2018. Included in the 2019 results were $13.7 million, or $0.21 per share, of acquisition-related expenses associated with the acquisition of MBT. Details of the MBT acquisition, which occurred on September 1, 2019, are included within NOTE 2. ACQUISITIONS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

As of December 31, 2019, total assets equaled $12.5 billion compared to $9.9 billion as of year end 2018, an increase of $2.6 billion, or 26.0 percent. The MBT acquisition resulted in $1.5 billion of the asset increase in 2019. The Corporation's total loan portfolio equaled $8.5 billion as of December 31, 2019, an increase of $1.2 billion, or 17.1 percent from December 31, 2018. Excluding the MBT loans acquired of $732.6 million, the Corporation's loan portfolio grew organically in 2019 by $506.5 million, or 7 percent.

The Corporation’s allowance for loan losses totaled $80.3 million as of December 31, 2019, a slight decrease compared to $80.6 million as of December 31, 2018, due to declines in delinquent, impaired and non-accrual loans during 2019. Non-accrual loans decreased $10.2 million, or 39 percent during 2019 and the allowance provides 503.4 percent coverage of all non-accrual loans and 0.95 percent of total loans at December 31, 2019. Details of the Allowance for Loan Losses and non-performing loans are discussed within the “LOAN QUALITY" and "PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES” sections of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The Corporation's investment securities portfolio increased $963.5 million from December 31, 2018, and totaled $2.6 billion as of December 31, 2019. The MBT acquisition accounted for $212.2 million of the increase and excess liquidity from deposit growth was deployed in the investment portfolio, which also contributed to the increase from December 31, 2018. Details of the composition of the Corporation's investment securities portfolio are included within NOTE 4. INVESTMENT SECURITIES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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The Corporation's other assets increased $52.4 million from December 31, 2018 due in part to implementation of new lease accounting guidance in ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), associated with the Corporation's leased banking center locations. As of December 31, 2019, the Corporation's right of use asset (recorded in other assets) was $20.7 million and the lease liability (recorded in other liabilities) was $21.4 million. The new lease accounting guidance and lease disclosures are discussed within NOTE 1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES and NOTE 10. LEASES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Additionally, the Corporation's derivative hedge asset (recorded in other assets) and derivative hedge liability (recorded in other liabilities), related to the Corporation's interest rate swaps with commercial banking customers, which are simultaneously hedged by offsetting interest rate swaps with a third party, increased $15.8 million and $16.7 million, respectively from December 31, 2018. The increases were primarily due to a $214.5 million increase in outstanding notional balance and yield curve rates used for valuation purposes were lower at each term point as of December 31, 2019 compared to December 31, 2018. Details of the Corporation's derivative activity is detailed in NOTE 14. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITY of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Total deposits of $9.8 billion increased $2.1 billion, or 26.9 percent, from December 31, 2018. The MBT acquisition on September 1, 2019 resulted in $1.1 billion of acquired deposits. Organic deposit growth of $979.4 million, or 12.6 percent, also contributed to the increase in 2019. Excluding deposits from the MBT acquisition, the largest increases were in demand, savings and time deposits. Total borrowings as of December 31, 2019 increased $61.7 million from December 31, 2018. FHLB advances increased $36.1 million, which included $10.9 million in FHLB advances from the MBT acquisition, while federal funds purchased decreased $49.0 million. Securities sold under repurchase agreements increased $74.4 million from December 31, 2018, as a result of the MBT acquisition, which accounted for a $94.8 million increase. Additional details related to the changes in deposits and borrowings are detailed within NOTE 11. DEPOSITS and NOTE 13. BORROWINGS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the “Deposits and Borrowings” section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The Corporation continued to maintain all regulatory capital ratios in excess of the regulatory definition of “well-capitalized” as discussed in the “CAPITAL” section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

NET INTEREST INCOME

Net interest income is the most significant component of the Corporation's earnings, comprising 78 percent of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2020. Net interest income and margin are influenced by many factors, primarily the volume and mix of earning assets, funding sources, and interest rate fluctuations. Loans typically generate more interest income than investment securities with similar maturities. Funding from customer deposits generally costs less than wholesale funding sources. Factors such as general economic activity, Federal Reserve Board monetary policy, and price volatility of competing alternative investments, can also exert significant influence on our ability to optimize the mix of assets and funding and the net interest income and margin.

Net interest income is the excess of interest received from earning assets over interest paid on interest-bearing liabilities. For analytical purposes, net interest income is also presented on an FTE basis in the table that follows to reflect what our tax-exempt assets would need to yield in order to achieve the same after-tax yield as a taxable asset. The federal statutory rate of 21 percent was used for 2020, 2019 and 2018, adjusted for the TEFRA interest disallowance applicable to certain tax-exempt obligations. The FTE analysis portrays the income tax benefits associated with tax-exempt assets and helps to facilitate a comparison between taxable and tax-exempt assets. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present net interest margin and net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis. Therefore, management believes these measures provide useful information for both management and investors by allowing them to make peer comparisons.

Net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, decreased 40 basis points to 3.29 percent for 2020 compared to 3.69 percent in 2019. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the increase in average earning assets of $2.1 billion was primarily attributable to an increase in loans and investment securities of $1.4 billion and $635.5 million, respectively. The earning assets from the September 1, 2019 MBT acquisition were included in the 2020 average balances for an entire year compared to only four months in 2019. Additionally, the Bank originated over $900 million of PPP loans which averaged $601.8 million for the year. The increase in the investment securities portfolio was the result of excess liquidity generated from growth in deposits and wholesale funding being used to invest in the bond portfolio.

Asset yields decreased 94 basis points FTE in 2020 compared to 2019. The decrease in asset yields was primarily a result of the FOMC's interest rate decreases of 50 basis points on March 3, 2020 and 100 basis points on March 16, 2020 at the Committee's special meetings related to COVID-19, and the decline in one-month LIBOR from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020 of 162 basis points. The PPP loans originated in 2020 were recorded at an interest rate of only 1 percent, but the Corporation also recognized fee income of $16.2 million during 2020, which is included in interest income and had a positive impact to net interest margin of 2 basis points for 2020.

The Corporation also recognized fair value accretion income on purchased loans, which is included in interest income, of $13.5 million, which accounted for 11 basis points of net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2020. Comparatively, the Corporation recognized $12.0 million of fair value accretion income, which accounted for 12 basis points of net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Interest costs decreased 67 basis points, and when coupled with the decline in asset yields of 94 basis points, resulted in a 27 basis point FTE decrease in net interest spread as compared to 2019. Interest costs have decreased as management aggressively moved deposit rates down in tandem with a decline in wholesale funding rates. The Corporation also took advantage of the low interest rate environment to lock in longer term FHLB advances at low rates. Interest-bearing deposit and borrowing costs decreased from 1.26 percent and 2.66, respectively, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, to .60 percent and 1.91 percent, respectively, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.

Additional details of the Corporation's acquisitions, remaining loan fair value discount, accretable and nonaccretable yield can be found in NOTE 2. ACQUISITIONS and NOTE 6. ACCOUNTING FOR CERTAIN LOANS ACQUIRED IN A PURCHASE of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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In 2019, the increases in net interest income and average earning assets were primarily attributable to the September 2019 MBT acquisition, in addition to, core organic loan and deposit growth and an increase in the investment securities portfolio. Asset yields decreased 1 basis point FTE and interest costs increased 34 basis points, resulting in an 35 basis point FTE decrease in net interest spread as compared to 2018. Asset yields decreased in 2019 primarily as a result of the Federal Reserve's discount rate decrease of 25 basis points at each of the Board's August, September and October 2019 meetings. Average earning assets increased $1.3 billion in 2019 compared to 2018 primarily as a result of organic loan growth and the MBT acquisition. In 2019, organic loan growth was $506.5 million, or 7 percent. The Corporation recognized fair value accretion income on purchased loans, which is included in interest income, of $12.0 million and $14.1 million, respectively, for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Net interest margin, on a tax equivalent basis, decreased to 3.69 percent for 2019 compared to 4.00 percent in 2018.

Net interest margin is a function of net interest income and the level of average earning assets. The following table presents the Corporation’s interest income, interest expense, and net interest income as a percent of average earning assets for the three-year period ending in 2020.

Assets:

Investment Securities: (1)

Loans: (3)

Liabilities:

Interest-bearing deposits:

Net Interest Margin (FTE):

Interest Income (FTE) / Average Earning Assets 3.84 % 4.78 % 4.79 %

Interest Expense / Average Earning Assets 0.55 % 1.09 % 0.79 %

(1) Average balance of securities is computed based on the average of the historical amortized cost balances without the effects of the fair value adjustment. Annualized amounts are computed using a 30/360 day basis.

(2) Tax-exempt securities and loans are presented on a fully taxable equivalent basis, using a marginal tax rate of 21 percent for 2020, 2019 and 2018. These totals equal $16,966, $13,085 and $10,732, respectively.

(3) Non-accruing loans have been included in the average balances.

(4) Net Interest Spread (FTE) is interest income expressed as a percentage of average earning assets minus interest expense expressed as a percentage of average interest-bearing liabilities.

(5) Net Interest Margin (FTE) is interest income expressed as a percentage of average earning assets minus interest expense expressed as a percentage of average earning assets.

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NON-INTEREST INCOME

Non-interest income increased $23.2 million, or 26.8 percent, in 2020 compared to 2019. The low mortgage interest rate environment and larger customer base resulting from the MBT acquisition on September 1, 2019 combined to produce an increase of $10.4 million in net gains and fees on sales of loans. Additionally, the larger customer base from the MBT acquisition, in addition to organic growth, resulted in increases in fiduciary and wealth management fees and derivative hedge fees totaling $6.2 million and $1.6 million, respectively. Details of the Corporation's 2019 acquisition can be found in NOTE 2. ACQUISITIONS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Finally, net realized gains on the sale of available for sale securities increased $7.5 million when compared to 2019.

These increases were partially offset by a decrease in service charges on deposit accounts of $2.0 million mainly due to higher than normal customer deposit balances as a result of stimulus funds received in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in significantly lower non-sufficient funds and overdraft fees when compared to 2019. Additionally, card payment fee income decreased $741,000 when compared to 2019. While the larger customer base resulting from the MBT acquisition and organic growth resulted in increased transaction volume, the cap placed on interchange fee income as a result of the Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act became effective for the Bank July 1, 2020 and resulted in less interchange revenue.

Non-interest income increased $10.2 million, or 13.4 percent, in 2019 compared to 2018. On September 1, 2019, the Corporation acquired MBT, which contributed $4.1 million to the 2019 increase in non-interest income. The increased customer base from the acquisition, in addition to organic growth, resulted in an increase in customer related line items of $10.4 million. The largest increases were recognized in derivative hedge fees, fiduciary and wealth management fees, card payment fees and service charges on deposit accounts which accounted for $9.7 million of the customer related line items increase.

NON-INTEREST EXPENSES

Non-interest expense increased $16.6 million, or 6.7 percent, in 2020 compared to 2019. The increase was driven by 2020 having a full-year of expense from the larger franchise and growth in customer base resulting from the MBT acquisition when compared to 2019 only containing four months of activity. While the Corporation experienced increases in several non-interest expense categories the largest increase was in salaries and employee benefits which increased by $11.9 million compared to 2019. Net occupancy and equipment expenses reflected increases of $7.2 million and $3.1 million, respectively. In addition to the full-year impact of the larger franchise, the Corporation recorded $4.5 million of expenses in these two categories related to the recent announcement of the consolidation of seventeen banking centers.

Additionally, FDIC assessment expense increased $5.1 million in 2020, when compared to 2019, due to a combination of 2019 reflecting assessment credits issued as a result of the FDIC insurance fund reaching the FDIC's target minimum reserve ratio coupled with increased expense in the current year resulting from the Corporation's FDIC assessment changing to the calculation applicable to banks over $10 billion in total assets. Finally, the Corporation incurred $2.5 million of additional expense in 2020, compared to 2019, related to actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which included approximately $1.5 million in net occupancy and equipment costs incurred to enhance social distancing and cleaning protocols and $1.0 million recorded in marketing expense for donations to non-profit organizations in our communities on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic efforts.

The increases noted above were partially offset by the Corporation having recorded $13.7 million of acquisition-related expenses in 2019 in connection with MBT, primarily consisting of $5.3 million of contract termination and core system conversion expenses, $5.2 million of employee severance and retention expenses and $1.6 million of professional and other outside services expense. Additionally, the decrease in outside data processing fees of $2.0 million in 2020, compared to 2019, is mainly related to the sunsetting of a debit rewards program. Finally, the Corporation also realized a decrease in other real estate owned and foreclosure expenses of $2.1 million when compared to 2019.

Non-interest expense increased $26.8 million, or 12.2 percent, in 2019 compared to 2018. The most significant factor contributing to the increase was the acquisition of MBT, as the Corporation recorded $13.7 million of acquisition-related expenses as noted above. In addition to the acquisition-related expenses, MBT operations, after the acquisition, resulted in non-interest expense of $6.2 million, of which $3.3 million was in salaries and employee benefits. Additionally, increases totaling $6.1 million were noted in equipment and software, outside data processing fees, and other real estate owned and foreclosure expense. Lastly, marketing expense increased $2.0 million, compared to 2018, primarily due to fair lending settlement expenses.

These increases were partially offset by a decrease in FDIC expense of $2.2 million in 2019 compared to 2018. The decrease was due to assessment credits being issued as a result of the FDIC insurance fund reaching the FDIC's target minimum reserve ratio.

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

Income tax expense in 2020 was $21.4 million on pre-tax income of $170.0 million, or 12.6 percent. For 2019, income tax expense was $29.3 million on pre-tax income of $193.8 million, or 15.1 percent. The lower effective tax rate in 2020 compared to 2019 is primarily a result of the significant increase in provision expense and non-interest expenses, which reduced taxable income, coupled with an increase in tax-exempt interest income, which increased the benefit of non-taxable income. Additionally, the net operating loss ("NOL") carryback provided in the CARES Act resulted in a favorable rate differential as noted in the effective tax rate reconciliation in NOTE 22. INCOME TAX of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Additional income tax expense details are discussed within the “INCOME TAXES” section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. .

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CAPITAL

Stockholders' Equity

On September 1, 2019, the Corporation acquired 100 percent of MBT. Pursuant to the merger agreement, each MBT shareholder received 0.275 shares of the Corporation's common stock for each outstanding share of MBT common stock held. The Corporation issued approximately 6.4 million shares of common stock, which was valued at approximately $229.9 million. Details regarding the MBT acquisition are discussed in NOTE 2. ACQUISITIONS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Stock Repurchase Programs

On September 3, 2019, the Board of Directors of the Corporation approved a stock repurchase program of up to 3 million shares of the

Corporation's outstanding common stock; provided, however, that the total aggregate investment in shares repurchased under the program was not to exceed $75 million. On a share basis, the amount of common stock subject to the repurchase program represented approximately 5 percent of the Corporation's outstanding shares. During the first quarter of 2020, the Corporation repurchased 1,634,437 of its common shares for $55.9 million at an average price of $34.21, which resulted in the aggregate investment in share repurchases to equal $75.0 million, the maximum allowable under the plan.

On January 27, 2021, the Board of Directors of the Corporation approved a stock repurchase program of up to 3,333,000 shares of the Corporation's outstanding common stock; provided, however, that the total aggregate investment in shares repurchased under the program may not exceed $100,000,000. On a share basis, the amount of common stock subject to the repurchase program represents approximately 6 percent of the Corporation's outstanding shares. Details regarding the 2021 stock repurchase program are discussed in NOTE 27. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Regulatory Capital

Capital adequacy is an important indicator of financial stability and performance. The Corporation and the Bank are subject to various regulatory

capital requirements administered by the federal banking agencies and are assigned to a capital category. The assigned capital category is

largely determined by four ratios that are calculated according to the regulations: total risk-based capital, tier 1 risk-based capital, CET1, and tier

1 leverage ratios. The ratios are intended to measure capital relative to assets and credit risk associated with those assets and off-balance sheet

exposures of the entity. The capital category assigned to an entity can also be affected by qualitative judgments made by regulatory agencies

about the risk inherent in the entity's activities that are not part of the calculated ratios.

There are five capital categories defined in the regulations, ranging from well capitalized to critically undercapitalized. Classification of a bank in

any of the undercapitalized categories can result in actions by regulators that could have a material effect on a bank's operations. Quantitative

measures established by regulation to ensure capital adequacy require the Bank to maintain minimum amounts and ratios of total and tier 1

capital to risk-weighted assets, and of tier 1 capital to average assets, or leverage ratio, all of which are calculated as defined in the

regulations. Banks with lower capital levels are deemed to be undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized or critically undercapitalized,

depending on their actual levels. The appropriate federal regulatory agency may also downgrade a bank to the next lower capital category upon

a determination that the bank is in an unsafe or unsound practice. Banks are required to monitor closely their capital levels and to notify their

appropriate regulatory agency of any basis for a change in capital category.

Basel III was effective for the Corporation on January 1, 2015 and requires the Corporation and the Bank to maintain the minimum capital and

leverage ratios as defined in the regulation and as illustrated in the table below, which capital to risk-weighted asset ratios include a 2.5 percent capital conservation buffer. Under Basel III, in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions, including dividends, the Corporation must hold a 2.5 percent capital conservation buffer above the adequately capitalized CET1 to risk-weighted assets ratio (which buffer is reflected in the required ratios below). Under Basel III, the Corporation and Bank elected to opt-out of including accumulated other comprehensive income in regulatory capital. As of December 31, 2020, the Bank met all capital adequacy requirements to be considered well capitalized under the fully phased-in Basel III capital rules. There is no threshold for well capitalized status for bank holding companies.

The Corporation's and Bank's actual and required capital ratios as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 were as follows:

Prompt Corrective Action Thresholds

Actual Basel III Minimum Capital Required Well Capitalized

December 31, 2020 Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio

Total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets

Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

Tier 1 capital to average assets

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Prompt Corrective Action Thresholds

Actual Basel III Minimum Capital Required Well Capitalized

December 31, 2019 Amount Ratio Amount Ratio Amount Ratio

Total risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets

Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

Tier 1 capital to average assets

On April 9, 2020, federal banking regulators issued an interim final rule to modify the Basel III regulatory capital rules applicable to banking

organizations to allow those organizations participating in the PPP to neutralize the regulatory capital effects of participating in the program. The

interim final rule, which became effective April 13, 2020, clarifies that PPP loans receive a zero percent risk weight for purposes of determining

risk-weighted assets and the CET1, Tier 1 and Total Risk-Based capital ratios. At December 31, 2020, risk-weighted assets included $667.1

million of PPP loans at a zero risk weight. Additionally, in order to facilitate use of the PPPL Facility, the agencies have clarified that banking

organizations, including the Corporation and the Bank, are allowed to neutralize the regulatory effects of PPP covered loans on the risk-based

capital ratios, as well as PPP covered loans pledged under the PPPL Facility on the leverage capital ratios. At December 31, 2020, the

Corporation did not have an outstanding balance with the PPPL Facility; therefore there were no adjustments to the leverage ratio for PPP loans.

Management believes that all of the above capital ratios are meaningful measurements for evaluating the safety and soundness of the Corporation. Traditionally, the banking regulators have assessed bank and bank holding company capital adequacy based on both the amount and the composition of capital, the calculation of which is prescribed in federal banking regulations. The Federal Reserve focuses its assessment of capital adequacy on a component of Tier 1 capital known as CET1. Because the Federal Reserve has long indicated that voting common shareholders' equity (essentially Tier 1 risk-based capital less preferred stock and non-controlling interest in subsidiaries) generally should be the dominant element in Tier 1 risk-based capital, this focus on CET1 is consistent with existing capital adequacy categories. Tier I regulatory capital consists primarily of total stockholders’ equity and subordinated debentures issued to business trusts categorized as qualifying borrowings, less non-qualifying intangible assets and unrealized net securities gains or losses.

Total Risk-Based Capital

Add: Qualifying Capital Securities 46,368 — 66,363 —

Qualifying Subordinated Debentures 65,000 — 65,000 —

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Ratio

Less: Qualified Capital Securities (46,368) — (66,363) —

(1) Includes net unrealized gains or losses on available for sale securities, net gains or losses on cash flow hedges, and amounts resulting from the application of the applicable accounting guidance for defined benefit and other postretirement plans.

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Additionally, management believes the following tables are also meaningful when considering performance measures of the Corporation. Non-

GAAP financial measures such as tangible common equity to tangible assets, return on average tangible capital and return on average tangible

assets are important measures of the strength of the Corporation's capital and ability to generate earnings on tangible common equity invested

by our shareholders. These non-GAAP measures provide useful supplemental information and may assist investors in analyzing the

Corporation’s financial position without regard to the effects of intangible assets and preferred stock. Disclosure of these measures also allows

analysts and banking regulators to assess our capital adequacy on these same bases.

Because these measures are not defined in GAAP or federal banking regulations, they are considered non-GAAP financial measures. Non-

GAAP financial measures have inherent limitations, are not required to be uniformly applied, and are not audited. Although these non-GAAP

financial measures are frequently used by investors to evaluate a company, they have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be

considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analyses of results as reported under GAAP.

The Corporation had a strong capital position as evidenced by the tangible common equity to tangible assets ratio of 9.65 percent at December 31, 2020, and 10.16 percent at December 31, 2019.

Tangible Common Equity to Tangible Assets (non-GAAP)

Less: Cumulative preferred stock (GAAP) (125) (125)

Stockholders' Equity to Assets (GAAP) 13.33 % 14.34 %

Tangible common equity to tangible assets (non-GAAP) 9.65 % 10.16 %

Plus: Tax Benefit of intangibles (non-GAAP) 5,989 7,257

Tangible book value - common (non-GAAP) $ 24.27 $ 21.94

The following table details and reconciles tangible earnings per share, return on tangible capital and tangible assets to traditional GAAP measures for the periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Average core deposit intangible (GAAP) 32,106 27,067

Average deferred tax on CDI (GAAP) (6,648) (5,588)

Average cumulative preferred stock (GAAP) (125) (125)

Net income available to common stockholders (GAAP) $ 148,600 $ 164,460

CDI amortization, net of tax (GAAP) 4,730 4,736

Per Share Data:

Diluted net income available to common stockholders (GAAP) $ 2.74 $ 3.19

Ratios:

Return on average GAAP capital (ROE) 8.14 % 10.48 %

Return on average tangible capital 12.21 % 15.81 %

Return on average assets (ROA) 1.10 % 1.48 %

Return on average tangible assets 1.19 % 1.60 %

Return on average tangible capital is tangible net income available to common stockholders (annualized) expressed as a percentage of average tangible capital. Return on average tangible assets is tangible net income available to common stockholders (annualized) expressed as a percentage of average tangible assets.

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PART II: ITEM 7. AND ITEM 7A. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

LOAN QUALITY

The Corporation's primary lending focus is small business and middle market commercial, commercial real estate and residential real estate, which results in portfolio diversification. Commercial loans are individually underwritten and judgmentally risk rated. They are periodically monitored and prompt corrective actions are taken on deteriorating loans. Consumer loans are typically underwritten with statistical decision-making tools and are managed throughout their life cycle on a portfolio basis.

The quality of the loan portfolio and amount of non-performing loans may increase or decrease as a result of acquisitions, organic portfolio growth, problem loan recognition and resolution through collections, sales or charge-offs. The performance of any loan can be affected by external factors such as economic conditions, or internal factors specific to a particular borrower, such as the actions of a customer's internal management.

At December 31, 2020, non-performing loans totaled $64.7 million, an increase of $47.9 million from the December 31, 2019 balance of $16.8 million. Total loan delinquencies have increased $46.0 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, compared to December 31, 2019. The primary categories leading to the increase in delinquencies were the 60-89 days past due commercial and industrial category, which increased $6.4 million due primarily to one relationship, and in the 90 days or more past due commercial real estate, non-owner occupied category, which increased $30.0 million due primarily to three relationships, totaling $14.1 million, $12.8 million, and $3.7 million, respectively. Loans not accruing interest income totaled $61.5 million at December 31, 2020, an increase of $45.6 million from the December 31, 2019 balance of $15.9 million. The increase in non-accrual loan balances during 2020 was primarily due to three relationships involving four non-owner occupied commercial real estate properties, in the senior and assisted living industry, moving to non-accrual. The total reported balance of these loans was $40.0 million. The Corporation's coverage ratio of allowance for loan losses to non-accrual loans decreased from 503.4 percent at December 31, 2019 to 212.5 percent at December 31, 2020. See additional information in the “PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES” section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Other real estate owned totaling $940,000 decreased $6.6 million during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2020 due primarily to the sale of a senior living commercial property with a carrying value of $5.9 million. Current appraisals are obtained to determine the fair value of other real estate owned. Management continues to aggressively market these real estate assets.

Accruing loans 90-days or more delinquent totaled $746,000 at December 31, 2020, an increase of $677,000 from the December 31, 2019 balance of $69,000. The increase was primarily in commercial and industrial loans.

Impaired loans include loans deemed impaired according to the guidance set forth in ASC 310-10. Commercial loans under $500,000 and consumer loans, with the exception of troubled debt restructures, are not individually evaluated for impairment. A loan is deemed impaired when, based on current information or events, it is probable that all amounts due of principal and interest according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement will not be collected substantially within the contractual terms of the note. At December 31, 2020, impaired loans totaled $56.2 million, an increase of $44.5 million from the December 31, 2019 balance of $11.7 million. At December 31, 2020, a specific allowance for losses was not deemed necessary for impaired loans totaling $7.8 million as there was no identified loss on these credits. An allowance of $12.9 million, which is discussed further in the "PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES" section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, was recorded for the remaining balance of these impaired loans totaling $48.4 million, and is included in the Corporation’s allowance for loan losses.

The Corporation's non-performing assets plus accruing loans 90-days or more delinquent and impaired loans are presented in the table below.

December 31, December 31,

Non-performing assets:

Loans 90-days or more delinquent and still accruing 746 69

The non-accrual balances in the above table include troubled debt restructures totaling $1.7 million and $709,000 as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

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The composition of non-performing assets plus accruing loans 90-days or more delinquent is reflected in the following table.

December 31, December 31,

Non-performing assets and loans 90-days or more delinquent:

Commercial and industrial loans $ 2,923 $ 1,259

Agricultural land, production and other loans to farmers 1,012 1,180

Real estate loans

Commercial real estate, non-owner occupied 47,548 3,447

Commercial real estate, owner occupied 3,040 2,659

Individual's loans for household and other personal expenditures 55 45

Non-performing assets and loans 90-days or more delinquent $ 66,397 $ 24,386

In 2020, net charge-offs totaled $8.3 million, an increase of $5.2 million and $6.6 million from 2020 and 2019, respectively. In 2020, the corporation incurred charge-offs exceeding $500,000 on two commercial relationships, which combined to total $7.3 million. The largest of the two charge-offs was $6.7 million for a university apparel relationship. There were no recoveries above $500,000 recognized during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2020. In 2019, the corporation incurred charge-offs on two commercial relationships exceeding $500,000, which totaled $3.6 million, and had one recovery on a commercial relationship above $500,000, which amounted to $738,000.

The Corporation's loan loss experience is presented in the table below for the years indicated.

Allowance for loan losses:

Ratio of allowance to non-accrual loans 212.5 % 503.4 % 308.1 %

The distribution of the net charge-offs by collateral classification is provided in the following table for the years indicated.

Net charge-offs:

Commercial and industrial loans $ 7,794 $ 239 $ (257)

Agricultural land, production and other farm loans (2) 2 44

Real estate loans

Commercial real estate, non-owner occupied (148) 1,170 (714)

Commercial real estate, owner occupied 56 (2) 189

Individuals loans for household and other personal expenditures 383 168 447

Public finance and other commercial loans — 239 80

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On March 22, 2020, a statement was issued by the Bank's banking regulators and titled the “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus” (the "Interagency Statement") that encourages financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provides that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a troubled debt restructure as defined by GAAP, from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) terminates. The Interagency Statement was subsequently revised on April 7, 2020 to clarify the interaction of the original guidance with Section 4013 of the CARES Act, as well as setting forth the banking regulators’ views on consumer protection considerations. In accordance with such guidance, the Bank has offered short-term modifications made in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current and otherwise not past due. These included short-term, 180 days or less, modifications primarily in the form of payment deferrals. Modifications in the form of fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant were also made.

On December 27, 2020, a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, as passed by the U.S. Congress, was signed into law as part of the CAA that provides federal government funding through the end of its 2021 fiscal year. In addition to delivering direct stimulus payments to certain individuals, an increase in unemployment insurance benefits, an extension of the eviction moratorium, relief to the healthcare industry, and additional aid to various other businesses, the COVID-19-related provisions of the CAA provide for (i) an additional $284 billion in funding for the PPP, through March 31, 2021, (ii) an extension of the temporary delay for implementation of the CECL accounting standard, and (iii) further suspension of the troubled debt restructure assessment and reporting requirements for financial institutions under GAAP until the earlier of January 1, 2022, or 60 days after the termination of the national emergency.The following table summarizes modifications that remained in deferment as of December 31, 2020.

Recorded Balance Number of Loans

Commercial and industrial loans $ 18,143 14

Agricultural land, production and other loans to farmers 10,724 2

Real estate loans:

Commercial real estate, non-owner occupied 65,139 10

Commercial real estate, owner occupied 2,428 6

Individuals' loans for household and other personal expenditures 893 26

Of the loans still in deferment at December 31, 2020 as indicated in the table above, $66.1 million, or 55 percent of the balance, were in the hotel industry. Although the Corporation believes its underwriting and loan review procedures are appropriate for the various kinds of loans it makes, its results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected in the event the quality of its loan portfolio declines. Deterioration in the economic environment including residential and commercial real estate values may result in increased levels of loan delinquencies and credit losses.

PROVISION EXPENSE AND ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

The allowance for loan losses is maintained through the provision for loan losses, which is a charge against earnings. Based on management’s judgment as to the appropriate level of the allowance for loan losses, the amount provided in any period may be greater or less than net loan losses for the same period. The determination of the provision amount and the adequacy of the allowance in any period is based on management’s continuing review and evaluation of the loan portfolio, including an internally administered loan "watch" list and independent loan reviews. The evaluation also takes into consideration identified credit problems, portfolio growth, management's judgment as to the impact of current economic conditions on the portfolio and the possibility of losses inherent in the loan portfolio that are not specifically identified. Additional details are discussed in NOTE 1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Management believes that the allowance for loan losses is adequate to cover incurred losses inherent in the loan portfolio at December 31, 2020. The process for determining the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses is critical to the Corporation’s financial results. It requires management to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments to estimate the effect of uncertain matters. The allowance for loan losses considers current factors, economic conditions and ongoing internal and external examination processes and will increase or decrease as deemed necessary to ensure the allowance remains adequate. In addition, the allowance as a percentage of charge-offs and nonperforming loans will change at different points in time based on credit performance, portfolio mix and collateral values. Management continually evaluates the commercial loan portfolio by including consideration of specific borrower cash flow analysis and estimated collateral values, types and amounts on non-performing loans, past and anticipated loan loss experience, changes in the composition of the loan portfolio, and the current condition and amount of loans outstanding.

In conformance with ASC 805 and ASC 820, purchased loans are recorded at the acquisition date fair value. Such loans are included in the allowance to the extent a specific impairment is identified that exceeds the fair value adjustment on an impaired loan. An allowance may also be necessary if the historical loss and environmental factor analysis indicates losses inherent in a purchased portfolio exceed the fair value adjustment on the portion of the purchased portfolio not deemed impaired.

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At December 31, 2020, the allowance for loan losses was $130.7 million, an increase of $50.4 million from December 31, 2019. During the twelve month period ending December 31, 2020, specific reserves on impaired loans increased $12.2 million, while the loss reserve for loans not deemed impaired increased $38.2 million. As a percent of total loans, the allowance was 1.41 percent at December 31, 2020, compared to 0.95 percent at December 31, 2019. The increase in the allowance was due to the increase in specific reserves, which relates to the four aforementioned non-owner occupied commercial real estate (senior living) properties as well as a $36.2 million increase in the national and local economic conditions qualitative factor, which reflects the Corporation's view of increased risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loans are generally secured by specific items of collateral, including real property and business assets. Allowable methods for determining the amount of impairment include estimating fair value using the fair value of the collateral for collateral dependent loans. If the impaired loan is identified as collateral dependent, then the fair value method of measuring the amount of impairment is utilized. This method requires obtaining a current independent appraisal of the collateral and applying a discount factor to the value. The fair value of real estate is determined based on appraisals by qualified licensed appraisers. The appraisers determine the value of the real estate by utilizing an income or market valuation approach. Updated “as is” or “liquidation value” appraisals are obtained as individual circumstances and/or market conditions warrant. Partially charged off loans measured for impairment based on their collateral value are generally not returned to performing status subsequent to receiving updated appraisals or restructure of the loan. If an appraisal is not available, the fair value may be determined by using a discounted

cash flow analysis. Fair value on other collateral such as business assets is typically ascertained by assessing, either singularly or some combination of, asset appraisals, accounts receivable aging reports, inventory listings and/or customer financial statements. Both appraised values and values based on borrower’s financial information are discounted as considered appropriate based on age and quality of the information and current market conditions.

Loans deemed impaired according to guidance set forth in ASC 310 are evaluated during problem loan meetings held within each reporting period by a special assets management team. Loan collateral and customer financial information are reviewed and the level of impairment is assessed to determine appropriate reserve and/or charge-off amounts. Loans or portions of loans are charged off when they are considered uncollectible. It is the Corporation’s policy to recognize losses promptly to prevent overstatement of assets, earnings and capital.

The following table summarizes loan loss reserves by collateral segment for the periods ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Allowance balances:

Allowance balances:

Individually evaluated for impairment $ — $ 231 $ — $ 458 $ 689

The historical loss allocation for loans not deemed impaired according to ASC 450 is the product of the volume of loans within the non-impaired criticized and non-criticized risk grade classifications, each segmented by call code, and the historical loss factor for each respective classification and call code segment. The historical loss factors are based upon actual loss experience within each risk and call code classification. The historical look back period for non-criticized loans is the most recent rolling-four-quarter average and aligns with the look back period for non-impaired criticized loans. This look back period includes all charge-offs from the most recent seven quarters. The loss factor computation for this allocation includes a segmented historical loss migration analysis of loans, by risk grade, to charge-off.

In addition to the specific reserves and historical loss components of the allowance, consideration is given to various environmental factors to help ensure that losses inherent in the portfolio are reflected in the allowance for loan losses. Environmental factors that management reviews in the analysis include: National and local economic trends and conditions; trends in growth in the loan portfolio and growth in higher risk areas; levels of, and trends in, delinquencies and non-accruals; experience and depth of lending management and staff; adequacy of, and adherence to, lending policies and procedures including those for underwriting; industry concentrations of credit; and adequacy of risk identification systems and controls through the internal loan review and internal audit processes. Each environmental factor receives an individual qualitative allocation that reflects losses inherent in the portfolio that are not reflected in the historical loss components of the allowance. Given the current economic environment, management believes losses inherent in the portfolio may not be immediately apparent for specific identification.

The Corporation’s primary market areas for lending are Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. When evaluating the adequacy of the allowance, consideration is given to this regional geographic concentration and the closely associated effect changing economic conditions have on the Corporation’s customers. The allowance for loan losses at December 31, 2020 is reflective of both the banking environment within the Corporation’s footprint and the Corporation’s recent loan and loss trends.

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Management continually evaluates the commercial loan portfolio by including consideration of specific borrower cash flow analysis and estimated collateral values, types and amounts on non-performing loans, past and anticipated loan loss experience, changes in the composition of the loan portfolio and the current condition and amount of loans outstanding. The determination of the provision for loan losses in any period is based on management's continuing review and evaluation of the loan portfolio, and its judgment as to the impact of current economic conditions on the portfolio.

Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit losses on Financial Instruments ("CECL") had an original adoption date of January 1, 2020, which included a Day 1 measurement date of January 1, 2020. The CARES Act, passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, created an optional deferral of the CECL adoption date. Pursuant to the CARES Act and the related joint statement of federal banking regulators (which also became effective as of March 27, 2020), and consistent with guidance from the SEC and FASB, the Corporation elected to delay implementation of ASU No. 2016-13, which would have become effective for the Corporation as of January 1, 2020. The 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 27, 2020, amended the CARES Act by extending the temporary relief from CECL compliance to the earlier of the first day of the fiscal year that begins after the date on which the national emergency concerning COVID-19 terminates, or January 1, 2022. The Corporation elected to delay implementation of CECL following the approval of the CARES Act and, with the enactment of the CAA, the Corporation has elected to further delay adoption of CECL to January 1, 2021. This will allow the Corporation to utilize the CECL standard for the entire year of adoption. As a result of the Corporation’s election, its 2020 financial statements have been prepared under the existing incurred loss model.

This new CECL guidance was issued to address concerns that current generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") restricts the ability to record credit losses that are expected, but do not yet meet the “probable” threshold by replacing the current “incurred loss” model for recognizing credit losses with an “expected life of loan loss” model..

Under the CECL model, certain financial assets carried at amortized cost, such as loans held for investment and held-to-maturity debt securities, are required to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is to be based on information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. This measurement will take place at the time the financial asset is first added to the balance sheet and periodically thereafter. This differs significantly from the “incurred loss” model required under current GAAP, which delays recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. The change could materially affect how the allowance for loan losses is determined and cause a charge to earnings through the provision for loan losses. Such charge could adversely affect the financial condition of the Corporation.

The Corporation developed models that satisfy the requirements of the new standard which are governed by a system of internal controls and a cross-functional working group consisting of accounting, finance, and credit administration personnel. The loan portfolio was pooled into ten loan segments with similar risk characteristics for which the probability of default/loss given default methodology was applied. The Corporation utilized a one-year economic forecast period then reverted to historical macroeconomic levels for the remaining life of the portfolio. A baseline macroeconomic scenario, along with other scenarios, was used to develop a range of estimated credit losses for which to determine the best estimate within.

As of the adoption and day one measurement date of January 1, 2021, the Corporation recorded a one-time cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings, net of income taxes, on the consolidated balance sheet. The allowance increased 57 percent from December 31, 2020 because it covered expected credit losses over the life of the loan portfolio, which approximates four years, and it included an allowance on all purchased loans that were previously excluded from the allowance for loan losses calculation. CECL also requires the establishment of a reserve for potential losses from unfunded commitments that is recorded in other liabilities, separate from allowance for credit losses, which was approximately $21 million.

GOODWILL

Goodwill is reviewed at least annually for impairment, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate the carrying value might be impaired. The impairment analysis compares the estimated fair value of the Corporation (the reporting unit) with the Corporation's net book value. On January 1, 2020, the Corporation adopted ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill. Subsequent to the October 1, 2019 impairment test and adoption of ASU 2017-04, the Corporation experienced a decline in market capitalization as a result of a decline in the share price of the Corporation's common stock. At March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, the Corporation assessed the economic impact and market conditions from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Corporation assessed the general uncertainty as to the full extent of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on economic recovery and concluded goodwill was not impaired in either period.

As of October 1, 2020, the Corporation performed its annual goodwill impairment test which included various valuation considerations including comparable peer data, precedent transaction comparables, discounted cash flow analysis, overall financial performance, share price of the Corporation's common stock and other factors. The testing for both periods resulted in a conclusion that it was not more likely than not that the fair value of the Corporation had declined below its carrying value and no impairment loss was recorded in 2020. In December 2020, the Corporation's stock price increased to a value higher than its carrying value and has remained at these levels. The Corporation considers this further support the decline in stock value was considered temporary and not an indication goodwill was impaired. Goodwill assessments are highly sensitive to economic projections and the related assumptions used by management. In the event of a prolonged economic downturn or further deterioration in the economic outlook, continued assessments of our goodwill balance will likely be required in future periods. There were no changes in goodwill for the year ending December 31, 2020.

The MBT acquisition on September, 1, 2019 resulted in $98.6 million of goodwill, which includes a measurement period adjustment of $719,000 recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019. Details regarding the MBT acquisition are discussed in NOTE 2. ACQUISITIONS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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LIQUIDITY

Liquidity management is the process by which the Corporation ensures that adequate liquid funds are available for the holding company and its subsidiaries. These funds are necessary in order to meet financial commitments on a timely basis. These commitments include withdrawals by depositors, funding credit obligations to borrowers, paying dividends to stockholders, paying operating expenses, funding capital expenditures, and maintaining deposit reserve requirements. Liquidity is monitored and closely managed by the asset/liability committee.

The Corporation’s liquidity is dependent upon the receipt of dividends from the Bank, which is subject to certain regulatory limitations and access to other funding sources. Liquidity of the Bank is derived primarily from core deposit growth, principal payments received on loans, the sale and maturity of investment securities, net cash provided by operating activities, and access to other funding sources.

The principal source of asset-funded liquidity is investment securities classified as available for sale, the market values of which totaled $1.9 billion at December 31, 2020, an increase of $129.1 million, or 7.2 percent, from December 31, 2019. Securities classified as held to maturity that are maturing within a short period of time can also be a source of liquidity. Securities classified as held to maturity and that are maturing in one year or less totaled $9.7 million at December 31, 2020. In addition, other types of assets such as cash and interest-bearing deposits with other banks, federal funds sold and loans maturing within one year are sources of liquidity.

The most stable source of liability-funded liquidity for both the long-term and short-term is deposit growth and retention in the core deposit base. Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase are also considered a source of liquidity. In addition, FHLB advances are utilized as a funding source. At December 31, 2020, total borrowings from the FHLB were $389.4 million. The Bank has pledged certain mortgage loans and investments to the FHLB. The total available remaining borrowing capacity from the FHLB at December 31, 2020 was $723.3 million.

The required payments related to operating leases and borrowings at December 31, 2020 are as follows:

Securities sold under repurchase agreements 177,102 — — — — — — 177,102

For further details related to the Corporation's borrowings, see NOTE 13. BORROWINGS of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Additionally, the Corporation has entered into a number of long-term leasing arrangements to support ongoing activities. Details related to the Corporation's lease obligations are discussed within NOTE 10. LEASES of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report of Form 10-K.

Also, in the normal course of business, the Bank is a party to a number of other off-balance sheet activities that contain credit, market and operational risk that are not reflected in whole or in part in the consolidated financial statements. These activities primarily consist of traditional off-balance sheet credit-related financial instruments such as loan commitments and standby letters of credit.

Summarized credit-related financial instruments at December 31, 2020 are as follows:

(Dollars in Thousands) December 31, 2020

Amounts of Commitments:

Loan commitments to extend credit $ 3,443,514

Standby letters of credit 29,555

Since many of the commitments are expected to expire unused or be only partially used, the total amount of unused commitments in the preceding table does not necessarily represent future cash requirements.

INTEREST SENSITIVITY AND DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Asset/Liability management has been an important factor in the Corporation's ability to record consistent earnings growth through periods of interest rate volatility and product deregulation. Management and the Board of Directors monitor the Corporation's liquidity and interest sensitivity positions at regular meetings to review how changes in interest rates may affect earnings. Decisions regarding investment and the pricing of loan and deposit products are made after analysis of reports designed to measure liquidity, rate sensitivity, the Corporation’s exposure to changes in net interest income given various rate scenarios and the economic and competitive environments.

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It is the objective of the Corporation to monitor and manage risk exposure to net interest income caused by changes in interest rates. It is the goal of the Corporation’s Asset/Liability management function to provide optimum and stable net interest income. To accomplish this, management uses two asset liability tools. GAP/Interest Rate Sensitivity Reports and Net Interest Income Simulation Modeling are constructed, presented and monitored quarterly. Management believes that the Corporation's liquidity and interest sensitivity position at December 31, 2020 remained adequate to meet the Corporation’s primary goal of achieving optimum interest margins while avoiding undue interest rate risk.

The following table presents the Corporation’s interest rate sensitivity analysis as of December 31, 2020.

(Dollars in Thousands) 1-180 Days 181-365 Days 1-5 Years Beyond 5 Years Total

Rate-Sensitive Assets:

Rate-Sensitive Liabilities:

Securities sold under repurchase agreements 177,102 — — — 177,102

Cumulative rate sensitivity gap ratio

The Corporation had a cumulative negative gap of $2.8 billion in the one-year horizon at December 31, 2020, or 20.1 percent of total assets.

Net interest income simulation modeling, or earnings-at-risk, measures the sensitivity of net interest income to various interest rate movements. The Corporation's asset liability process monitors simulated net interest income under three separate interest rate scenarios; base, rising and falling. Estimated net interest income for each scenario is calculated over a twelve-month horizon. The immediate and parallel changes to the base case scenario used in the model are presented below. The interest rate scenarios are used for analytical purposes and do not necessarily represent management's view of future market movements. Rather, these are intended to provide a measure of the degree of volatility interest rate movements may introduce into the earnings of the Corporation.

The base scenario is highly dependent on numerous assumptions embedded in the model, including assumptions related to future interest rates. While the base sensitivity analysis incorporates management's best estimate of interest rate and balance sheet dynamics under various market rate movements, the actual behavior and resulting earnings impact will likely differ from that projected. For certain assets, the base simulation model captures the expected prepayment behavior under changing interest rate environments. Assumptions and methodologies regarding the interest rate or balance behavior of indeterminate maturity products, such as savings, money market, interest-bearing and demand deposits, reflect management's best estimate of expected future behavior. Historical retention rate assumptions are applied to non-maturity deposits for modeling purposes.

The comparative rising 200 basis points and falling 100 basis points scenarios below, as of December 31, 2020, assume further interest rate changes in addition to the base simulation discussed above. These changes are immediate and parallel changes to the base case scenario. In the current environment, many driver rates are at or near historical lows, thus total rate movements (beginning point minus ending point to each of the various driver rates) are illustrated in the table below without consideration of negative interest rates.

RISING FALLING

Driver Rates (200 Basis Points) (100 Basis Points)

Federal Funds 200 —

Three-Year CMT 200 (5)

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Results for the base, rising 200 basis points and falling 100 basis points interest rate scenarios are listed below based upon the Corporation’s rate sensitive assets and liabilities at December 31, 2020. The net interest income shown represents cumulative net interest income over a twelve-month time horizon. Balance sheet assumptions used for the base scenario are the same for the rising and falling simulations.

RISING FALLING

(Dollars in Thousands) Base (200 Basis Points) (100 Basis Points)

Percent of Change from Base 5.9 % 0.7 %

The comparative rising 200 basis points and falling 100 basis points scenarios below, as of December 31, 2019, assume further interest rate changes in addition to the base simulation discussed above. These changes are immediate and parallel changes to the base case scenario. In addition, total rate movements (beginning point minus ending point) to each of the various driver rates utilized by management in the base simulation are as follows:

RISING FALLING

Driver Rates (200 Basis Points) (100 Basis Points)

Results for the base, rising 200 basis points and falling 100 basis points interest rate scenarios are listed below based upon the Corporation’s rate sensitive assets and liabilities at December 31, 2019. The net interest income shown represents cumulative net interest income over a twelve-month time horizon. Balance sheet assumptions used for the base scenario are the same for the rising and falling simulations.

RISING FALLING

(Dollars in Thousands) Base (200 Basis Points) (100 Basis Points)

Percent of Change from Base 5.8 % (3.5) %

EARNING ASSETS

The following table presents the earning asset mix as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Earning assets increased by $1.6 billion during twelve months ended December 31, 2020.

Interest-bearing deposits increased $274.0 million from December 31, 2019 as a result of excess liquidity from deposit growth, primarily due to a portion of commercial PPP loan proceeds and consumer Economic Impact Payments from the IRS that have remained on deposit, and an increase in wholesale funding. Additionally, total investment securities increased $550.7 million from December 31, 2019 as a portion of the excess liquidity from deposit growth and additional wholesale funding was used to invest in the bond portfolio. Also contributing to the increase in investment securities was a $62.1 million increase in net unrealized gains on the available for sale portfolio. The net increase in unrealized gains from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020 is primarily due to interest rate declines in 2020 as the longer term points on the yield curve have declined since year-end, which increases the fair value of securities in the portfolio.

Loans and loans held for sale increased $778.8 million from December 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2020, the Corporation had $667.1 million of PPP loans, which were primarily included in the commercial and industrial loan class. Additionally, other loan segments that experienced large increases from December 31, 2019 were commercial real estate, non-owner occupied and public finance and other commercial loans. The largest loan segments that experienced decreases from December 31, 2019 were real estate construction and home equity loans. Additional details of the changes in the Corporation's loan portfolio are discussed within NOTE 5. LOANS AND ALLOWANCE of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

December 31, December 31,

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DEPOSITS AND BORROWINGS

The table below reflects the level of deposits and borrowed funds (federal funds purchased, repurchase agreements, FHLB advances, subordinated debentures and term loans) at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

December 31, December 31,

Federal funds purchased — 55,000

Deposits increased $1.5 billion from December 31, 2019. The Corporation experienced increases from December 31, 2019 in demand and savings deposits accounts of $1.6 billion and $765.5 million, respectively. A portion of the increase is due to PPP loans that have remained on deposit, in addition to consumer Economic Impact Payments from the IRS that have also remained on deposit. Offsetting these increases were decreases in certificates of deposits and brokered deposits of $673.2 million and $141.2 million, respectively, from December 31, 2019. The low interest rate environment has resulted in customers migrating from maturing time deposit products into non-maturity products due to similar rates offered for both products.

FHLB advances increased $38.4 million, while federal funds purchased decreased $55.0 million. Liquidity generated from an increase in deposits and FHLB advances was used to fund organic loan growth and investment securities purchases, and also to pay down wholesale funding sources.

Subordinated debentures and term loans decreased $20.3 million as compared to the same period in 2019. The Corporation redeemed $20.0 million of subordinated debentures in 2020. Of the redemptions, $10.0 million was for a partial redemption of debentures held by First Merchants Capital Trust II ("FMC Trust II") and the remaining $10.0 million was for a complete redemption of debentures held by Grabill Capital Trust I ("Grabill Trust"). Both FMC Trust II and Grabill Trust used the proceeds from the redemptions to concurrently redeem like amounts of their capital (preferred) securities, each with an aggregate principal redemption price of $10.0 million. The common securities of FMC Trust II are, and the common securities of Grabill Trust were, held by the Corporation (recorded in other assets). Subsequent to the redemption of its capital securities, Grabill Trust was dissolved.

The Corporation has leveraged its capital position with FHLB advances, as well as repurchase agreements, which are pledged against acquired investment securities as collateral for the borrowings. Further discussion regarding FHLB advances is included in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the heading “LIQUIDITY”. Additionally, the interest rate risk is included as part of the Corporation’s interest simulation discussed in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under the heading “INTEREST SENSITIVITY AND DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK”.

INCOME TAXES

Income tax expense totaled $21.4 million for 2020 compared to $29.3 million for 2019. The Corporation’s federal statutory income tax rate for 2020 is 21 percent and its state tax rate varies from 0 to 9.5 percent depending on the state in which the subsidiary company is domiciled. The Corporation’s effective tax rate is lower than the blended effective statutory federal and state rates primarily due to the Corporation’s income on tax-exempt securities and loans, income generated by the subsidiaries domiciled in a state with no state or local income tax, income tax credits generated from investments in affordable housing projects, and tax-exempt earnings from bank-owned life insurance contracts. The reconciliation of federal statutory to actual tax expense is shown in NOTE 22. INCOME TAX of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Corporation’s tax asset, deferred and receivable increased from $12.2 million at December 31, 2019 to $12.3 million at December 31, 2020. The Corporation’s net deferred tax asset decreased from $8.3 million at December 31, 2019 to $4.3 million at December 31, 2020. The $4.0 million decrease in the Corporation’s net deferred tax asset was due to an increase in deferred tax liabilities partially offset by an increase in deferred tax assets. The largest deferred tax liability increase was associated with the tax effect of the change in unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities of $13.1 million. Additionally, the net change in deferred taxes associated with federal and state net operating loss carryforwards decreased the net deferred tax asset by $4.1 million. This decrease was largely driven by the carryback of $9.1 million in federal net operating losses allowed under the CARES Act legislation. Offsetting the decreases to the net deferred tax asset were deferred tax asset increases associated with accounting for loan losses and loan fees of $12.1 million and $3.9 million, respectively.

INFLATION

Changing prices of goods, services and capital affect the financial position of every business enterprise. The level of market interest rates and the price of funds loaned or borrowed fluctuate due to changes in the rate of inflation and various other factors, including government monetary policy.

Fluctuating interest rates affect the Corporation’s net interest income and loan volume. As the inflation rate increases, the purchasing power of the dollar decreases. Those holding fixed-rate monetary assets incur a loss, while those holding fixed-rate monetary liabilities enjoy a gain. The nature of a financial holding company’s operations is such that there will generally be an excess of monetary assets over monetary liabilities, and, thus, a financial holding company will tend to suffer from an increase in the rate of inflation and benefit from a decrease.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.

The quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk information are presented in the “INTEREST SENSITIVITY AND DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK” section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included as Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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PART II: ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders, Board of Directors and Audit Committee

First Merchants Corporation

Muncie, Indiana

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of First Merchants Corporation (Corporation) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders' equity and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Corporation as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB"), the Corporation's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) and our report dated March 1, 2021, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Corporation's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Corporation's financial statements based on our audits.

We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Corporation 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. Our audits 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 include 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. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

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 critical audit matters 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 Loan Losses

As described in Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements, the Corporation’s consolidated allowance for loan and lease losses (ALLL) was $130.6 million at December 31, 2020. The ALLL is an estimate of probable credit losses related to specifically identified loans and for losses inherent in the portfolio that have been incurred as of the balance sheet date. The determination of the ALLL requires management to exercise significant judgment and consider numerous subjective factors, including determining qualitative factors utilized to adjust historical loss rates, risk grading loans, identifying loan impairments, among others. As disclosed by management, different assumptions and conditions could result in a materially different amount for the ALLL.

We identified the valuation of the ALLL as a critical audit matter. Auditing the allowance for loan losses involves a high degree of subjectivity in evaluating management’s estimates, such as evaluating management’s assessment of economic conditions and other environmental factors used to adjust historical loss rates, evaluating the adequacy of specific allowances associated with impaired loans and assessing the appropriateness of loan grades.

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How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit

The primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter included:

Testing the design and operating effectiveness of controls, including those related to technology, over the Corporation’s ALLL including data completeness and accuracy, classifications of loans by loan segment, historical loss data, the calculation of a loss rate, the establishment of qualitative adjustments, grading and risk classification of loans and establishment of specific reserves on impaired loans including purchased loans that have experienced further credit deterioration and management’s review controls over the ALLL balance as a whole including attending internal Corporation credit quality discussions and analysis;

•Testing of completeness and accuracy of the information utilized in the ALLL;

•Testing the model’s computational accuracy;

•Evaluating the qualitative adjustment to the historical loss rates, including assessing the basis for the adjustments and the reasonableness of the significant assumptions;

•Testing the internal loan review functions and evaluating the accuracy of loan grades;

•Evaluating the appropriateness of loan grades and assessing the reasonableness of specific reserves on impaired loans;

•Evaluating the overall reasonableness of assumptions used by considering the past performance of the Corporation and evaluating to trends identified within peer groups;

•Reviewing subsequent events and considering whether they support or contradict the Corporation’s assessment;

•Evaluating loan modifications made under Section 4013 of the CARES Act.

BKD, LLP

We have served as the Corporation’s auditor since at least 1982; however, an earlier year cannot be reliably determined.

Indianapolis, Indiana

March 1, 2021

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PART II: ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31, December 31,

(Dollars in Thousands, Except Share Data) 2020 2019

ASSETS

LIABILITIES

Deposits:

Borrowings:

Federal funds purchased — 55,000

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Cumulative Preferred Stock, $1,000 par value, $1,000 liquidation value:

Authorized - 600 shares

Common Stock, $0.125 stated value:

Accumulated other comprehensive income 74,836 27,874

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

INTEREST INCOME

Loans receivable:

Investment securities:

INTEREST EXPENSE

Securities sold under repurchase agreements 604 1,424 762

OTHER INCOME

Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance 5,040 4,518 4,020

Gains on life insurance benefits 100 19 198

Net realized gains on sales of available for sale securities 11,895 4,415 4,269

OTHER EXPENSES

Other real estate owned and foreclosure expenses 330 2,428 1,470

NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS PER SHARE DATA:

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax:

Defined benefit pension plans, net of tax of $452, $1,239, and $1,001

Amortization of prior service cost 66 84 (16)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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PART II: ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Preferred Common Stock

Comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax — — — — — — (17,888) (17,888)

Cash dividends on common stock ($0.84 per share) — — — — — (41,660) — (41,660)

Reclassification adjustment under ASU 2018-02 — — — — — 626 (626) —

Stock issued under employee benefit plans — — 19,001 2 705 — — 707

Restricted shares withheld for taxes — — (44,316) (6) (1,896) — — (1,902)

Comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax — — — — — — 49,296 49,296

Cash dividends on common stock ($1.00 per share) — — — — — (51,276) — (51,276)

Stock issued under employee benefit plans — — 21,521 3 699 — — 702

Restricted shares withheld for taxes — — (43,093) (6) (1,674) — — (1,680)

Comprehensive income

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax — — — — — — 46,962 46,962

Cash dividends on common stock ($1.04 per share) — — — — — (56,542) — (56,542)

Stock issued under employee benefit plans — — 25,423 3 636 — — 639

Restricted shares withheld for taxes — — (39,757) (6) (974) — — (980)

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

December 31, December 31, December 31,

Cash Flow From Operating Activities:

Gains on sales of securities available for sale (11,895) (4,415) (4,269)

Increase in cash surrender of life insurance (5,040) (4,518) (4,020)

Gains on life insurance benefits (100) (19) (198)

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:

Purchases of:

Proceeds from maturities of:

Net cash and cash equivalents received in acquisition — 10,207 —

Proceeds from the sale of other real estate owned 8,655 2,060 9,121

Proceeds from life insurance benefits 601 815 2,836

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:

Net change in :

Stock issued under employee benefit plans 639 702 707

Restricted shares withheld for taxes (980) (1,680) (1,902)

Additional cash flow information:

Loans transferred to other real estate owned 813 7,031 855

Fixed assets transferred to other assets 262 1,210 374

Non-cash investing activities using trade date accounting 6,183 — 6,551

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - CONTINUED

In conjunction with the acquisitions, liabilities were assumed as follows:

Fair value of assets acquired $ — $ 1,451,287 $ —

Cash received (paid) in acquisition — (15) —

Less: Common stock issued — 229,926 —

Liabilities assumed $ — $ 1,221,346 $ —

See notes to consolidated financial statements.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(table dollar amounts in thousands, except share data)

NOTE 1

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

FINANCIAL STATEMENT PREPARATION

The accounting and reporting policies of the Corporation and the Bank, conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and reporting practices followed by the banking industry.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses and fair value of financial instruments. The uncertainties related to COVID-19 could cause significant changes to these estimates compared to what was known at the time these financial statements were prepared.

The Corporation is a financial holding company whose principal activity is the ownership and management of the Bank and operates in a single significant business segment. The Bank provides full banking services under an Indiana state-charter. Additionally, the Bank operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (a division of First Merchants Bank).

The Bank generates commercial, mortgage, and consumer loans and receives deposits from customers located primarily in central and northern Indiana, northeast Illinois, central Ohio and southeast Michigan counties. The Bank’s loans are generally secured by specific items of collateral, including real property, consumer assets and business assets.

A brief description of current accounting practices and current valuation methodologies are presented below.

CONSOLIDATION

The consolidation of the Corporation's financial statements include the accounts of the Corporation and all its subsidiaries, after elimination of all material intercompany transactions.

BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

Business combinations are accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. Under the acquisition method, assets and liabilities of the business acquired are recorded at their estimated fair values as of the date of acquisition with any excess of the cost of the acquisition over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets acquired recorded as goodwill. Results of operations of the acquired business are included in the income statement from the date of acquisition.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash on hand, cash items in process of collection, cash held at various banks and federal funds sold are included in cash and cash equivalents and have a maturity of less than three months. The Corporation maintains deposits with other financial institutions in amounts that exceed federal deposit insurance coverage. Management regularly evaluates the credit risk associated with the counterparties to these transactions and believes there is not significant credit risk on cash and cash equivalents.

INVESTMENT SECURITIES

Held to maturity securities are carried at amortized cost when the Corporation has the positive intent and ability to hold them until maturity. Available for sale securities are recorded at fair value on a recurring basis with the unrealized gains and losses, net of applicable income taxes, recorded in other comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses are recorded in earnings and the prior fair value adjustments are reclassified within stockholders' equity. Gains and losses on sales of securities are determined on the specific-identification method. Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts are amortized to their earliest call date and are recorded as interest income from securities.

Available for sale and held to maturity securities are evaluated for OTTI at least on a quarterly basis, and more frequently when economic or market conditions warrant such an evaluation. In determining OTTI, management considers many factors, including: (1) the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, (2) the financial condition and near term prospects of the issuer, (3) whether the market decline was affected by macroeconomic conditions, and (4) whether the Corporation has the intent to sell the debt security or more likely than not, will be required to sell the debt security before its anticipated recovery. The assessment of whether an other-than-temporary decline exists involves a high degree of subjectivity and judgment and is based on the information available to management at a point in time.

When OTTI occurs, the amount of OTTI recognized in the income statement depends on whether the Corporation intends to sell the security or it is more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss. If the intent is to sell, or it is more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss, the OTTI shall be recognized in earnings equal to the entire difference between the investment’s amortized cost basis, less any recognized credit loss, and its fair value at the balance sheet date. If the intent is not to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the Corporation will be required to sell the security before the recovery of its amortized cost basis less any recognized credit loss, the OTTI has been separated into the amount representing the credit loss and the amount related to all other factors. The amount of the total OTTI related to the credit loss is determined based on the present value of cash flows expected to be collected and is recognized in earnings. The amount of the total OTTI related to other factors is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable income taxes. The previous amortized cost basis less the OTTI recognized in earnings becomes the new amortized cost basis of the investment.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(table dollar amounts in thousands, except share data)

For held to maturity securities, the amount of an OTTI recorded in other comprehensive income for the noncredit portion of a previous other-than-temporary impairment is amortized prospectively over the remaining life of the security on the basis of the timing of future estimated cash flows of the security.

LOANS HELD FOR SALE

Loans originated and with an intent to sell are classified as held for sale and are carried at the principal amount outstanding. The carrying amount approximates fair value due to the short duration between origination and the date of sale.

LOANS

The Corporation’s loan portfolio is carried at the principal amount outstanding, net of unearned income and principal charge-offs. Loan origination fees, net of direct loan origination costs, and commitment fees are deferred and amortized as an adjustment to yield over the life of the loan, or over the commitment period, as applicable. Interest income is accrued on the principal balances of loans. The accrual of interest is discontinued on a loan when, in management’s opinion, the borrower may be unable to meet payments as they become due. When the interest accrual is discontinued, all unpaid accrued interest is reversed against earnings when considered uncollectible. Interest income accrued in the prior year, if any, is charged to the allowance for loan losses. Interest income is subsequently recognized only to the extent cash payments are received and the loan is returned to accruing status.

Certain non-accrual, substantially delinquent and renegotiated loans classified as troubled debt restructures may be considered to be impaired in accordance with ASC 310, Receivables. Under ASC 310-10, a loan is impaired when, based on current information or events, it is probable all amounts due (principal and interest) according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement are uncollectible. Renegotiated consumer loans classified as troubled debt restructures are considered to be impaired. In applying the provisions of ASC 310-10, the Corporation considers all other investments in one-to-four family residential loans and consumer installment loans to be homogeneous and therefore excluded from separate identification for evaluation of impairment. Impaired loans are carried at the fair value of collateral if the loan is collateral dependent, or the present value of estimated future cash flows using the loan’s existing rate. A portion of the allowance for loan losses is allocated to impaired loans if the value of such loans is deemed to be less than the unpaid balance. If these allocations cause the allowance for loan losses to increase, such increase is reported as a component of the provision for loan losses. Loan losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectability of the loan is confirmed. The valuation would be considered Level 3, consisting of appraisals of underlying collateral and discounted cash flow analysis.

On March 22, 2020, a statement was issued by the Bank's banking regulators and titled the “Interagency Statement on Loan Modifications and Reporting for Financial Institutions Working with Customers Affected by the Coronavirus” (the "Interagency Statement") that encourages financial institutions to work prudently with borrowers who are or may be unable to meet their contractual payment obligations due to the effects of COVID-19. Additionally, Section 4013 of the CARES Act further provides that a qualified loan modification is exempt by law from classification as a troubled debt restructure as defined by GAAP, from the period beginning March 1, 2020 until the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the date that is 60 days after the date on which the national emergency concerning the COVID-19 outbreak under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) terminates. The Interagency Statement was subsequently revised on April 7, 2020 to clarify the interaction of the original guidance with Section 4013 of the CARES Act, as well as setting forth the banking regulators’ views on consumer protection considerations. In accordance with such guidance, the Bank has offered short-term modifications made in response to COVID-19 to borrowers who were current and otherwise not past due. These included short-term, 180 days or less, modifications in the form of payment deferrals, fee waivers, extensions of repayment terms, or other delays in payment that are insignificant. On December 27, 2020, a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package, as passed by the U.S. Congress, was signed into law as part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) that provides federal government funding through the end of its 2021 fiscal year. In addition to delivering direct stimulus payments to certain individuals, an increase in unemployment insurance benefits, an extension of the eviction moratorium, relief to the healthcare industry, and additional aid to various other businesses, the COVID-19-related provisions of the CAA provide for (i) an additional $284 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), through March 31, 2021, (ii) an extension of the temporary delay for implementation of the CECL accounting standard, and (iii) further suspension of the troubled debt restructure assessment and reporting requirements for financial institutions under GAAP until the earlier of January 1, 2022, or 60 days after the termination of the national emergency. Details of the Corporation's modifications are included in the "LOAN QUALITY" section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included as Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Loan commitments and letters-of-credit generally have short-term, variable-rate features and contain clauses which limit the exposure to changes in customer credit quality. Accordingly, their carrying values, which are immaterial at the respective balance sheet dates, are reasonable estimates of fair value.

PURCHASED LOANS