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Item 1A. Risk Factors

An investment in our common stock involves risks. The following is a description of the material risks and uncertainties that Primis Financial Corp. believes affect its business and should be considered before making an investment in our common stock. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently deem immaterial, also may become important factors that affect us and our business. If any of the risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K were to actually occur, our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. If this were to happen, the value of our common stock could decline significantly and you could lose part or all of your investment. This Form 10-K also contains forward-looking statements that may not be realized as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, the risks described herein and in our other public filings with the SEC. Please refer to the section in this Form 10-K entitled “Special Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for additional information regarding forward-looking statements.

Summary

Our business is subject to a number of risks, including risks that may prevent us from achieving our business objectives or may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. These risks are discussed more fully after the summary, and risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

● If our nonperforming assets increase, our earnings will suffer.

● Our stock price can be volatile.

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● Our business is susceptible to fraud.

Credit Risks

We are subject to risks related to our concentration of construction and land development and commercial real estate loans.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $164.7 million of construction and land development loans, or 5.1% of our loan portfolio. Construction and land development loans are subject to risks during the construction phase that are not present in standard residential real estate and commercial real estate loans. These risks include:

● the viability of the contractor;

● concentrations of such loans with a single contractor and its affiliates.

Real estate construction and land development loans may involve the disbursement of substantial funds with repayment dependent, in part, on the success of the ultimate project rather than the ability of a borrower or guarantor to repay the loan and also present risks of default in the event of declines in property values or volatility in the real estate market during the

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construction phase. Our practice, in the majority of instances, is to secure the personal guaranty of individuals in support of our real estate construction and land development loans which provides us with an additional source of repayment. As of December 31, 2023, we did not have any nonperforming construction and land development loans. If one or more of our larger borrowers were to default on their construction and land development loans, and we did not have alternative sources of repayment through personal guarantees or other sources, or if any of the aforementioned risks were to occur, we could incur significant losses.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $1.17 billion of commercial real estate loans outstanding, or 36.3% of our loan portfolio, including multi-family residential loans and loans secured by farmland. Commercial real estate lending typically involves higher loan principal amounts and the repayment is dependent, in large part, on sufficient income from the properties securing the loan to cover operating expenses and debt service.

We have a meaningful amount of consumer loans that are unsecured and if the borrower defaults on the loan we have no recourse to collateral in which to recover any potential losses.

Our consumer loan portfolio that are unsecured is $328.0 million, or approximately 10.0% of our total loan portfolio, as of December 31, 2023. Included in this portfolio is $199.3 million of loans sourced based on our credit underwriting criteria and managed by a third party. Consumer loan repayment is primarily driven by the borrower’s personal income which is impacted by various factors that are outside of the control of the borrower including macroeconomic conditions such as inflation and interest rates. Further, a downturn in the economy or other company-specific decisions that result in a borrower losing their job could cause the borrower’s primary source of income for repayment of the loan to decline. Each of these factors may cause a borrower to evaluate their debts and as a result they may prioritize payment of other debts above the consumer loan due to us. Although macroeconomic conditions and the economy are currently stable, such conditions can change relatively quick and may not remain at current levels. If conditions change and macroeconomic conditions and the economy worsen borrowers may stop paying their loans and it could require us to increase our provision for credit losses and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

A portion of our consumer loan portfolio is originated and serviced by a third-party and includes a credit enhancement from that third-party which may not be realizable and the inability to utilize it could be detrimental to our financial condition and results of operations.

We receive a credit enhancement from the third-party managing $199.3 million of consumer loans that are recorded on our balance sheet as of December 31, 2023. The credit enhancement is primarily provided through cash flows derived from loan originations. If lending slows or stops it would cause monthly cash receipts related to this credit enhancement to decline, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

A significant amount of our third-party serviced consumer loans were originated with a zero interest promotional period exposing us to the credit risk of the third-party that is providing reimbursement to us for interest foregone in the event of borrower prepayment and failure of the third-party to perform under its reimbursement obligation could be detrimental to our financial condition and results of operations.

Within the $199.3 million third-party originated and serviced consumer loan portfolio there is 45% of the portfolio that is in a promotional interest period as of December 31, 2023. The loans in these promotional interest periods legally accrue interest at the stated rate of the note agreement but the interest is not required to be paid during the promotional period. Further, if the borrower repays all of the principal on the note prior to the end of the promotional period the accrued interest is waived, but if there is any principal balance remaining at the end of the promotional period the borrower must repay all of the interest that has accrued. As of December 31, 2023, the amount of deferred interest on these loans was $12.2 million. Through an agreement with the third-party servicer, we are entitled to payment of all accrued interest that is waived on loans that repay all principal within the promotional period. There is a large concentration of these loans originated within proximity to each other resulting in 70% of the current balance of promotional loans ending their promotional period in the second half of 2024 through the first quarter of 2025. If a high percentage of these loans repay at the end of their promotional period a large amount of interest reimbursement will be due in a short period of time from the third-party servicer and if they cannot perform then we may not be able to realize any income on a significant amount of loans in our portfolio, which may adversely impact the realization of the fair value of the derivative asset recognized.

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A significant amount of our loans are secured by real estate and any declines in real estate values in our primary markets could be detrimental to our financial condition and results of operations.

Real estate lending (including commercial, construction, land development, and residential loans) is a large portion of our loan portfolio, constituting $2.0 billion, or approximately 62.2% of our total loan portfolio, as of December 31, 2023. Although residential and commercial real estate values are currently strong in our market area, such values may not remain elevated. If loans that are collateralized by real estate become troubled during a time when market conditions are declining or have declined, then we may not be able to realize the full value of the collateral that we anticipated at the time of originating the loan, which could require us to increase our provision for credit losses and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

As of December 31, 2023, 36.3% of our loan portfolio was comprised of loans secured by commercial real estate, including multi-family residential loans and loans secured by farmland. As of December 31, 2023, $665.9 million, or approximately 20.7% of our total loans, were secured by single-family residential real estate. This includes $606.2 million in residential 1-4 family loans and $59.7 million in home equity lines of credit. If housing prices in our market areas do not remain strong or deteriorate, we may experience an increase in nonperforming loans, provision for credit losses and charge-offs. If we are required to liquidate the collateral securing a loan to satisfy the debt during a period of reduced real estate values, our earnings and capital could be adversely affected.

If our nonperforming assets increase, our earnings will suffer.

At December 31, 2023, our nonperforming assets (which consist of nonaccrual loans, loans past due 90 days and accruing and OREO) totaled $10.8 million, or 0.34% of total loans and OREO, which is a decrease of $28.0 million, or 72.2%, compared with nonperforming assets of $38.8 million, or 1.32% of total non-covered loans and OREO at December 31, 2022.

Economic and market conditions have been unstable, and although our nonperforming assets as a percentage of total loans and OREO remains manageable, we may incur losses if there is an increase in nonperforming assets in the future. Our nonperforming assets adversely affect our net income in various ways. We do not record interest income on nonaccrual loans or OREO, thereby adversely affecting our net interest income, and increasing loan administration costs. When we take collateral in foreclosures and similar proceedings, we are required to mark the related loan to the then fair value of the collateral, which may ultimately result in a loss. We must reserve for expected losses, which is established through a current period charge to the provision for credit losses as well as from time to time, as appropriate, a write down of the value of properties in our OREO portfolio to reflect changing market values. Additionally, there are legal fees associated with the resolution of problem assets as well as carrying costs such as taxes, insurance and maintenance related to our OREO. Further, the resolution of nonperforming assets requires the active involvement of management, which can distract them from more profitable activity. Finally, an increase in the level of nonperforming assets increases our regulatory risk profile. There can be no assurance that we will not experience future increases in nonperforming assets.

If our allowance for credit losses is not adequate to cover actual loan losses, our earnings will decrease.

As a lender, we are exposed to the risk that our borrowers may not repay their loans according to the terms of these loans, and the collateral securing the payment of these loans may be insufficient to ensure repayment. We make various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of our loan portfolio, including the creditworthiness of the borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many of our loans. The amount of the allowance represents management's best estimate of current expected credit losses on loans considering available information, from internal and external sources, relevant to assessing collectability over the loans' contractual terms, adjusted for expected prepayments when appropriate. If our assumptions prove to be incorrect or if we experience significant loan losses, our current allowance may not be sufficient to cover actual loan losses and adjustments may be necessary to allow for different economic conditions or adverse developments in our loan portfolio. A material addition to the allowance for credit losses could cause our earnings to decrease. Due to the relatively unseasoned nature of portions of our loan portfolio, we may experience an increase in delinquencies and losses as these loans continue to mature.

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In addition, federal regulators periodically review our allowance for credit losses and may require us to increase our provision for credit losses or recognize further charge-offs, based on judgments different than those of our management. Any significant increase in our allowance for credit losses or charge-offs required by these regulatory agencies would result in a decrease in net income and capital and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to credit quality risks and our credit policies may not be sufficient to avoid losses.

We are subject to the risk of losses resulting from the failure of borrowers, guarantors and related parties to pay interest and principal amounts on their loans. Although we maintain credit policies and credit underwriting, monitoring and collection procedures, these policies and procedures may not prevent losses, particularly during periods in which the local, regional or national economy suffers a general decline. If borrowers fail to repay their loans, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

The Company’s mortgage revenue is cyclical and is sensitive to the level of interest rates, changes in economic conditions, decreased economic activity, and slowdowns in the housing market, any of which could adversely impact our profits.

The Bank originates residential mortgage loans through Primis Mortgage Company which lends to borrowers nationwide. The success of our mortgage business is dependent upon its ability to originate loans and sell them to investors, in each case at or near current volumes. Loan production levels are sensitive to changes in the level of interest rates and changes in economic conditions. Loan production levels may suffer if we experience a slowdown in housing markets, tightening credit conditions or increasing interest rates. Any sustained period of decreased activity caused by fewer refinancing transactions, higher interest rates, housing price pressure, or loan underwriting restrictions would adversely affect our mortgage originations and, consequently, could significantly reduce our income from mortgage activities. As a result, these conditions would also adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Deteriorating economic conditions may also cause home buyers to default on their mortgages. In certain cases, where we have originated loans and sold them to investors, we may be required to repurchase loans or provide a financial settlement to investors if it is proven that the borrower failed to provide full and accurate information on, or related to, their loan application, if appraisals for such properties have not been acceptable or if the loan was not underwritten in accordance with the loan program specified by the loan investor. In the ordinary course of business, we record an indemnification reserve relating to mortgage loans previously sold based on historical statistics and loss rates. If such reserves were insufficient to cover claims from investors, such repurchases or settlements would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

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Market Risks

Our profitability depends significantly on local economic conditions in the areas where our operations and loans are concentrated, and our geographic concentration makes us vulnerable to local weather catastrophes, public health issues, and other external events, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We operate in a mixed market environment with influences from both rural and urban areas. Our profitability depends on the general economic conditions in our market areas of Northern Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Charlottesville, Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, Richmond, Hampton Roads and the surrounding areas. Unlike larger banks that are more geographically diversified, we provide banking and financial services to clients primarily in these market areas. As of December 31, 2023, a significant portion of our commercial real estate, real estate construction and residential real estate loans were made to borrowers in our market area. The local economic conditions in this area have a significant impact on our commercial, real estate and construction and consumer loans, the ability of the borrowers to repay these loans and the value of the collateral securing these loans. In addition, if the population or income growth in these market areas slows, stops or declines, income levels, deposits and housing starts could be adversely affected and could result in the curtailment of our expansion, growth and profitability. Political conditions could also impact our earnings.

Our business is subject to interest rate risk and variations in interest rates may negatively affect our financial performance.

The majority of our assets and liabilities are monetary in nature and subject us to significant risk from changes in interest rates. These rates are highly sensitive to many factors beyond our control, including general economic conditions and the policies of the Federal Reserve and other governmental and regulatory agencies. Like most financial institutions, changes in interest rates can impact our net interest income as well as the valuation of our assets and liabilities, which is the difference between interest earned from interest-earning assets, such as loans and investment securities, and interest paid on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings. We expect that we will periodically experience “gaps” in the interest rate sensitivities of our assets and liabilities, meaning that either our interest-bearing liabilities will be more sensitive to changes in market interest rates than our interest-earning assets, or vice versa. In either event, if market interest rates should move contrary to our position, this “gap” will negatively impact our earnings.

Based on our analysis of the interest rate sensitivity of our assets, an increase in the general level of interest rates may negatively affect the market value of the portfolio equity as well as negatively affect our net interest income since a majority of our assets are fixed rate loans. Additionally, an increase in interest rates may, among other things, reduce the demand for loans and our ability to originate loans as well as increase our funding costs. A decrease in the general level of interest rates may affect us through, among other things, increased prepayments on our loan and mortgage-backed securities portfolios, but also allow us to reduce funding costs. Accordingly, changes in the level of market interest rates affect our net yield on interest-earning assets, loan origination volume, loan and mortgage-backed securities portfolios, funding, and our overall results. While it is not expected that the FRB will continue to increase the target federal funds rate in 2024 to combat recent inflationary trends as it did in 2023, we are unable to predict changes in interest rates, which are affected by factors beyond our control, including inflation, deflation, recession, unemployment, money supply, and other changes in financial markets.

Although our asset liability management strategy is designed to keep our risk within acceptable parameters, it may not be able to prevent changes in interest rates from having a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Unstable global economic conditions may have serious adverse consequences on our business, financial condition, and operations.

We are operating in an uncertain economic environment. The global credit and financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and disruptions over the past few years, including severely diminished liquidity and credit availability, declines in consumer confidence, declines in economic growth, increases in unemployment rates, high rates of inflation, and uncertainty about economic stability and a potential recession. The U.S. government's decisions regarding its debt ceiling and the possibility that the U.S. could default on its debt obligations may cause further interest rate increases, disrupt access to capital markets, and deepen recessionary conditions. While our management team continually monitors market conditions and economic factors, throughout our footprint, we are unable to predict the duration or severity of such

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conditions or factors. If conditions were to worsen nationally, regionally, or locally, then we could see a sharp increase in our total net charge-offs and also be required to significantly increase our allowance for credit losses. Furthermore, the demand for loans and our other products and services could decline. An increase in our non-performing assets and related increases in our provision for loan losses, coupled with a potential decrease in the demand for loans and other products and services, could negatively affect our business and could have a material adverse effect on our capital, financial condition, results of operations, and future growth. Our clients may also be adversely impacted by changes in regulatory, trade (including tariffs), and tax policies and laws, all of which could reduce demand for loans and adversely impact our borrowers' ability to repay our loans.

There can be no assurance that further deterioration in markets and confidence in economic conditions will not occur. Our general business strategy may be adversely affected by any such economic downturn or recession, volatile business environment, hostile third-party action, or continued unpredictable and unstable market conditions. The effects of any economic downturn or recession could continue for many years after the downturn or recession is considered to have ended.

Declines in asset values may result in impairment charges and adversely affect the value of our investment securities, financial performance and capital.

We maintain an investment securities portfolio that includes, but is not limited to, collateralized mortgage obligations, agency mortgage-backed securities and municipal securities. The market value of investment securities may be affected by factors other than the underlying performance of the issuer or composition of the bonds themselves, such as ratings downgrades, adverse changes in the business climate and a lack of liquidity for resales of certain investment securities. At each reporting period, we evaluate investment securities and other assets for impairment indicators. We may be required to record impairment charges in our income statements through an allowance for credit losses if our investment securities suffer a decline in value below their amortized cost. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, we incurred an insignificant amount of impairment charges related to credit losses on our investment securities. If in future periods we determine that a significant impairment has occurred, we would be required to charge against earnings the credit-related portion of the impairment, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations in the periods in which the impairments occur.

A portion of our income on a portfolio of consumer loans with promotional features is due from a third-party that originated the loans on our behalf. The value of this estimated reimbursement is recorded in our balance sheet at fair value as a derivative and actual results and a significant decline in the third-party’s credit risk may impact the value of the derivative and our ability to realize that value which could affect our financial performance and results of operations.

We record a derivative asset as of December 31, 2023, which mostly reflects our estimate of the fair value of the interest reimbursement due to us from the third-party loan servicer that manages an unsecured consumer loan portfolio with promotional features for us. This derivative asset reflects the interest anticipated to be waived to borrowers under the assumed pre-payment of the borrowers’ loans that the third party will be required to pay to us. The derivative is required to be valued at fair value under U.S. GAAP with the use of various assumptions including borrower pre-payment, expected credit losses, and third-party servicer credit risk. Assumptions used to determine the value of the derivative are sensitive to various factors not within our control that include borrower repayment risk and the credit risk of the third-party servicer. These assumptions are determined based on the information available to the Company as of each balance sheet date. Actual results that differ significantly from our prior assumptions may result in an inability to realize the value of the derivative and require updates to future fair value calculations of the derivative which could result in a significant increase or decrease in the derivative value that is recorded in our results of operations, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations in future periods.

Our stock price can be volatile.

Stock price volatility may make it more difficult for you to resell your common stock when you want and at prices you find attractive. Our stock price can fluctuate significantly in response to a variety of factors including, among other things:

● actual or anticipated variations in quarterly results of operations;

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● recommendations by securities analysts;

● perceptions in the marketplace regarding us and/or our competitors;

● new technology used, or services offered, by competitors;

● changes in valuations of Goodwill and other Intangible Assets;

● changes in government regulations; and

General market fluctuations, industry factors and general economic and political conditions and events, such as economic slowdowns or recessions, interest rate changes or credit loss trends, could also cause our stock price to decrease regardless of operating results.

The trading volume in our common stock is less than that of other larger financial services companies.

Although our common stock is listed for trading on the NASDAQ Global Market, the trading volume is low, and you are not assured liquidity with respect to transactions in our common stock. A public trading market having the desired characteristics of depth, liquidity and orderliness depends on the presence in the marketplace of willing buyers and sellers of our common stock at any given time. This presence depends on the individual decisions of investors and general economic and market conditions over which we have no control. Given the lower trading volume of our common stock, significant sales of our common stock, or the expectation of these sales, could cause our stock price to fall.

Inflation could negatively impact our business, our profitability and our stock price.

Prolonged periods of inflation may impact our profitability by negatively impacting our fixed costs and expenses, including increasing funding costs and expense related to talent acquisition and retention, and negatively impacting the demand for our products and services. Additionally, inflation may lead to a decrease in consumer and client’s purchasing power and negatively affect the need or demand for our products and services. If significant inflation continues, our business could be negatively affected by, among other things, decreases in loan collateral values and increased default rates leading to credit losses which could decrease our appetite for new credit extensions. These inflationary pressures could result in missed earnings and budgetary projections causing our stock price to suffer.

ESG risks could adversely affect our reputation and shareholder, employee, client, and third party relationships and may negatively affect our stock price.

Our business faces increasing public scrutiny related to ESG activities. We risk damage to our brand and reputation if we fail to act responsibly in a number of areas, such as DEI, environmental stewardship, including with respect to climate change, human capital management, support for our local communities, corporate governance, and transparency, or fail to consider ESG factors in our business operations.

Furthermore, as a result of our diverse base of clients and business partners, we may face potential negative publicity based on the identity of our clients or business partners and the public’s (or certain segments of the public’s) view of those entities. Such publicity may arise from traditional media sources or from social media and may increase rapidly in size and scope. If our client or business partner relationships were to become intertwined in such negative publicity, our ability to attract and retain clients, business partners, and employees may be negatively impacted, and our stock price may also be negatively impacted. Additionally, we may face pressure to not do business in certain industries that are viewed as harmful to the environment or are otherwise negatively perceived, which could impact our growth.

Additionally, investors and shareholder advocates are placing ever increasing emphasis on how corporations address ESG issues in their business strategy when making investment decisions and when developing their investment theses and proxy recommendations. We may incur meaningful costs with respect to our ESG efforts and if such efforts are negatively perceived, our reputation and stock price may suffer.

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Operational Risks

Our business strategy includes strategic growth, and our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively affected if we fail to grow or fail to manage our growth effectively.

We intend to continue pursuing a growth strategy for our business. Our prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by growing companies such as the continuing need for infrastructure and personnel, the time and costs inherent in integrating a series of different operations and the ongoing expense of acquiring and staffing new banks or branches. We may not be able to expand our presence in our existing markets or successfully enter new markets and any expansion could adversely affect our results of operations. Failure to manage our growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, future prospects, financial condition or results of operations, and could adversely affect our ability to successfully implement our business strategy. Our ability to grow successfully will depend on a variety of factors, including the continued availability of desirable business opportunities, the competitive responses from other financial institutions in our market areas and our ability to manage our growth.

Although there can be no assurance of success or the availability of branch or financial services acquisitions in the future, we may seek to supplement our internal growth through attractive acquisitions. We cannot predict the number, size or timing of acquisitions, or whether any such acquisition will occur at all. Our acquisition efforts have traditionally focused on targeted entities in markets in which we currently operate and markets in which we believe we can compete effectively. However, as consolidation of the financial services industry continues, the competition for suitable acquisition candidates may increase and, as the number of appropriate targets decreases, the prices for potential acquisitions could increase which could reduce our potential returns, and reduce the attractiveness of these opportunities to us. We may compete with other financial services companies for acquisition opportunities, and many of these competitors have greater financial resources than we do and may be able to pay more for an acquisition than we are able or willing to pay.

We must respond to rapid technological changes and these changes may be more difficult or expensive than anticipated.

If competitors introduce new products and services embodying new technologies, or if new industry standards and practices emerge, our existing product and service offerings, technology and systems may become obsolete. Further, if we fail to adopt or develop new technologies or to adapt our products and services to emerging industry standards, we may lose current and future customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. The financial services industry is changing rapidly and in order to remain competitive, we must continue to enhance and improve the functionality and features of our products, services and technologies. These changes may be more difficult or expensive than we anticipate.

New lines of business, products or services and technological advancements may subject us to additional risks.

From time to time, we implement new lines of business or offer new products and services within existing lines of business. There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. In developing and marketing new lines of business and/or new products and services we invest significant time and resources. Initial timetables for the introduction and development of new lines of business and/or new products or services may not be achieved and price and profitability targets may not prove feasible. External factors, such as compliance with regulations, competitive alternatives, and shifting market preferences, may also impact the successful implementation of a new line of business or a new product or service.

The financial services industry is continually undergoing rapid technological change with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services (including those related to or involving artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies), and an established and growing demand for mobile and other phone and computer banking applications. Our future success depends, in part, upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations. Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements. We may not be able to effectively implement new technology driven products and services

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or be successful in marketing these products and services to our customers. In addition, our implementation of certain new technologies, such as those related to artificial intelligence, automation and algorithms, in our business processes may have unintended consequences due to their limitations or our failure to use them effectively. In addition, cloud technologies are also critical to the operation of our systems, and our reliance on cloud technologies is growing. Failure to successfully keep pace with technological change affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, any new line of business, new product or service and/or new technology could have a significant impact on the effectiveness of our system of internal controls. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new lines of business, new products or services and/or new technologies could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may not be able to successfully integrate our acquisitions or to realize the anticipated benefits of them.

A successful integration of each acquired business with ours will depend substantially on our ability to successfully consolidate operations, corporate cultures, systems and procedures and to eliminate redundancies and costs. While we have substantial experience in successfully integrating institutions we have acquired, we may encounter difficulties during integration, such as:

● the loss of key employees;

● the disruption of operations and businesses;

● loan and deposit attrition, customer loss and revenue loss;

● possible inconsistencies in standards, control procedures and policies;

● unexpected issues with expected branch closures; and/or

● unexpected issues with costs, operations, personnel, technology and credit;

all of which could divert resources from regular banking operations. Additionally, general market and economic conditions or governmental actions affecting the financial industry generally may inhibit our successful merger integrations.

Further, we acquire businesses with the expectation that these mergers will result in various benefits including, among other things, benefits relating to enhanced revenues, a strengthened market position for the combined company, cross selling opportunities, technology, cost savings and operating efficiencies. Achieving the anticipated benefits of these mergers is subject to a number of uncertainties, including whether we integrate these institutions in an efficient and effective manner, and general competitive factors in the marketplace. Failure to achieve these anticipated benefits could result in a reduction in the price of our shares as well as in increased costs, decreases in the amount of expected revenues and diversion of management's time and energy and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating results.

The carrying value of goodwill and other intangible assets may be adversely affected.

When the Company completes an acquisition, goodwill and other intangible assets are often recorded on the date of acquisition as an asset. Current accounting guidance requires goodwill to be tested for impairment, and we perform such impairment analysis at least annually. A significant adverse change in expected future cash flows or sustained adverse change in the value of our common stock could require the asset to become impaired. If impaired, we would incur a charge to earnings that would have a significant impact on the results of operations. Our carrying value of goodwill and net amortizable intangibles were approximately $93.5 million and $2.0 million, respectively, at December 31, 2023.

We rely on third-party vendors to provide key components of our business infrastructure.

Third-party vendors provide key components of our business operations such as data processing, recording and monitoring transactions, online banking interfaces and services, Internet connections and network access. We have selected these third-party vendors carefully and have conducted the due diligence consistent with regulatory guidance and best practices. While we have ongoing programs to review third-party vendors and assess risk, we do not control their actions.

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Any problems caused by these third parties, including those resulting from disruptions in communication services provided by a vendor, failure of a vendor to handle current or higher volumes, cyber-attacks and security breaches at a vendor, failure of a vendor to provide services for any reason or poor performance of services, could adversely affect our ability to deliver products and services to our customers and otherwise conduct our business. Financial or operational difficulties of a third-party vendor could also hurt our operations if those difficulties interfere with the vendor’s ability to serve us. Furthermore, our vendors could also be sources of operational and information security risk to us, including from breakdowns or failures of their own systems or capacity constraints. Replacing these third-party vendors could also create significant delay and expense. Accordingly, use of such third parties creates an unavoidable inherent risk to our business operations.

We face significant cyber and data security risk that could result in the disclosure of confidential information, adversely affect our business or reputation and expose us to significant liabilities.

As a financial institution, we are under threat of loss due to hacking and cyber-attacks. This risk has increased in recent years, and continues to increase, as we continue to expand customer capabilities to utilize internet and other remote channels to transact business. Two of the most significant cyber-attack risks that we face are e-fraud and loss of sensitive customer data. Loss from e-fraud occurs when cybercriminals breach and extract funds directly from customer or our accounts. The attempts to breach sensitive customer data, such as account numbers and social security numbers, are less frequent but would present significant reputational, legal and/or regulatory costs to us if successful. Our risk and exposure to these matters remains heightened because of the evolving nature and complexity of these threats from cybercriminals and hackers, our plans to continue to provide internet banking and mobile banking channels, and our plans to develop additional remote connectivity solutions to serve our customers. While we have not experienced any material losses relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches, we have been subject to hacking and cyber-attack and there can be no assurance that we will not suffer additional losses in the future.

Due to changing behaviors since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have allowed a portion of our employees to work remotely from their homes on a full-time or hybrid schedule. Technology in employees’ homes may not be as robust as in our offices and could cause the networks, information systems, applications, and other tools available to employees to be more limited or less reliable than in our offices. The continuation of these work-from-home measures also introduces additional operational risk, including increased cybersecurity risk. These cyber risks include greater phishing, malware, and other cybersecurity attacks, vulnerability to disruptions of our information technology infrastructure and telecommunications systems for remote operations, increased risk of unauthorized dissemination of confidential information, limited ability to restore the systems in the event of a systems failure or interruption, greater risk of a security breach resulting in destruction or misuse of valuable information, and potential impairment of our ability to perform critical functions, including wiring funds, all of which could expose us to risks of data or financial loss, litigation and liability and could seriously disrupt our operations and the operations of any impacted customers.

The occurrence of any cyber-attack or information security breach could result in material adverse consequences to us including damage to our reputation and the loss of customers. We also could face litigation or additional regulatory scrutiny. Litigation or regulatory actions in turn could lead to significant liability or other sanctions, including fines and penalties or reimbursement of customers adversely affected by security breach. Even if we do not suffer any material adverse consequences as a result of other future events, successful attacks or systems failures at the Bank or at other financial institutions could lead to a general loss of customer confidence in financial institutions including the Bank.

Our ability to mitigate the adverse consequences of occurrences is in part dependent on the quality of our information security procedures and contracts and our ability to anticipate the timing and nature of any such event that occurs. In recent years, we have incurred significant expense towards improving the reliability of our systems and their security from attack. Nonetheless, there remains the risk that we may be materially harmed by cyber-attacks and information security breaches in the future. Methods used to attack information systems change frequently (with generally increasing sophistication), often are not recognized until launched against a target, may be supported by foreign governments or other well-financed entities, and may originate from less regulated and remote areas around the world. As a result, we may be unable to address these methods in advance of attacks, including by implementing adequate preventive measures. If such an attack or breach does occur, we might not be able to fix it timely or adequately. To the extent that such an attack or breach relates to products or services provided by others, we seek to engage in due diligence and monitoring to limit the

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risk. In addition, as the regulatory environment related to information security, data collection and use, and privacy becomes increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, compliance with those requirements could also result in additional costs.

Our business is susceptible to fraud.

The Company’s business exposes it to fraud risk from loan and deposit customers, the parties they do business with, as well as from employees, contractors and vendors. The Company relies on financial and other data from new and existing customers which could turn out to be fraudulent when accepting such customers, executing their financial transactions and making and purchasing loans and other financial assets. In times of increased economic stress the Company is at increased risk of fraud losses. The Company believes it has underwriting and operational controls in place to prevent or detect such fraud, but cannot provide assurance that these controls will be effective in detecting fraud or that the Company will not experience fraud losses or incur costs or other damage related to such fraud, at levels that adversely affect financial results or reputation. The Company’s lending customers may also experience fraud in their businesses which could adversely affect their ability to repay their loans or make use of services. The Company’s and its customers’ exposure to fraud may increase the Company’s financial risk and reputation risk as it may result in unexpected loan losses that exceed those that have been provided for in the allowance for credit losses.

We are dependent on key personnel and the loss of one or more of those key personnel could impair our relationship with our customers and adversely affect our business.

Many community banks attract customers based on the personal relationships that the banks’ officers and customers establish with each other and the confidence that the customers have in the officers. We significantly depend on the continued service and performance of our key management personnel. We also believe our management team’s depth and breadth of experience in the banking industry is integral to executing our business plan. The loss of the services of members of our senior management team or other key employees or the inability to attract additional qualified personnel as needed could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our compensation practices are subject to review and oversight by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and other regulators. The federal banking agencies have issued joint guidance on executive compensation designed to help ensure that a banking organization’s incentive compensation policies do not encourage imprudent risk taking and are consistent with the safety and soundness of the organization. In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act required those agencies, along with the SEC, to adopt rules to require reporting of incentive compensation and to prohibit certain compensation arrangements. In October 2022, the SEC adopted final rules requiring national securities exchanges, including Nasdaq where we are currently listed, to establish new listing standards relating to policies for the recovery of erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation, which are often referred to as “clawback policies.” The final rules directed U.S. stock exchanges to require listed companies to implement, disclose and enforce clawback policies to recover excess incentive-based compensation that current or former executive officers received based on financial reporting measures that are later restated. In June 2023, the SEC approved the Nasdaq’s proposed clawback listing standards, which now require us and other Nasdaq-listed companies to (i) adopt and implement a compliant clawback policy; (ii) file the clawback policy as an exhibit to our annual reports; and (iii) provide certain disclosures relating to any compensation recovery triggered by the clawback policy. If, as a result of complying with the new rules, we are unable to attract and retain qualified employees, or do so at rates necessary to maintain our competitive position, or if the compensation costs required to attract and retain employees become more significant, our performance, including our competitive position, could be materially adversely affected.

Deposit insurance premiums levied against banks may increase if the number of bank failures increase or the cost of resolving failed banks increases.

The FDIC maintains a Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) to protect insured depositors in the event of bank failures. The DIF is funded by fees assessed on depository institutions insured by the FDIC. Future deposit premiums paid by banks will depend on FDIC rules, which are subject to change, the level of the DIF and the magnitude and cost of future bank failures. We may be required to pay significantly higher FDIC premiums if market developments change such that the DIF balance is reduced or the FDIC changes its rules to require higher premiums.

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Liquidity Risks

Liquidity risk could impair our ability to fund operations and jeopardize our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Liquidity is essential to our business. Our ability to implement our business strategy will depend on our ability to obtain funding for loan originations, working capital, possible acquisitions and other general corporate purposes. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, the sale of loans and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on our liquidity. We anticipate that our retail and commercial deposits will be sufficient to meet our funding needs in the foreseeable future. We may rely on deposits obtained through intermediaries, FHLB advances, and other wholesale funding sources to obtain the funds necessary to implement our growth strategy.

Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance our activities or on terms which are acceptable to us could be impaired by factors that affect us specifically or the financial services industry or economy in general, including a decrease in the level of our business activity as a result of a downturn in the markets in which our loans are concentrated or adverse regulatory action against us. Our ability to borrow could also be impaired by factors that are not specific to us, such as a disruption in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry. Access to liquidity may also be negatively impacted by the value of our securities portfolio, if liquidity and/or business strategy necessitate the sales of securities in a loss position. To the extent we are not successful in obtaining such funding, we will be unable to implement our strategy as planned which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Adverse developments affecting the financial services industry, such as actual events or concerns involving liquidity, defaults or non-performance by financial institutions or transactional counterparties, could adversely affect our current and projected business operations and its financial condition and results of operations.

Actual events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, transactional counterparties or other companies in the financial services industry or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems. For example, on March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank, or SVB, was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or the FDIC, as receiver. Similarly, on March 12, 2023, Signature Bank and Silvergate Capital Corp. were each swept into receivership. If any parties with whom we conduct business are unable to access deposits with another financial institution, funds pursuant to such instruments or lending arrangements with such a financial institution, such parties’ credit quality, ability to pay their obligations to us, or to enter into new commercial arrangements requiring additional payments to us could be adversely affected. Uncertainty remains over liquidity concerns in the broader financial services industry. Additionally, confidence in the safety and soundness of regional banks specifically or the banking system generally could impact where customers choose to maintain deposits, which could materially adversely impact our liquidity, loan funding capacity, ability to raise funds, and results of operations. Similar impacts have occurred in the past, such as during the 2008-2010 financial crisis.

Inflation and rapid increases in interest rates have led to a decline in the trading value of previously issued government securities with interest rates below current market interest rates. Although the U.S. Department of Treasury, FDIC and Federal Reserve Board have announced a program to provide up to $25 billion of loans to financial institutions secured by certain of such government securities held by financial institutions to mitigate the risk of potential losses on the sale of such instruments, widespread demands for customer withdrawals or other liquidity needs of financial institutions for immediate liquidity may exceed the capacity of such program. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Department of Treasury, FDIC and Federal Reserve Board will provide access to uninsured funds in the future in the event of the closure of other banks or financial institutions, or that they would do so in a timely fashion.

Although we assess our funding relationships as we believe necessary or appropriate, our access to funding sources and other arrangements in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our current and projected future business operations could be significantly impaired by factors that affect us, our customers, the financial institutions with which we have arrangements directly, or the financial services industry or economy in general. These factors could include, among others,

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events such as liquidity constraints or failures, the ability to perform our obligations under various types of financial, credit or liquidity agreements or arrangements, disruptions or instability in the financial services industry or financial markets, or concerns or negative expectations about the prospects for companies in the financial services industry. These factors could involve financial institutions or financial services industry companies with which we or our customers have financial or business relationships, but could also include factors involving financial markets or the financial services industry generally.

Additionally, we could be impacted by current or future negative perceptions and expectations about the prospects for the financial services industry (including the impact of Moody’s Investors Service’s rating change of the outlook of the US banking system from “stable” to “negative”), which could worsen over time and result in downward pressure on, and continued or accelerated volatility of, bank securities.

We also anticipate increased regulatory scrutiny – in the course of routine examinations and otherwise – and new regulations directed towards banks of similar size to the Bank, designed to address the negative developments in the banking industry, all of which may increase the Company’s costs of doing business and reduce its profitability. Among other things, there may be an increased focus by both regulators and investors on deposit composition, the level of uninsured deposits, losses embedded in the held-to-maturity portion of our securities portfolio, contingent liquidity, CRE composition and concentration, capital position and our general oversight and internal control structures regarding the foregoing. As primarily a commercial bank, the Bank has an elevated degree of uninsured deposits compared to larger national banks or smaller community banks with a stronger focus on retail deposits, and also maintains a robust CRE portfolio. As a result, the Bank could face increased scrutiny or be viewed as higher risk by regulators and the investor community. In addition, bank failures have and could in the future prompt the FDIC to increase deposit insurance costs. Increases in funding, deposit insurance, or other costs as a result of these types of events have and could in the future materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Further, the disruption following these types of events have and could in the future generate significant market trading volatility among publicly traded bank holdings companies and, in particular, regional banks like the Company.

Capital Adequacy Risks

Future growth or operating results may require us to raise additional capital, but that capital may not be available, be available on unfavorable terms or may be dilutive.

Primis Bank is required by the FRB to maintain adequate levels of capital to support our operations. In the event that our future operating results erode capital, if the Bank is required to maintain capital in excess of well-capitalized standards, or if we elect to expand through loan growth or acquisitions, we may be required to raise additional capital. Our ability to raise capital will depend on conditions in the capital markets, which are outside our control, and on our financial performance. Accordingly, we cannot be assured of our ability to raise capital on favorable terms when needed, or at all. If we cannot raise additional capital when needed, we will be subject to increased regulatory supervision and the imposition of restrictions on our growth and business. These outcomes could negatively impact our ability to operate or further expand our operations through acquisitions or the establishment of additional branches and may result in increases in operating expenses and reductions in revenues that could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, in order to raise additional capital, we may need to issue shares of our common stock that would dilute the book value of our common stock and reduce our current shareholders’ percentage ownership interest to the extent they do not participate in future offerings.

We may issue a new series of preferred stock or debt securities, which would be senior to our common stock and may cause the market price of our common stock to decline.

We have issued $27.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.875% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due January 31, 2027 and $60.0 million of fixed-to-floating rate Subordinated Notes due 2030. In the future, we may increase our capital resources by making additional offerings of debt or equity securities, which may include senior or additional subordinated notes, classes of preferred shares and/or common shares. Holders of our common stock are not entitled to preemptive rights or other protections against dilution. Preferred shares and debt, if issued, have a preference on liquidating distributions or a preference on dividend or interest payments that could limit our ability to make a distribution to the

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holders of our common stock. Future issuances and sales of parity preferred stock, or the perception that such issuances and sales could occur, may also cause prevailing market price for our common stock to decline and may adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital in the financial markets at times and prices favorable to us. Further issuances of our common stock could be dilutive to holders of our common stock.

We currently intend to pay dividends on our common stock; however, our future ability to pay dividends is subject to restrictions.

Our principal source of funds to pay dividends on our common stock is cash dividends that we receive from the Bank. The payment of dividends by the Bank to us is subject to certain restrictions imposed by federal banking laws, regulations and authorities. The federal banking statutes prohibit federally insured banks from making any capital distributions (including a dividend payment) if, after making the distribution, the institution would be "under capitalized" as defined by statute. In addition, the relevant federal regulatory agencies have authority to prohibit an insured bank from engaging in an unsafe or unsound practice, as determined by the agency, in conducting an activity. The payment of dividends could be deemed to constitute such an unsafe or unsound practice, depending on the financial condition of the Bank. Regulatory authorities could impose administratively stricter limitations on the ability of the Bank to pay dividends to us if such limits were deemed appropriate to preserve certain capital adequacy requirements.

Regulatory Risks

We are heavily regulated by federal and state agencies; changes in laws and regulations or failures to comply with such laws and regulations may adversely affect our operations and our financial results.

We and the Bank are subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by federal and state banking authorities. Any change in applicable regulations or federal or state legislation could have a substantial impact on us and the Bank, and our respective operations. Additional legislation and regulations may be enacted or adopted in the future that could significantly affect our powers, authority and operations or the powers, authority and operations of the Bank, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Further, bank regulatory authorities have the authority to bring enforcement actions against banks and their holding companies for unsafe or unsound practices in the conduct of their businesses or for violations of any law, rule or regulation, any condition imposed in writing by the appropriate bank regulatory agency or any written agreement with the agency. Possible enforcement actions against us could include the issuance of a cease-and-desist order that could be judicially enforced, the imposition of civil monetary penalties, the issuance of directives to increase capital or enter into a strategic transaction, whether by merger or otherwise, with a third party, the appointment of a conservator or receiver, the termination of insurance on deposits, the issuance of removal and prohibition orders against institution-affiliated parties, and the enforcement of such actions through injunctions or restraining orders. The exercise of this regulatory discretion and power may have a negative impact on us. See the discussion above at Supervision and Regulation for an additional discussion of the extensive regulation and supervision the Company and the Bank are subject to.

As a regulated entity, Primis and the Bank must maintain certain required levels of regulatory capital that may limit our operations and potential growth.

As further described above under Supervision and Regulation—Capital Requirements, Primis and the Bank each are subject to various regulatory capital requirements administered by the FRB.

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Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional, discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Bank’s and our consolidated financial statements. Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of the Bank’s assets, liabilities and certain off-balance sheet commitments as calculated under these regulations.

As of December 31, 2023, Primis and the Bank exceeded the amounts required to be well capitalized with respect to all four required capital ratios. As of December 31, 2023, Primis’ leverage, CET1 risk-based capital, Tier 1 risk-based capital and Total risk-based capital ratios were 8.37%, 8.96%, 9.25%, and 13.44%, respectively. As of December 31, 2023, the Bank’s leverage, CET1 risk-based capital, Tier 1 risk-based capital and Total risk-based capital ratios were 9.80%, 10.88%, 10.88% and 12.12%, respectively.

Many factors affect the calculation of Primis and the Bank’s risk-based assets and its ability to maintain the level of capital required to achieve acceptable capital ratios. For example, changes in risk weightings of assets relative to capital and other factors may combine to increase the amount of risk-weighted assets in the Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio and the Total risk-based capital ratio. Any increases in its risk-weighted assets will require a corresponding increase in its capital to maintain the applicable ratios. In addition, recognized loan losses in excess of amounts reserved for such losses, loan impairments, impairment losses on investment securities and other factors will decrease the Bank’s capital, thereby reducing the level of the applicable ratios.

Primis and the Bank’s failure to remain well capitalized for bank regulatory purposes could affect customer confidence, our ability to grow, our costs of funds and FDIC insurance costs, our ability to pay dividends on our capital stock, our ability to make acquisitions, and on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Under FRB rules, if the Bank ceases to be a well-capitalized institution for bank regulatory purposes, the interest rates that it pays on deposits and its ability to accept, renew or rollover brokered deposits may be restricted. As of December 31, 2023, we had $75.0 million of brokered certificates of deposits.

We are subject to commercial real estate lending guidance issued by the federal banking regulators that impacts our operations and capital requirements.

The federal banking regulators have issued final guidance regarding concentrations in commercial real estate lending directed at institutions that have particularly high concentrations of commercial real estate loans within their lending portfolios. This guidance suggests that institutions whose commercial real estate loans exceed certain percentages of capital should implement heightened risk management practices appropriate to their concentration risk and may be required to maintain higher capital ratios than institutions with lower concentrations in commercial real estate lending. Based on our commercial real estate concentration as of December 31, 2023, we believe that we are operating within the guidelines. However, increases in our commercial real estate lending could subject us to additional supervisory analysis. We cannot guarantee that any risk management practices we implement will be effective to prevent losses relating to our commercial real estate portfolio. Management has implemented controls to monitor our commercial real estate lending concentrations, but we cannot predict the extent to which this guidance will continue to impact our operations or capital requirements.

Changes in accounting standards or assumptions in applying accounting policies could adversely affect us.

Our accounting policies and methods are fundamental to how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. Some of these policies require use of estimates and assumptions that may affect the reported value of our assets or liabilities and results of operations and are critical because they require management to make difficult, subjective and complex judgments about matters that are inherently uncertain. If those assumptions, estimates or judgments were incorrectly made, we may be required to correct and restate prior-period financial statements. Accounting standard-setters and those who interpret the accounting standards, the SEC, banking regulators and our independent registered public accounting firm may also amend or even reverse their previous interpretations or positions on how various standards should be applied. These changes may be difficult to predict and could impact how we prepare and report our financial statements. In some cases, we may be required to apply a new or revised standard retrospectively, resulting in us revising prior-period financial statements.

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Financial Reporting Risks

Failure to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and could impact the price of our common stock.

Failure to maintain an effective internal control environment could result in us not being able to accurately report our financial results, prevent or detect fraud, or provide timely and reliable financial information pursuant to our reporting obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Further, it could cause our investors to lose confidence in the financial information we report, which could affect the trading price of our common stock.

Management regularly reviews and updates our disclosure controls and procedures, including our internal control over financial reporting. Any system of controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met. Any failure or circumvention of our controls and procedures or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

During the year end December 31, 2023, management identified material weaknessess in its internal controls over financial reporting related to (i) properly assessing the accounting treatment for certain loan transfer transactions, (ii) properly assessing the accounting treatment for an agreement with a third-party to originate and manage a portfolio of consumer loans, and (iii) a process to evaluate expected credit losses on its third-party originated and managed consumer loan portfolio. Management also identified a material weakness in its internal controls over financial reporting related to (ii) above during the year ended December 31, 2022. Management is currently remediating the material weaknesses including design of and testing new controls related to the accounting and disclosure for these items. If management fails to timely and effectively remediate the deficiency in its control environment for these accounting issues it could result in additional incorrect accounting application to similar transactions in the future which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Primis Financial Corp. does not have any unresolved staff comments from the SEC to report for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Risk Management and Strategy

The Bank’s information security program is designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, and to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our information assets, including employee and customer non-public information, financial data, and internal operational information. Our Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) manages our information security strategy and development as overseen by our overarching Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) program. On January 16, 2024, G. Cody Sheflett, Jr., CIO of the Company, passed away. The Company has actively engaged a recruiting firm to fill the CIO vacancy, but has not formally appointed a new CIO. During such vacancy, the Company has appointed an interim CIO and unless otherwise noted, references to the CIO and his duties refer to Mr. Sheflett’s historical role and the interim CIO’s role, and the duties and obligations the Company anticipates the next CIO to abide by. The Company’s interim CIO has worked in the financial services industry for over 20 years and held similar roles at other financial institutions including four years as a Chief Information Officer and five years as a Chief Technology Officer.

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The Bank’s cybersecurity program, including our information security policies, is designed to align with regulatory guidance and industry practices. To protect our information systems, network, and information assets from cybersecurity threats, we use various security tools, products, and processes that help identify, prevent, investigate, and remediate cybersecurity threats and security incidents.

The Bank’s Network Team monitors threat intelligence sources to research evolving threats, investigates the potential impact to financial services companies, examines company controls to detect and defend against those threats, and proactively adjusts company defenses against those threats. The Network Team also actively monitors company networks and systems to detect suspicious or malicious events, and contracts with third-party consultants to perform penetration testing and routine vulnerability scans. A managed security service provider supplements our efforts to provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week coverage.

We maintain policies and procedures for the safe storage, handling, and secure disposal of customer information. Each employee is expected to be responsible for the security and confidentiality of customer information, and we communicate this responsibility to employees upon hiring and regularly throughout their employment. Annually, we provide employees with mandatory security awareness training. The curriculum includes the recognition and appropriate handling of potential phishing emails, which could place sensitive customer or employee information at risk. The Company employs a number of technical controls to mitigate the risk of phishing emails targeting employees. We test employees monthly to determine their susceptibility to phishing test emails, and we require susceptible employees to take additional training and provide regular reports to management.

As part of our information security program, we have adopted a Cyber Incident Response Plan (“Incident Response Plan”) which is administered by our CIO who closely coordinates with the Bank’s Information Technology team. The Incident Response Plan describes the Bank’s processes, procedures, and responsibilities for responding to cybersecurity incidents, and identifies those team members responsible for assessing potential security incidents, declaring an incident, and initiating a response. The Incident Response Plan outlines action steps for investigating, containing, and remediating a cybersecurity incident, and includes procedures for escalation and reporting of potentially significant cybersecurity incidents to the Bank’s Senior Leadership Team, including the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), Chief Risk Officer (“CRO”), and the Board of Directors. As necessary, the Company may retain a third-party firm to assist with forensic investigation and management of cybersecurity incidents.

The Bank conducts due diligence prior to engaging third-party service providers which have access to the Bank’s networks, systems, and/or customer or employee data. Risk assessments are performed using Service Organization Controls (SOC) reports, self-attestation questionnaires, and other tools. Third-party service providers are required to comply with the Bank’s policies regarding non-public personal information and information security. Third parties processing non-public personal information are contractually required to meet all legal and regulatory obligations to protect customer data against security threats or unauthorized access. After contract execution, Primis requires critical and high-risk providers to have an ongoing monitoring plan.

While we do not believe that our business strategy, results of operations or financial condition have been materially adversely affected by any cybersecurity incidents, cybersecurity threats are pervasive, and cybersecurity risk has increased in recent years. Despite our efforts, there can be no assurance that our cybersecurity risk management processes and measures described will be fully implemented, complied with or effective in protecting our systems and information. We face risks from certain cybersecurity threats that, if realized, are reasonably likely to materially affect our business strategy, result of operations or financial condition. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors – Operational Risks” of this report for additional information.

Cybersecurity Governance

Our Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the Bank’s business and affairs, including risks associated with cybersecurity threats. The ERM Committee (“ERMC”) of the Board has primary responsibility for overseeing the Bank’s comprehensive ERM program, including its cybersecurity program. The ERM program assists senior leadership team in

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identifying, assessing, monitoring, and managing risk, including cybersecurity risk, in a rapidly changing environment. Cybersecurity matters and assessments are regularly included in both Audit Committee (“AC”) and ERMC meetings.

The Board’s oversight of cybersecurity risk is supported by our CIO. The CIO attends ERMC meetings and provides cybersecurity updates to these Board committees on a quarterly basis. Our CRO, in conjunction with our CIO, facilitates the involvement of the ERMC in oversight of potentially significant cybersecurity incidents. The Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and the Network Manager have been attending the ERMC meetings in the CIO’s absence.

The Bank’s CIO directs the Bank’s information security program and our information technology risk management. In this role, in addition to the responsibilities discussed above, the CIO manages the Bank’s information security and day-to-day cybersecurity operations and supports the information security risk oversight responsibilities of the Board and its committees. The CIO is also responsible for the Bank’s information technology governance, risk, and compliance program and ensures that high level risks receive appropriate attention. Led by our CIO, the Network Team examines risks to the Bank’s information systems and assets, designs and implements security solutions, monitors the environment, and provides responses to threats. Our CRO has over three decades of experience in risk management, and our Network Team collectively has over 19 years of experience in cybersecurity operations.

Item 2. Properties

Primis Financial Corp.’s principal office is located at 1676 International Drive, McLean, Virginia. The Company has an administrative office in Glen Allen, Virginia and an operations center in Atlee, Virginia. Including these main locations, our bank owns 30 properties and leases 24 properties, all of which are used as branch locations or for housing operational units in Maryland and Virginia. As of December 31, 2023, Primis Bank had twenty-four full-service branches in Virginia and Maryland and also provided services to customers through certain online and mobile applications. Twenty-two full-service retail branches are in Virginia and two full-service retail branches are in Maryland.

Primis believes its facilities are in good operating condition, are suitable and adequate for its operational needs and are adequately insured.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Primis and Primis Bank are from time to time a party, as both plaintiff and defendant, to various claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of our business, including administrative and/or legal proceedings that may include employment-related claims, as well as claims of lender liability, breach of contract, and other similar lending-related claims. While the ultimate resolution of these matters cannot be determined at this time, the Bank’s management presently believes that such matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. There are no proceedings pending, or to management’s knowledge, threatened, that represent a significant risk against Primis or Primis Bank as of December 31, 2023.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Common Stock Market Prices

Primis’ common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FRST”. There were 24,708,234 shares of our common stock outstanding at the close of business on September 16, 2024, which were held by 1,133 shareholders of record. As of that date, the closing price of our common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market was $10.48.

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Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

None.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

As of December 31, 2023, Primis had outstanding stock options granted under the 2010 Stock Awards and Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”) and the 2017 Equity Compensation Plan (the “2017 Plan”), which were approved by its shareholders. The following table provides information as of December 31, 2023 regarding Primis’ equity compensation plans under which our equity securities are authorized for issuance:

Number of securities

remaining available for

future issuance under

Number of securities Weighted average equity compensation plans

of outstanding options outstanding options in column A)

Plan category A B C

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders 54,800 $ 11.49 370,582

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders — — —

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

None.

Dividends

We declared the first cash dividend on our common stock in February 2012, and each quarter thereafter through 2023. There are a number of restrictions on our ability to pay dividends. It is the policy of the FRB that bank holding companies should pay cash dividends on common stock only out of income available over the past year and only if prospective earnings retention is consistent with the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition. The policy provides that bank holding companies should not maintain a level of cash dividends that undermines the bank holding company’s ability to serve as a source of strength to its banking subsidiaries. Banking regulations require maintaining certain capital levels and may limit the dividends paid by the Bank to Primis or by Primis to shareholders. The Company’s ability to pay dividends to stockholders is largely dependent upon the dividends it receives from the Bank, and the Bank is subject to regulatory limitations on the amount of cash dividends it may pay.

Performance Graph

The following chart compares the cumulative total shareholder return on Primis common stock during the five years ended December 31, 2023, with the cumulative total return of the Russell 2000 Index and the NASDAQ Bank Index for the same period. Dividend reinvestment has been assumed. This comparison assumes $100 invested on December 31,

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2018 in Primis common stock, the Russell 2000 Index and the NASDAQ Bank Index. The historical stock price performance for Primis common stock shown on the graph below is not necessarily indicative of future stock performance.

Item 6. [Reserved]

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K generally discusses year-to-year comparisons between the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Discussions of comparisons between 2022 and 2021 are not included in this Form10-K but can be found in “Item 7—Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our restated Annual Report on Form10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2022 as filed with the SEC on October 4, 2024.

Management’s discussion and analysis is presented to aid the reader in understanding and evaluating the financial condition and results of operations of Primis. This discussion and analysis should be read with the consolidated financial statements, the footnotes thereto, and the other financial data included in this report.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND POLICIES

We follow accounting and reporting policies that conform, in all material respects, to accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. and to general practices within the financial services industry. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. While we base estimates on historical experience, current information and other factors deemed to be relevant, actual results could differ from those estimates.

We consider accounting estimates to be critical to reported financial results if (i) the accounting estimate requires management to make assumptions about matters that are highly uncertain and (ii) different estimates that management reasonably could have used for the accounting estimate in the current period, or changes in the accounting estimate that are reasonably likely to occur from period to period, could have a material impact on our financial statements.

Allowance for credit losses

Accounting policies related to the allowance for credit losses on financial instruments including loans and off-balance-sheet credit exposures are considered to be critical as these policies involve considerable subjective judgment and estimation by management. In the case of loans, the allowance for credit losses is a contra-asset valuation account, calculated in accordance with ASC 326, which is deducted from the amortized cost basis of loans to present the net amount expected to be collected.

In the case of off-balance-sheet credit exposures, the allowance for credit losses is a liability account, calculated in accordance with ASC 326. The allowance is reported as a component of other liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets. Adjustments to the allowance are reported in our income statement as a component of other expenses.

The amount of each allowance account represents management's best estimate of current expected credit losses on these financial instruments considering available information, from internal and external sources, relevant to assessing exposure to credit loss over the contractual term of the instrument. We consider a number of external economic variables in developing the allowance including the Virginia Unemployment Rate, Virginia House Price Index (“HPI”), Virginia Gross Domestic Product (“GDP”), and, National Unemployment and National Gross Domestic Product for pools of loans with borrowers outside of our local operating footprint. In determining forecasted expected losses, we use Moody’s economic variable forecasts and apply probability weights to the related economic scenarios.We also use internal factors including loan balances, credit quality, contractual life of loans, and historical loss experience. While historical credit loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses, adjustments to historical loss information may be made for differences in current portfolio-specific risk characteristics, environmental conditions or other relevant factors.

Determining the appropriateness of the allowance is complex and requires judgment by management about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. While management utilizes its best judgment and information available, the ultimate adequacy of our allowance accounts is dependent upon a variety of factors beyond our control, including the performance of our portfolios, the economy, changes in interest rates and the view of the regulatory authorities toward

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classification of assets. Further, subsequent evaluations of the then-existing loan portfolio, in light of factors existing at the time of subsequent evaluation may result in significant changes to the allowance.

Goodwill

As required under U.S. GAAP, we test goodwill for impairment at least annually and more frequently if there are indications that goodwill could be impaired. Our annual goodwill impairment testing date is September 30 and accordingly, we performed testing as of September 30, 2023 of our two reporting units that include goodwill. For our assessment of goodwill as of September 30, 2023, we performed a step one quantitative assessment to determine if the fair value of the Primis Bank and the Primis Mortgage reporting units were less than their carrying amount. As part of the testing, we engaged an independent valuation firm to quantitatively estimate the fair value of each reporting unit so that it could be compared to the carrying value in assisting us in determining if impairment existed. The results of the quantitative assessment of the Primis Mortgage reporting unit indicated that its fair value was in excess of its carrying value, thus no goodwill impairment was necessary.

Our assessment of the Primis Bank reporting unit included the use of three approaches, each receiving various weightings to determine an ultimate fair value estimate: (1) the comparable transactions method that is based on comparison to pricing ratios recently paid in the sale or merger of comparable banking institutions; (2) the public market peers control premium approach that is based on market pricing ratios of public banking companies adjusted for an industry based control premium, and (3) a discounted cash flow method (an income method), taking into consideration expectations of the Company’s growth and profitability going forward. The assessment included use of various assumptions and inputs into the modeling approaches, including creating a baseline and conservative scenarios that stressed certain assumptions such as projected cash flows and the discount rate. We considered the modeled results of each scenario and in light of the sustained depressed stock price in the months leading up to our impairment testing as of September 30, 2023 compared to our book value we determined it was reasonable to leverage the results of a scenario that utilized more stressed inputs and assumptions. Ultimately, in third quarter of 2023, the result of the quantitative assessment indicated the Primis Bank reporting unit’s book value was more than its estimated fair value. Accordingly, we took an impairment charge to Primis Bank’s goodwill of $11.2 million which is reflected in our noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Fair value determinations require considerable judgment and are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions and factors. As a result, there can be no assurance that the estimates and assumptions made for purposes of the goodwill impairment testing as of September 30, 2023 will prove to be an accurate prediction of the future. Changes in assumptions, market data (for market-based assessments), or the discount rate (for income based assessments) could produce different results that lead to higher or lower fair value determinations compared to the results of our annual impairment testing performed as of September 30, 2023. Further, because the use of inputs and assumptions are highly judgmental an analysis performed to assess the fair value of our reporting units by others may results in higher, lower, or the same fair value determination and goodwill impairment decision through the use of their judgment in application of similar inputs and assumptions as we used.

Third-party originated and serviced consumer loan portfolio

In the second half of 2021, we partnered with a third-party (the “Third Party Originator/Servicer” or “TPOS”) to originate and service unsecured consumer loans through their proprietary point-of-sale technology (the “Consumer Program”). Loan options under the Consumer Program include traditional fully-amortizing loans and promotional loans with no interest, or “same-as-cash”, features if the loan is fully repaid in the promotional window. The loans are originated at par in the Bank’s name and have a term of 5 to 12 years with a much shorter effective life due to amortization and pay downs.

The Consumer Program is governed by multiple interrelated agreements including the loan agreement between the Bank and the customer and agreements with the TPOS. The structure of the Consumer Program is intended to generate

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loans that yield a targeted return to the Bank on a portfolio basis while also providing limited credit enhancement from the TPOS. Key characteristics of the combined arrangement include:

Under U.S. GAAP, agreements with multiple counterparties, such as the customer and TPOS, are generally required to be accounted for separately even if the agreements are highly interrelated. As a result, we account for the Consumer Program under multiple units of account with the following impacts:

We have $199.3 million of loans outstanding in the Consumer Program, or 6% of our total gross loan portfolio, as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, 45% of the loans were in a promotional period requiring no payment of interest on their loans with 70% of these promotional loan periods ending in the second half of 2024 through the first quarter of 2025. During the year ended December 31, 2023, $10.1 million of promotional loans paid off prior to the end

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of their promotional periods while $4.8 million of promotional loans reached the end of the promotional period and entered amortization.

OVERVIEW

Primis Financial Corp. (“Primis,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”) is the bank holding company for Primis Bank (“Primis Bank” or the “Bank”), a Virginia state-chartered bank which commenced operations on April 14, 2005. Primis Bank provides a range of financial services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses. At December 31, 2023, Primis Bank had twenty-four full-service branches in Virginia and Maryland and also provides services to customers through certain online and mobile applications. Twenty-two full-service retail branches are in Virginia and two full-service retail branches are in Maryland. The Company is headquartered in McLean, Virginia and has an administrative office in Glen Allen, Virginia and an operations center in Atlee, Virginia. Primis Mortgage Company, a residential mortgage lender headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a consolidated subsidiary of Primis Bank. PFH is a consolidated subsidiary of Primis and owns the rights to the Panacea Financial brand and its intellectual property and partners with the Bank to offer a suite of financial products and services for doctors, their practices, and ultimately the broader healthcare industry.

While Primis Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking services, it focuses on making loans secured primarily by commercial real estate and other types of secured and unsecured commercial loans to small and medium-sized businesses in a number of industries, as well as loans to individuals for a variety of purposes. Primis Bank invests in real estate-related securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations and agency mortgage backed securities. Primis Bank’s principal sources of funds for loans and investing in securities are deposits and, to a lesser extent, borrowings. Primis Bank offers a broad range of deposit products, including checking (NOW), savings, money market accounts and certificates of deposit. Primis Bank actively pursues business relationships by utilizing the business contacts of its senior management, other bank officers and its directors, thereby capitalizing on its knowledge of its local market areas.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Net Income (Loss)

Net loss attributable to common shareholders for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $7.8 million, or $0.32 per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of $14.1 million, or $0.57 per basic and diluted share for the year ended December 31, 2022. The 155.3% decrease in the net income attributable to common shareholders during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily related to a $11.2 million goodwill impairment charge taken in the third quarter of 2023 and $20.9 million of provision for credit losses on the Consumer Program loan portfolio. The decrease was also driven by higher noninterest expenses from an increase in employee compensation and benefits expense due to the growth of Primis Mortgage and the Panacea Financial division of the Bank, higher data processing, and FDIC insurance assessment expense driven by the increase in customer accounts and related transactions on our digital deposit platform. These expenses were partially offset by higher interest income on our loan portfolio due to average loan growth of $600 million along with higher interest rates in 2023, mortgage banking income due to the growth of Primis Mortgage, an increase in interest earned on other earnings assets, and increased derivative gains primarily driven by the increase in the derivative asset related to the Consumer Program loan portfolio.

Net Interest Income

Our operating results depend primarily on our net interest income, which is the difference between interest and dividend income on interest-earning assets such as loans and investments, and interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities such as deposits and borrowings.

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The following table details average balances of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, the amount of interest earned/paid on such assets and liabilities, and the yield/rate for the periods indicated:

Average Balance Sheets and Net Interest Margin

Analysis For the Year Ended

Interest Interest

Average Income/ Yield/ Average Income/ Yield/

Balance Expense Rate Balance Expense Rate

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Assets

Interest-earning assets:

Allowance for credit losses (35,382) (30,236)

Total non-earning assets 296,647 264,388

Liabilities and stockholders' equity

Interest-bearing liabilities:

Noninterest-bearing liabilities:

Demand deposits 495,107 614,285

Other liabilities 35,494 24,285

Primis common stockholders' equity 393,302 403,167

Noncontrolling interest 587 —

Total stockholders' equity 393,889 403,167

Net interest income $ 98,711 $ 101,700

Interest rate spread 2.12 % 3.05 %

Net interest margin 2.68 % 3.30 %

(2) Calculations include non-accruing loans in average loan amounts outstanding.

Net interest income was $98.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $101.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Primis’ net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2023 was 2.68%, compared to 3.30% for the year ended December 31, 2022. The combination in the industry of rapid increase in deposit account rates and consumer preferences shifting from non-interest bearing to higher rate products impacted interest expense and net interest income during 2023. Total income on interest-earning assets was $192.6 million and $123.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, driven by average interest-earning asset growth of $607.5 million. The yield on average interest-earning assets was 5.22% and 4.00% for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Increase in yield on average interest-earnings assets was driven by higher rates on cash and loans in 2023 compared to 2022. Net interest margin was further affected by excess cash balances during the first half of the year that are part of average other earning assets but do not contribute meaningfully to net interest income. Beginning on June 30, 2023 we began to sweep that excess cash to other financial institutions by participating in a program that supports our deposit customers desire to obtain maximum insurance coverage on their cash deposits while also allowing us to manage cash balances and interest expense exposure. Average loans during the year ended December 31, 2023 were $3.1 billion, compared to $2.6 billion during the year ended December 31, 2022. The $0.5 billion increase in average loans combined with the 103 basis point increase in yield on the loan portfolio drove the $55.6 million increase in income on loans. The cost of average interest-bearing deposits increased 228 basis points to 2.92% for the year ended December 31, 2023,

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compared to 0.64% for the year ended December 31, 2022 as average interest-bearing liabilities grew approximately $751.9 million and the rates paid on these liabilities grew significantly due to the consistent increases in benchmark interest rates during the year. The increase was driven by higher costs in every interest-bearing category with the largest driver being an increase in average savings deposits of $552.5 million with an average increase in cost of those deposits of 3.50%. This increase was primarily a result of the aforementioned growth of the digital deposit platform and increase in benchmark interest rates.

The following table summarizes changes in net interest income attributable to changes in the volume of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities compared to changes in interest rates. The change in interest, due to both rate and volume, has been proportionately allocated between rate and volume.

Year Ended

Increase (Decrease)

Due to Change in:

Net

Volume Rate Change

(in thousands)

Interest-earning assets:

Interest-bearing liabilities:

Provision for Credit Losses

The provision for credit losses is a current charge to earnings made in order to adjust the allowance for credit losses for current expected losses in the loan portfolio based on an evaluation of the loan portfolio characteristics, current economic conditions, changes in the nature and volume of lending, historical loan experience and other known internal and external factors affecting loan collectability, and assessment of reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions that would impact collectability of the loans. Our allowance for credit losses is calculated by segmenting the loan portfolio by loan type and applying risk factors to each segment. The risk factors are determined by considering historical loss data, peer data, as well as applying management’s judgment.

The Company recorded a provision for credit losses of $32.5 million and $11.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The provision included amounts calculated in our normal reserve process for the Consumer Program loans which totaled $29.4 million and $3.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. We had charge-offs totaling $16.7 million and $8.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2023, $8.8 million of charge-offs were related to the Consumer Program and a majority of the remaining charge-offs were related to the resolution of the assisted living relationship that was originally placed on nonaccrual and reserved for in 2022 and which underwent a receiver-managed marketing process that ended in 2023. There were recoveries totaling $1.8 million and $2.2 million during year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

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Our provision for credit losses during 2023 was driven by provisions related to the Consumer Program loan portfolio. This portfolio began to experience higher losses in 2023 compared to 2022, primarily centered around loans originated from the third quarter 2022 through the first quarter of 2023. Losses on these vintages in 2023 was $7.0 million, or 79% of total losses on the Consumer Program loan portfolio in 2023. Higher loss rates continued to be seen on these vintages during 2024 through the date we filed this Form 10-K. As a result, we updated the credit loss experience in our allowance models as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, on this loan portfolio to incorporate the continued higher losses seen subsequent to year end which resulted in an additional $18.2 million in provision recorded during 2023.

The Financial Condition Section of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) provides information on our loan portfolio, past due loans, nonperforming assets and the allowance for credit losses.

Noninterest Income

The following table presents the categories of noninterest income for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

For the Year Ended

December 31,

Account maintenance and deposit service fees $ 5,733 $ 5,745 $ (12)

Income from bank-owned life insurance 2,021 1,994 27

Noninterest income increased 147% to $45.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $18.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in noninterest income was primarily related to $12.6 million of higher mortgage banking income and $18.1 million in income on the Consumer Program derivative during the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase in the mortgage banking income is related to a full year of Primis Mortgage’s results in 2023 compared to only seven months in 2022 (acquisition date of May 31, 2022), coupled with meaningful growth in the business since the purchase. Mortgage banking income includes fair value adjustments, origination income, and gains on sales of mortgage loans held for sale. Primis Mortgage originated and sold $572.2 million of loans in 2023, compared to only $169.2 million in the seven months of 2022 after the acquisition, which drove the increase in origination income and gains on sales in 2023. The Consumer Program derivative is comprised of $11.3 million of fair value adjustment gains on the derivative asset and $6.8 million of realized gains on the derivative in 2023. The derivative asset and related gains are driven by anticipated cash payments due to us from the third-party when borrowers prepay their loans in a no-interest promotional period. During 2023, the value of the derivative and related gains were driven by the $52.3 million of loans with a no-interest promotional period originated early in the year. The majority of the loans originated with a promotional period will end their promotional period between the third quarter of 2024 and the second quarter of 2025. The realized gains are a result of borrowers paying off their promotional period loans before the end of the promotional period which triggers payment from the derivative counterparty of the interest accrued during the promotional period, which totaled $2.4 million. Also included in the realized income is $4.4 million of income related to the third party’s reimbursement under the agreement of credit losses incurred on the loans during the year Additional details of this derivative and the components of the realized income, including assumptions used to value the derivative, are described in the Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies section of this MD&A. The increase in noninterest income was partially offset by gains on the sale of an other equity investment in the prior year that did not reoccur in the current year.

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Noninterest Expense

The following table present the major categories of noninterest expense for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

For the Year Ended

December 31,

Amortization of core deposit intangible 1,269 1,325 (56)

Telephone and communication expense 1,507 1,433 74

Noninterest expenses were $122.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $91.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2022. The 34.1% increase in noninterest expenses was primarily attributable to $11.2 million of goodwill impairment recognized in the third quarter of 2023 and a $9.8 million increase in employee compensation and benefits expense mainly related to increased head count at the Bank that was driven by the Panacea Financial division and Primis Mortgage during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022. The compensation expense was also higher in part due to expenses associated with the branch consolidations in 2023.

The increase in noninterest expense during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 2022 was also due to a $3.5 million increase in data processing expense in 2023 driven by substantially higher application volume on the digital deposit platform as a result of a savings account rate promotion offered during 2023 that brought in approximately $1.0 billion of deposits. Increase in noninterest expenses was also attributable to $2.0 million of higher FDIC insurance costs in 2023 compared to 2022 attributable to our higher assessment base as a result of our growth from last year and a 2 basis point increase in the assessment rate by the FDIC starting in the first quarter of 2023. Furniture and equipment expenses increased $1.2 million due to growth in the Bank and Primis Mortgage, and also due to write-downs of assets related to the cost savings initiative and branch consolidations in 2023. Miscellaneous lending expenses was $1.3 million higher and was primarily driven by a $0.9 million increase in servicing costs we pay the third-party that manages the Consumer Program loans which grew from $134.4 million in principal balance of loans at the end of 2022 to $199.3 million at the end of 2023. Finally, we experienced $3.3 million in fraud losses in 2023 primarily related to a substantial increase in deposit account fraud that was not isolated to Primis, but was wide-spread across the industry during the year.

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FINANCIAL CONDITION

The following illustrates key balance sheet categories as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

December 31, December 31,

Loans

Total loans were $3.2 billion and $2.9 billion as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. PPP loans totaled $2.0 million and $4.6 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Excluding PPP loans, loans outstanding increased $269.7 million, or 9.2%, since December 31, 2022.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, a majority of our loans were to customers located in Virginia and Maryland. We are not dependent on any single customer or group of customers whose insolvency would have a material adverse effect on our operations. Our loan portfolio grew 9% in 2023 which included declines in real estate secured loans and increases in commercial and consumer loans. The consumer loan growth was primarily driven by the increase in life insurance premium finance loans followed by originations fromthe third party managed portfolio during 2023. The increase in commercial loans was driven primarily by $30.5 million of commercial loan growth in our Panacea Financial division. These loans are diversified geographically and are spread across the nation.

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The composition of our loans held for investment portfolio consisted of the following at December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in thousands):

Amount Percent Amount Percent

Loans secured by real estate:

Paycheck protection program loans 2,023 0.1 % 4,564 0.2 %

The following table sets forth the contractual maturity ranges of our loan portfolio and the amount of those loans with fixed and floating interest rates in each maturity range as of December 31, 2023 (in thousands):

After 1 Year After 5 Years

Through 5 Years Through 15 Years After 15 Years

One Year Fixed Floating Fixed Floating Fixed Floating

or Less Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Rate Total

Loans secured by real estate:

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The following table sets forth the contractual maturity ranges of our Consumer Program loan portfolio as of December 31, 2023, which is only originated at fixed rates (in thousands):

The following table describes the period over which our Consumer Program loans that are currently in a no interest promotional period will exit that promotional period and begin to amortize. All of these promotional loans amortize over four years from the date they exit the promotional period if not prepaid before the end of the promotional period (in thousands):

During the year ended December 31, 2023, $6.0 million of loans ended their no interest promo period and began to amortize and $3.9 million of these loans charged-off during the year after beginning to amortize.

Asset Quality; Past Due Loans and Nonperforming Assets

The following table presents a comparison of nonperforming assets for the years indicated (in thousands):

December 31, December 31,

Loans past due 90 days and accruing interest 1,714 3,361

SBA guaranteed amounts included in nonperforming loans $ 3,115 $ 3,969

Allowance for credit losses to total loans 1.62 % 1.17 %

Allowance for credit losses to nonaccrual loans 574.06 % 97.35 %

Allowance for credit losses to nonperforming loans 483.04 % 88.93 %

Nonaccrual to total loans 0.28 % 1.20 %

Asset quality improved significantly during 2023 on the core loan portfolio excluding the Consumer Program, as we successfully resolved many of the prior year’s nonperforming assets primarily through the sale of collateral. A substantial portion of the Bank’s nonperforming assets in the prior year comprised of two relationships with a combined balance of approximately $27.0 million. A large residential property with a balance of approximately $8.0 million included in that total was sold in the second quarter of 2023 and the other relationship, primarily consisting of assisted living facilities with a book balance of $19.0 million, was sold at the end of a receiver-managed marketing process in the third quarter of 2023.

We identify potential problem loans based on loan portfolio credit quality. We define our potential problem loans as internally rated as substandard loans less total nonperforming assets noted above. At December 31, 2023, our potential problem loans totaled $6.4 million. As of December 31, 2023, our total substandard loans were $17.2 million, compared to $41.0 million at December 31, 2022, a 58% decline. Loans rated internally as special mention loans, which is one internal credit rating higher than substandard, totaled $14.9 million as of December 31, 2023 and $32.3 million as of December 31, 2022.

We will generally place a loan on nonaccrual status when it becomes 90 days past due. Loans will also be placed on nonaccrual status in cases where we are uncertain whether the borrower can satisfy the contractual terms of the loan

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agreement. Cash payments received while a loan is categorized as nonaccrual will be recorded as a reduction of principal as long as doubt exists as to future collections.

We maintain appraisals on loans secured by real estate, particularly those categorized as nonperforming loans and potential problem loans. In instances where appraisals reflect reduced collateral values, we make an evaluation of the borrower’s overall financial condition to determine the need, if any, for impairment or write-down to their fair values. If foreclosure occurs, we record OREO at the lower of our recorded investment in the loan or fair value less our estimated costs to sell.

Our loan portfolio losses and delinquencies have been primarily limited by our underwriting standards and portfolio management practices. Whether losses and delinquencies in our portfolio will increase significantly depends upon the value of the real estate securing the loans and economic factors, such as the overall economy, rising or elevated interest rates, historically high or persistent inflation, and recessionary concerns.

We originate a portion of our consumer loans (the Consumer Program) using a third party that sources and subsequently manages the portfolio of loans. As of December 31, 2023, the principal balance outstanding was $199.3 million. These loans are accounted for similar to our other consumer loans and are not placed on nonaccrual because they are charged off when they become 90 days past due. The allowance on this portfolio of loans was $22.4 million as of December 31, 2023 and represented 43% of our total allowance for credit losses. Net charge-offs on this portfolio were $8.4 million in 2023 and represented approximately 57% of net charge-offs recorded for the year. The Company tightened its origination criteria in regard to this portfolio in April of 2023 and from that point forward we generally originated loans to consumer borrowers being managed by the third party with FICO scores over 720, whereas prior period loan production included approximately 40% of loans to borrowers with weaker credit scores. This older vintage lower credit score portion of the portfolio has driven the uptick in related charge-offs in 2023 which continued into 2024 and necessitated the update of the Company’s expected loss rates on this portfolio for purposes of determining the allowance for credit losses as discussed in the Provision for Credit Losses section of this MD&A. The newer production represented approximately 19% of the portfolio at December 31, 2023 and is expected to improve the quality mix of the portfolio and result in lower realized net charge-offs in future periods.

Loan Review

Our loan review program is administrated by the Chief Risk Officer and the Loan Review Manager who reports the results directly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. In 2023, the loan review program resulted in reviews on loan balances totaling $936.1 million or 47.5% of the commercial loan portfolio outstanding as of December 31, 2022. Overall, the loan review program resulted in loan reviews performed on 30.0% of the commercial portfolio by our internal loan review function and 17.5% by an independent third party consultant. The loan review program also reviewed $96.0 million in unfunded commitments.

Primis Bank’s 2024 loan review program (the “Program”) was approved by the Audit Committee on January 25, 2024. The Program’s annual goal is to have an overall review penetration rate of 45.0% - 50.0% of the commercial loan portfolio outstanding as of December 31, 2023. The Program incorporates a robust risk-based approach review of the Bank’s loan portfolio that will include the loan origination process and targeted portfolio and full-scope loan reviews. The Program’s review goal remains well within regulatory standards and industry best practices. In accordance with Credit Policy, the Bank’s Program will utilize and incorporate both internal and third-party external resources in a complementary fashion to achieve the objectives of the Program.

Allowance for Credit Losses

We are very focused on the asset quality of our loan portfolio, both before and after a loan is made. We have established underwriting standards that we believe are effective in maintaining high credit quality in our loan portfolio. We have experienced loan officers who take personal responsibility for the loans they originate, a skilled underwriting team and highly qualified credit officers that review each loan application carefully. We have designed a credit matrix, which requires dual authority to approve any credit over $5.0 million. We have two specialty Executive Credit Officers with extensive industry experience in medical practice and life premium credit financing with authority up to $7.5 million and

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joint authority with the Chief Credit Officer up to $10.0 million. All credit exposures over $10.0 million are reviewed and approved by Executive Loan Committee consisting of all named Credit Officers with concurrence from the Chief Executive Officer on any credit in excess of $25.0 million. Loans in excess of 60% of the Bank’s legal lending limit are approved by the full Board of Directors or two outside directors.

Our allowance for credit losses is established through charges to earnings in the form of a provision for credit losses. Management evaluates the allowance at least quarterly. In addition, on a quarterly basis our board of directors reviews our loan portfolio, evaluates credit quality, reviews the loan loss provision and the allowance for credit losses and requests management to make changes as may be required. In evaluating the allowance, management and the board of directors consider the growth, composition and industry diversification of the loan portfolio, historical loan loss experience, current delinquency levels and all other known factors affecting loan collectability.

The allowance for credit losses is based on the CECL methodology and represents management’s estimate of an amount appropriate to provide for expected credit losses in the loan portfolio. This estimate is based on historical credit loss information adjusted for current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts applied to various loan types that compose our portfolio, including the effects of known factors such as the economic environment within our market area will have on net losses. The allowance is also subject to regulatory examinations and determination by the regulatory agencies as to the appropriate level of the allowance.

Total calculated reserves increased by $17.7 million to $52.2 million as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to modeled reserves on the Consumer Program portfolio described above. Allowance for credit losses on the Consumer Program loans was $22.4 million and $1.4 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. Excluding the allowances each period on this portfolio, the allowance for credit losses would have declined $3.3 million, due to lower allowances on individually evaluated loans, lower default expectations observed in the models which resulted from our annual review and refinements to model, and improved economic forecasts, specifically in the House Price Index and Gross State Product factors, partially offset by the overall loan growth experienced in 2023.

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The following table sets forth the allowance for credit losses allocated by loan category and the percent of loans in each category to total loans at the dates indicated (in thousands):

As of December 31,

Percent of Percent of

Allowance Loans by Allowance Loans by

for Credit Category to for Loan Category to

Losses Total Loans Losses Total Loans

Commercial real estate - owner occupied $ 4,255 14.1 % $ 5,558 15.6 %

Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied 5,822 18.0 % 7,147 19.7 %

Secured by farmland 31 0.2 % 25 0.2 %

Construction and land development 1,129 5.1 % 1,373 5.0 %

Home equity lines of credit 364 1.9 % 329 2.2 %

Paycheck Protection Program loans — 0.1 % — 0.2 %

The following table presents an analysis of the allowance for credit losses for the periods indicated (in thousands):

For the Years Ended December 31,

Balance, beginning of period $ 34,544 $ 29,105

Provision charged to operations:

Recoveries credited to allowance:

Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied 110 502

Construction and land development 112 —

Home equity lines of credit 5 3

Commercial loans 948 1,638

Consumer loans 480 35

Loans charged off:

Commercial real estate - owner occupied — 14

Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied 1,170 5,027

Construction and land development 2 —

Residential 1-4 family 770 —

Home equity lines of credit 32 14

Net charge-offs to average loans, net of unearned income 0.45 % 0.22 %

We believe that the allowance for credit losses at December 31, 2023 is sufficient to absorb future expected credit losses in our loan portfolio based on our assessment of all known factors affecting the collectability of our loan portfolio. Our assessment involves uncertainty and judgment; therefore, the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses cannot be determined with precision and may be subject to change in future periods. In addition, bank regulatory authorities, as part

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of their periodic examination, may require additional charges to the provision for credit losses in future periods if the results of their reviews warrant additions to the allowance for credit losses.

Net charge-offs were $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, up from $5.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Included in net charge-offs is $8.4 million and $1.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, related to the Consumer Program loan portfolio. Excluding these Consumer Program charge-offs we had an increase from the prior year of $2.2 million primarily related to disposition of certain nonperforming loans from December 31, 2022 that could not be collected.

As discussed previously, the increase in charge-offs on the Consumer Program loan portfolio have been driven by losses concentrated in loans originated between the third quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023. Charge-offs from these vintages in 2023 were 79% of the total gross charge-offs in this portfolio of consumer loans. The charge-off percentage as compared with total loans originated in the third quarter of 2022, fourth quarter of 2022, and first quarter of 2023 was 6.9%, 4.3%, and 3.0%, respectively. We continued to see similar levels of losses on these vintages from year end through the time we filed this Form 10-K and as a result we updated our loss rates on the third-party portfolio as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023 which added an additional $18.2 million in provision and reserve during this period. The TPOS provides limited credit enhancement through certain direct payments and the release of funds from a reserve account. These amounts are recognized in our results of operations in the period in which they become available to us. During 2023, we recognized $4.4 million in our results of operations related to this credit enhancement. See additional discussion of the credit enhancement in Critical Accounting Estimates and Policies in this MD&A.

Investment Securities

Our investment securities portfolio provides us with required liquidity and collateral to pledge to secure public deposits, certain other deposits, advances from the FHLB of Atlanta, and repurchase agreements.

Our investment securities portfolio is managed by our Treasurer, who has significant experience in this area, with the concurrence of our Asset/Liability Committee. In addition to our Treasurer (who is the chairman of the Asset/Liability Committee) and our Controller, this committee is comprised of outside directors and other senior officers of the Bank, including but not limited to our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer. Investment management is performed in accordance with our investment policy, which is approved annually by the Board of Directors. Our investment policy authorizes us to invest in:

● Collateralized mortgage obligations

● U.S. Treasury securities

● SBA guaranteed loan pools

● Agency securities

● Obligations of states and political subdivisions

● Corporate debt securities, with rated securities at investment grade

● Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLOs”)

MBS are securities that have been developed by pooling a number of real estate mortgages and which are principally issued by agency/government-sponsored entities (“GSEs”) such as the GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC. These securities are deemed to have high credit ratings, and minimum regular monthly cash flows of principal and interest are guaranteed by the issuing agencies.

Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are bonds that are backed by pools of mortgages. The pools can be GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC pools or they can be private-label pools. The CMOs are designed so that the mortgage collateral will generate a cash flow sufficient to provide for the timely repayment of the bonds. The mortgage collateral

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pool can be structured to accommodate various desired bond repayment schedules, provided that the collateral cash flow is adequate to meet scheduled bond payments. This is accomplished by dividing the bonds into classes to which payments on the underlying mortgage pools are allocated. The bond’s cash flow, for example, can be dedicated to one class of bondholders at a time, thereby increasing call protection to bondholders. In private-label CMOs, losses on underlying mortgages are directed to the most junior of all classes and then to the classes above in order of increasing seniority, which means that the senior classes have enough credit protection to be given the highest credit rating by the rating agencies.

Obligations of states and political subdivisions (municipal securities) are purchased with consideration of the current tax position of the Bank. Both taxable and tax-exempt municipal bonds may be purchased, but only after careful assessment of the market risk of the security. Appropriate credit evaluation must be performed prior to purchasing municipal bonds.

Corporate bonds consist of senior and/or subordinated notes issued by banks. Bank subordinated debt, if rated, must be of investment grade and non-rated bonds are permissible if the credit-worthiness of the issuer has been properly analyzed.

CLOs are actively managed securitization vehicles formed for the purpose of acquiring and managing a diversified portfolio of senior secured corporate bank loans, otherwise known as “broadly syndicated loans”. The loan portfolio is transferred to bankruptcy-remote special-purpose vehicle, which finances the acquisition through the issuance of various classes of debt and equity securities with varying levels of senior claim on the underlying loan portfolio. CLOs must be rated AA or better at the time of purchase.

We classify our investment securities as either held-to-maturity or available-for-sale. Debt investment securities that Primis has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held-to-maturity and carried at amortized cost. Investment securities classified as available-for-sale are those debt securities that may be sold in response to changes in interest rates, liquidity needs or other similar factors. Investment securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value, with unrealized gains or losses net of deferred taxes, included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Our portfolio of available-for-sale securities currently contains a material amount of unrealized mark-to-market adjustments due to increases in market interest rates since the original purchase of many of these securities. We intend to hold these securities until maturity or recovery of the value and do not anticipate realizing any losses on the investments.

Investment securities, available-for-sale and held-to-maturity, totaled $240.1 million as of December 31, 2023, a decrease of 3.9% from $249.8 million as of December 31, 2022, primarily due to paydowns, maturities, and calls of the investments during the year.

We recognized an immaterial amount of credit impairment charges related to credit losses on our held-to-maturity investment securities during 2023 and no credit losses during 2022.

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The following table sets forth a summary of the investment securities portfolio as of the dates indicated. Available-for-sale investment securities are reported at fair value, and held-to-maturity investment securities are reported at amortized cost (in thousands).

December 31, December 31,

Available-for-sale investment securities:

Obligations of states and political subdivisions 30,080 29,178

Collateralized loan obligations 4,982 4,876

Government-sponsored agency securities 13,711 14,616

Agency commercial mortgage-backed securities 30,110 37,417

Held-to-maturity investment securities:

Residential government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities $ 9,040 $ 10,522

Obligations of states and political subdivisions 2,391 2,721

Residential government-sponsored collateralized mortgage obligations 219 277

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The following table sets forth the amortized cost, fair value, and weighted average yield of our investment securities by contractual maturity at December 31, 2023. Weighted average yield is calculated as the tax-equivalent yield on a pro rata basis for each security based on its relative amortized cost. Yields on tax-exempt securities have been computed on a tax-equivalent basis. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties (in thousands).

Investment Securities Available-for-Sale

Weighted

Amortized Average

Cost Fair Value Yield

Obligations of states and political subdivisions

Due after one year through five years $ 3,132 $ 3,056 2.99 %

Collateralized loan obligations

Corporate securities

Due after five years through ten years 14,000 12,672 4.50 %

Government-sponsored agency securities

Due less than one year — — — %

Due after one year through five years 6,898 6,305 1.31 %

Due after five years through ten years 4,879 3,924 1.80 %

Residential government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities

Due after one year through five years 2,009 1,947 2.40 %

Residential government-sponsored collateralized mortgage obligations

Due after one year through five years 1,368 1,305 0.03 %

Due after five years through ten years 5,580 5,508 4.49 %

Agency commercial mortgage-backed securities

Due after one year through five years 2,003 1,928 2.58 %

SBA pool securities

Due after one year through five years 655 638 4.79 %

Due after five years through ten years 709 707 7.75 %

Investment Securities Held-to-Maturity

Weighted

Amortized Average

Cost Fair Value Yield

Obligations of states and political subdivisions

Due after one year through five years $ 580 $ 580 2.98 %

Due after five years through ten years 939 899 2.40 %

Residential government-sponsored mortgage-backed securities

Due after one year through five years 417 402 2.18 %

Due after five years through ten years 950 896 2.80 %

Residential government-sponsored collateralized mortgage obligations

For additional information regarding investment securities refer to “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data, Note 3-Investment Securities.”

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Deposits and Other Borrowings

FRST US Equity

FRST · 10-K · period ended 2023-12-31

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Item 2. Properties

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

FRST US Equity☆

FRST · 10-K · period ended 2023-12-31

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

Item 1C. Cybersecurity

Item 2. Properties

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Item 6. [Reserved]

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

FRST US Equity