plbc20251231_10k.htm
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025
or
Commission file number: 000-49883
PLUMAS BANCORP
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (775) 786-0907
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class: Trading Symbol Name of Each Exchange on which Registered:
Common Stock, no par value PLBC The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.
☐ Yes ☒ No
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.
☐ Yes ☒ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
☒ Yes ☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule12b-2 of the Exchange Act:
Emerging Growth Company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
☐ Yes ☒ No
As of June 30, 2025, the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates on the Nasdaq Stock Market was approximately $246.7 million, based on the closing price reported to the Registrant on June 30, 2025 of $44.46 per share.
Shares of Common Stock held by each officer and director have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of the affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.
As of March 13, 2026, there were6,978,988 shares of the registrant's Common Stock outstanding.
Documents Incorporated by Reference: Portions of the definitive proxy statement for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to SEC Regulation 14A are incorporated by reference in Part III, Items 10-14.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
PART I
Item 1. Business 2
Item 1A. Risk Factors 11
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments 19
Item 1C. Cybersecurity 19
Item 2. Properties 20
Item 3. Legal Proceedings 21
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 21
PART II
Item 6. [RESERVED] 23
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk 43
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data F-1
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures 44
Item 9B. Other Information 44
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections 44
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance 45
Item 11. Executive Compensation 45
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services 47
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 48
Signatures 52
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PART I
Forward-Looking Information
This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes forward-looking statements and information that is subject to the “safe harbor” provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements, which may involve Plumas Bancorp’s plans, beliefs, goals, expectations and forecasts are typically identified with words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” or words or phases of similar meaning. Forward looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following factors:
■ The ability of Plumas Bank to pay dividends to Plumas Bancorp.
■ Our failure to adequately manage our liquidity.
■ Risks related to our hedging activities.
■ The impacts of inflation.
■ Devaluation of securities we own.
■ Asset/liability matching risks and liquidity risks.
■ Loss of key personnel.
■ Operational interruptions including data processing systems failure and fraud.
■ Risk associated with or resulting from our growth strategy.
■ Our success in managing the risks involved in the foregoing.
Plumas Bancorp undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements.
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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
References in this report to the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Plumas Bancorp and its consolidated subsidiary, unless the context indicates otherwise. References to the “Bank” refer to Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Plumas Bank.References to “Management” refer to the members of the Company’s management and references to the “Board of Directors” or the “Board” refer to the Company’s Board of Directors.
General
The Company. Plumas Bancorp is a bank holding company headquartered in Reno, Nevada. Substantially all of the Company's operations are conducted through its subsidiary, Plumas Bank, which is also the principal source of the Company’s revenue.
At December 31, 2025, the Company had consolidated assets of $2.2 billion, deposits of $1.8 billion, other liabilities of $168 million and shareholders’ equity of $261 million. The Company’s other liabilities include $21 million in borrowings, $29 million in lease liabilities and $98 million in repurchase agreements. These items are described in detail later in this Form 10-K.
The Company is a California corporation incorporated in 2002 for the purpose of becoming the holding company for the Bank, which it acquired in a bank holding company reorganization the same year.
Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “PLBC.” We file annual, quarterly, and other reports required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). These reports are available at no cost on our website, www.plumasbank.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after filing with the SEC. These reports are also available through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The address of our headquarters is 5525 Kietzke Lane, Suite 100, Reno, Nevada, 89511.
The Bank. The Bank is a California state-chartered bank that was incorporated and commenced business in 1980. The Bank’s deposit accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) up to applicable legal limits. The Bank is a member of the Federal Reserve System. At December 31, 2025, the Bank had approximately $2.2 billion in assets, $1.5 billion in net loans and $1.8 billion in deposits (including deposits of $9.4 million from the Company), other liabilities of $146 million and shareholders’ equity of $273 million. The Bank’s other liabilities include $29 million in lease liabilities and $98 million in repurchase agreements. It is currently the largest bank headquartered in Plumas County, California. The Bank’s operations are conducted through its administrative office in Quincy, California.
The Bank primarily generates revenue from loans and investment securities in its portfolio and, to a lesser extent, service fees. With a predominant focus on personal service, the Bank positions itself as a multi-community independent bank serving the financial needs of individuals and businesses within the Bank’s geographic footprint. The Bank’s primary business is servicing the banking needs of these communities.
Our business has a modest seasonal component due to the heavy agricultural and tourism orientation of some of the communities we serve.
Our Markets
The Bank’s primary service area covers the Northeastern portion of California, with Lake Tahoe to the south and the Oregon border to the north, and the Northwestern portion of Nevada. The Bank operates seventeen branches in California, including branches in Alturas, Anderson, Chester, Chico, Fall River Mills, Greenville, Kings Beach, Portola, Quincy, Red Bluff, Redding, Susanville, Tahoe City, Truckee and Yuba City. On July 1, 2025, we acquired our Anderson and Red Bluff branches and two branches in Redding with the acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bank ("Cornerstone"). In December 2015 the Bank opened a branch in Reno, Nevada, its first branch outside of California, and in 2018 the Bank purchased a branch located in Carson City, Nevada.
The Bank maintains 23 automated teller machines (“ATMs”) tied in with major statewide and national networks. In addition to its branch network, the Bank operates a lending office specializing in government-guaranteed lending in Auburn, California with an additional lending officer in Southern California, a lending officer in Chandler, Arizona and a commercial/agricultural lending office located in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Bank’s primary business is servicing the banking needs of these communities. Its marketing strategy emphasizes its local ownership and commitment to serve the banking needs of individuals living and working in the Bank’s primary service areas.
Strategy
The Bank’s marketing strategy emphasizes its local ownership and managementand commitment to serve the banking needs of individuals living and working in the Bank’s primary service areas.
Our strategy is to counter rising competition by providing our own style of community-oriented, personalized service. We rely on local promotional activity, personal contacts by our officers, directors, employees, and shareholders, automated 24-hour banking, and the individualized service that we can provide through our flexible policies. This approach appears to be well-received by our customers who appreciate a more personal and customer-oriented environment in which to conduct their financial transactions. To meet the needs of customers who prefer to bank electronically, we offer telephone banking, mobile banking, remote deposit, mobile deposit, and internet banking with bill payment capabilities. This high tech and high touch approach allows customers to tailor their access to our services based on their particular preferences.
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Lending
The Bank provides Small Business Administration (SBA) loans to qualified borrowers mostly in Northern California, through its government-guaranteed lending center headquartered in Auburn, California. In addition to its Auburn location the Bank has an SBA lender based in each of Atascadero, California and Chandler, Arizona. In 2007 the Bank was granted nationwide Preferred Lender status with the U.S. Small Business Administration,
which enables our customers to obtain SBA funding without the potentially lengthy SBA approval process necessary of lenders than are not SBA Preferred Lenders. We expect government-guaranteed lending to continue to be an important part of our overall lending operation. We offer a SBA 7(a) loan product with a variable interest rate in which the guaranteed portion is salable in the secondary market, but we have seen a significant decline in interest in this product during the last several years. However, we have successfully pivoted to producing fixed rate SBA 7(a) loans, which we generally hold in our loan portfolio.
At
December 31, 2025 fixed rate SBA 7(a) loans totaling $104 million with guaranteed portions totaling $78 million were included in our commercial and commercial real estate loan portfolio. The weighted rate of these loans was 8.0%. Once demand for variable rate SBA 7(a) loans returns to an acceptable level, we plan to move most of our production efforts back to this product.
The Agricultural Credit Centers located in Alturas, Chico, Red Bluff, and Yuba City, California and Klamath Falls, Oregon provide an array of credit services supporting the agricultural activities that are key to the continued economic development of these communities. “Ag lending” clients include a full range of individual farming customers, small to medium-sized business farming organizations and corporate farming units.
As of December 31, 2025, the principal areas to which we have directed our lending activities, and the percentage of our total loan portfolio comprised by each, were as follows: (i) commercial real estate – 66.3%; (ii) commercial and industrial loans – 11.1%, (iii) agricultural loans (including agricultural real estate loans) – 10.4%, (iv) consumer loans (including residential equity lines of credit and automobile loans) – 7.3%; (v) construction and land development – 2.7%; and (vi) residential real estate – 2.2% . We discontinued our auto loan program in the fourth quarter of 2023.
We have established loan concentration guidelines as a percentage of capital and evaluate loan concentration levels within a single industry or group of related industries on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as loan conditions change.
Deposit Products
In addition to our lending activities, we offer a wide range of deposit products for the commercial and retail banking markets including checking, money market checking, business sweep, public funds sweep, savings, time deposit and retirement accounts, as well as remote deposit, telephone and mobile banking, including mobile deposit and internet banking with bill-pay options. Interest bearing deposits include higher yielding sweep accounts designed for our commercial customers and for public entities such as municipalities. As of December 31, 2025, the Bank had 47,667 deposit accounts with balances totaling approximately $1.8 billion, compared to 38,188 deposit accounts with balances totaling approximately $1.4 billion at December 31, 2024. We attract deposits through our customer-oriented product mix, competitive pricing, convenient locations, mobile and internet banking and remote deposit operations, all provided with a high level of customer service.
Most of the Bank’s deposits are attracted from individuals, business-related sources, and smaller municipal entities. This mix of deposit customers resulted in a relatively modest average deposit balance of approximately $38 thousand at December 31, 2025. We believe this broad and diverse deposit base makes us less vulnerable to adverse effects from the loss of depositors who may be seeking higher yields in other markets or who may otherwise draw down balances for cash needs.
We also offer a variety of other products and services complementing our lending and deposit services. These include cashier’s checks, bank-by-mail, ATMs, night depository, safe deposit boxes, direct deposit, electronic funds transfers, FedNow®-receive Service and other customary banking services. We offer a Remote Deposit product that allows our business customers to make non-cash deposits remotely from their physical location. This product enables us to extend our service area because we can now meet the deposit needs of customers who may not be located within a convenient distance of one of our branch offices.
We are not dependent on a single customer or group of related customers for a material portion of our deposits.
Other Products and Services
We also offer a variety of other products and services complementing our lending and deposit services. These include cashier’s checks, bank-by-mail, ATMs, night depository, safe deposit boxes, direct deposit, electronic funds transfers, FedNow®-receive Service and other customary banking services. We offer a Remote Deposit product that allows our business customers to make non-cash deposits remotely from their physical location. This product enables us to extend our service area by meeting the deposit needs of customers who may not be located within a convenient distance of one of our branch offices.
We devote a substantial amount of time and capital to the improvement of existing bank services. During 2022 we upgraded and replaced our fleet of ATM machines, enhanced incoming wire notifications and developed electronic tracking and monitoring for ACH origination and Remote Deposit Capture services and implemented the ability for our commercial online banking clients to originate one-time ACH payments. In 2023 we provided enhanced security features and monitoring to detect and rapidly notify clients of potential fraudulent debit card transactions and created the ability for clients to dispute debit card transactions utilizing an online interface. In 2024, we upgraded our branch deposit acceptance system, entered real-time payments by implementing FedNow®-receive, optimized our outgoing wire transfer capabilities, and launched Payee Match for Positive Pay to aid in combatting the rising trend of check fraud. Additionally, beginning in 2024 we began accepting through our website applications for our Business Exxpress product. In 2025, we enhanced international wire transfers, ACH origination, and treasury management solutions, and developed the ability for clients to automatically enroll business accounts in online banking, download multiple digital statements, and electronically notify the bank of loan payment notice errors.
The officers and employees of the Bank are continually engaged in marketing activities, including the evaluation and development of new products and services, to enable the Bank to retain and improve its competitive position in its service area.
Commitment to our Communities. The Board of Directors and management believe that the Company plays an important role in the economic well-being of the communities we serve. Our Bank has a continuing responsibility to provide a wide range of lending and deposit services to both individuals and businesses. We strive to tailor these services to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
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We offer various loan products which encourage job growth and support community economic development. Types of loans offered range from personal and commercial loans to real estate, construction, agricultural, and government-guaranteed loans. Many banking decisions are made locally with the goal of maintaining customer satisfaction through the timely delivery of high-quality products and services.
Recent Expansion Activities. As part of our business strategy, we may regularly review opportunities to enhance the value of our franchise, including through acquisitions. On July 1, 2025, we completed the acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bancorp and its subsidiary, Cornerstone Community Bank, which merged with and into the Bank the same day. The estimated fair value of assets acquired at July 1, 2025 was $659.4 million consisting of $51.9 million in cash, $88.1 million in investment securities, $462.5 million in net loans, $11.6 million in core deposit intangible, $12.6 million in bank premises and equipment, $16.4 million in Bank Owned Life Insurance, and $16.3 million in other assets. The estimated fair value of deposits assumed totaled $580.9 million consisting of $88.6 million in non-interest bearing transaction accounts, $21.8 million in savings accounts, $334.3 million in money market accounts and $136.2 million in time deposits.
Dividends and Stock Repurchase Program. It is the policy of the Company to periodically distribute excess retained earnings to the shareholders through the payment of cash dividends, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per shares each quarter in 2025, a quarterly cash dividend of $0.27 per share each quarter in 2024, and a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share each quarter in 2023.
On February 2, 2026, the Company announced that the Board of Directors had approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to $25 million of its common stock through the fourth quarter of 2026.
The Company’s principal source of cash is dividends from the Bank. The ability of the Company to pay dividends and repurchase common stock is therefore dependent on the Bank’s ability to generate net income and pay dividends to the Company.
Business Concentrations. No individual or single group of related customer accounts is considered material in relation to the Bank's assets or deposits, or in relation to our overall business. However, at December 31, 2025, approximately 82% of the Bank's total loan portfolio consisted of real estate-secured loans, including real estate mortgage loans, real estate construction loans, consumer equity lines of credit, and agricultural loans secured by real estate. Approximately 66% of our loans were commercial real estate loans as of December 31, 2025. Moreover, the business activities of the Company currently are focused in the California counties of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta Sutter, and Tehama and in Washoe and Carson City Counties in Northern Nevada. Consequently, our results of operations and financial condition are dependent upon the general trends in these economies and, in particular, the residential and commercial real estate markets. In addition, the concentration of our operations in these areas of California and Nevada exposes us to greater risk than other banking companies with a wider geographic base in the event of catastrophes, such as earthquakes, fires, drought and floods in these regions in California and Nevada.
Competition. The banking business is highly competitive. The business is largely dominated by a relatively small number of major banks with many offices operating over a wide geographical area. These banks have, among other advantages, a greater ability to invest in technology, to finance wide-ranging marketing campaigns and to allocate their resources to regions of highest yield and demand. Many of the major banks operating in the area offer certain services that we do not offer directly but may offer indirectly through correspondent institutions. By virtue of their greater total capitalization, such banks also have substantially higher lending limits than we do. For customers whose loan demands exceed our legal lending limit, we attempt to arrange for such loans on a participation basis with correspondent or other banks.
In addition to other banks, our competitors include savings institutions, credit unions, and numerous non-banking institutions such as finance companies, leasing companies, insurance companies, brokerage firms, internet-based fintech lenders and investment banking firms. In recent years, increased competition has also developed from specialized finance and non-finance companies that offer wholesale finance, credit card, and other consumer finance services, including on-line banking services and personal financial software. Strong competition for deposit and loan products affects the rates of those products as well as the terms on which they are offered to customers. Mergers between financial institutions have placed additional competitive pressure on banks within the industry to streamline their operations, reduce expenses, and increase revenues. In addition, competitive conditions have intensified as banks have increasingly affiliated with securities firms, insurance companies, and other financial companies.
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As of June 30, 2025, within towns in which the Bank had a branch as of this same date there were 131 banking branch offices of competing institutions (excluding credit unions, but including savings banks), including 100 branches of 14 banks having assets more than $10 billion. As of June 30, 2025, the FDIC estimated the Bank’s market share of deposits within the communities it serves to be as follows: Greenville, Quincy and Portola 100%, Alturas 67%, Susanville 59%, Kings Beach 52%, Chester 44%, Fall River Mills 38%, Tahoe City 32%, Truckee 18%, Yuba City 3%, Carson City 3%, Redding 2% and Reno and Chico less than 1%.
Technological innovations have also resulted in increased competition in financial services markets. Such innovation has, for example, made it possible for non-depository institutions to offer customers loans or automated transfer payment services that previously were considered traditional banking products. In addition, many customers now expect a choice of delivery systems and channels, including home computer, mobile, remote deposit, telephone, ATMs, mail, full-service branches and/or in-store branches. The sources of competition in such products include traditional banks as well as savings associations, credit unions, brokerage firms, money market and other mutual funds, asset management groups, finance and insurance companies, fintechs and mortgage banking firms.
Human Capital Resources. At December 31, 2025, we employed 246 persons. On a full-time equivalent basis, we employed 234 persons. None of our employees are represented by a labor union, and management considers its employee relations to be good.
While we expect to hire additional employees as we grow or as a result of attrition, we believe our human capital resources are adequate to support our current business. To attract and retain employees, we offer a competitive total compensation package that includes a comprehensive benefit program. We have adopted incentive compensation programs that are designed to retain and motivate employees and to align with our performance, including an incentive compensation plan, a 401K retirement plan, and an employee rewards plan. We regularly review our compensation and benefits and make adjustments to stay competitive. We continually invest in our work force through employee development, education and training.
Code of Ethics. Our Board of Directors has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers (including the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer) and financial personnel, known as the Corporate Governance Code of Ethics. This policy is available on our website at www.plumasbank.com. Shareholders may request a free copy of this policy from Plumas Bancorp, Ms. Jamie Huynh, Assistant Corporate Secretary, 5525 Kietzke Lane, Suite 100, Reno, Nevada, 89511.
Supervision and Regulation
General. As a banking organization, we are extensively regulated under federal and state law. These laws and regulations are generally intended to protect our customers and the financial system and not our shareholders. Our operations may be affected by legislative changes and by the policies of various regulatory authorities. Any change in applicable laws or regulations may have a material effect on our business and prospects. We cannot accurately predict the nature or the extent of the effects on our business and earnings that fiscal or monetary policies, or new federal or state legislation may have in the future. The following summaries of statutes and regulations are qualified in their entirety by reference to the particular statute or regulation.
Holding Company Regulation. The Company is a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and is subject to supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “FRB”). We are required to file reports with the FRB and the FRB periodically examines the Company. A bank holding company is required to serve as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary bank and, under appropriate circumstances, to commit resources to support its subsidiary bank. FRB regulations and policies require the Company to meet or exceed certain capital requirements and regulate provisions of certain bank holding company debt. The Company is also a bank holding company for purposes of the California Financial Code, so the Company and its subsidiaries are also subject to supervision and examination by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“DFPI”).
The activities of bank holding companies are generally limited to the business of banking, managing or controlling banks, and other activities that the FRB has determined to be so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto. Bank holding companies that qualify and register as “financial holding companies” are also able to engage in certain additional financial activities, such as merchant banking and securities and insurance underwriting, subject to limitations set forth in federal law. The Company has not elected to become a financial holding company. As a bank holding company, the Company must obtain prior approval of the FRB before taking any action that causes a bank to become a controlled subsidiary of the bank holding company, acquiring direct or indirect ownership of 5% of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of another bank or bank holding company, acquiring all or substantially all the assets of a bank or merging or consolidating with another bank holding company.
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Federal and State Bank Regulation. As a California-chartered commercial bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System, the Bank is subject to the supervision and regulation of the DFPI and the FRB, as well as certain of the regulations of the FDIC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”). The DFPI and the FRB regularly examine the Bank and may prohibit the Bank from engaging in what they believe constitutes unsafe or unsound banking practices or violations of law.
As a member of the Federal Reserve System, the Bank is required to purchase and maintain stock in the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in an amount equal to 3.00% of the paid-up capital stock and surplus of the Bank and have available another 3.00% in reserves. At December 31, 2025, the Bank had $3.6 million in stock of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in compliance with this requirement.
Capital Adequacy. The federal banking agencies have adopted risk-based capital adequacy guidelines intended to measure capital relative to the degree of risk associated with a banking organization’s operations for both transactions reported on the balance sheet as assets, and transactions, such as letters of credit and recourse arrangements, which are reported as off-balance-sheet items. Under these guidelines, nominal dollar amounts of assets and credit equivalent amounts of off-balance-sheet items are multiplied by one of several risk adjustment percentages, which range from 0% for assets with low credit risk, such as certain U.S. government securities, to 100% for assets with relatively higher credit risk, such as business loans.
A banking organization’s risk-based capital ratios are calculated by dividing its qualifying capital by its total risk-adjusted assets and off-balance-sheet items. The regulators measure risk-adjusted assets and off-balance-sheet items against common equity Tier 1 capital, Tier 1 capital and total qualifying capital (the sum of Tier 1 capital and limited amounts of Tier 2 capital). Common equity Tier 1 capital generally consists of common stock and retained earnings. Tier 1 capital consists of common stock, retained earnings, noncumulative perpetual preferred stock and minority interests in certain subsidiaries, less most other intangible assets. Tier 2 capital may consist of a limited amount of the allowance for credit losses and certain other instruments with some characteristics of equity. The inclusion of elements of Tier 2 capital is subject to certain other requirements and limitations of the federal banking agencies.
If a bank does not maintain the required capital levels, federal banking regulators, as well as the DFPI, may issue a capital directive or take other enforcement measures to ensure the maintenance of required capital levels. Federal law requires, among other things, that federal bank regulators take “prompt corrective action” with respect to banks that do not meet minimum capital requirements. For this purpose, the law establishes five capital categories: well capitalized, adequately capitalized, undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. At each successive lower capital category, a bank is subject to more restrictions and prohibitions, including restrictions on growth, restrictions on interest rates paid on deposits, restrictions or prohibitions on payment of dividends, and restrictions on the acceptance of brokered deposits. Furthermore, if an insured depository institution is classified in one of the undercapitalized categories, it is required to submit a capital restoration plan to the appropriate federal banking agency, and the holding company and any other company deemed to control the bank must guarantee the performance of that plan.
The federal bank regulatory agencies’ risk-based capital adequacy guidelines, sometimes called “Basel III,” establish minimum regulatory capital requirements for bank holding companies and depository institutions. The Basel III capital rules include a minimum common equity Tier 1 ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, a total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0%, and a minimum leverage ratio of 4.0% (calculated as Tier 1 capital to average consolidated assets). The minimum capital levels required to be considered “well capitalized” include a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 6.5%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.0%, a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0% and a leverage ratio of 5.0%. In addition, the Basel III capital rules require that banking organizations maintain a capital conservation buffer of 2.5% above the minimum capital requirements in order to avoid restrictions on their ability to pay dividends, repurchase stock or pay discretionary bonuses. Including the capital conservation buffer of 2.5%, the Basel III capital rules require the following minimum ratios for a bank holding company or bank to be considered “well capitalized”: a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 7.0%; a Tier 1 capital ratio of 8.5%, and a total capital ratio of 10.5%. At December 31, 2025, the Company’s and the Bank’s capital ratios exceed the thresholds necessary to be considered “well capitalized” under the Basel III framework.
Under the FRB’s Small Bank Holding Company and Savings and Loan Holding Company Policy Statement, qualifying bank holding companies with less than $3 billion in consolidated assets are exempt from the Basel III consolidated capital rules. The Company qualifies for treatment under this policy and is not currently subject to the Basel III consolidated capital rules at the bank holding company level. The Basel III capital rules continue to apply to the Bank.
For additional information, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Capital Standards.”
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Dividends and Stock Repurchases. The Company’s ability to pay cash dividends is limited by California law and is dependent on dividends it may receive from the Bank. The California General Corporation Law permits a California corporation such as the Company to make a distribution to its shareholders' if its retained earnings equal at least the amount of the proposed distribution or if after giving effect to the distribution, the value of the corporation’s assets exceeds the amount of its liabilities plus the amount of shareholders preferences, if any, and certain other conditions are met.
It is the FRB’s policy that bank holding companies should generally pay dividends on common stock only out of current income and only if prospective earnings support the organization’s expected future needs and financial condition. Further, it is the FRB’s policy that bank holding companies should not maintain dividend levels that undermine their ability to be a source of strength to their banking subsidiaries. The FRB also discourages dividend payment ratios that are at maximum allowable levels unless both asset quality and capital are very strong.
The Bank is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its holding company. The Company depends on the performance of the Bank for funds which may be received as dividends from the Bank for use in the operation of the Company and the ability of the Company to pay dividends to shareholders. Future cash dividends by the Bank will also depend upon management’s assessment of future capital requirements, contractual restrictions, and other factors.
The California Financial Code restricts the dividends that the Bank may pay to the Company to the lesser of the Bank’s retained earnings or the Bank’s net income for the latest three fiscal years, less dividends previously declared during that period, or, with the approval of the DFPI, to the greater of the retained earnings of the Bank, the net income of the Bank for its last fiscal year, or the net income of the Bank for its current fiscal year. As of December 31, 2025, the maximum amount available for dividend distribution under this restriction was approximately $46 million. In addition, the Bank is subject to the Basel III capital rules and the capital conservation buffer discussed above.
The foregoing restrictions and limitations on dividends similarly restrict the Company’s ability to repurchase shares of its common stock.
Loans-to-One Borrower. Under California law, the Bank’s ability to make aggregate secured and unsecured loans-to-one-borrower is limited to 25% and 15%, respectively, of unimpaired capital and surplus. At December 31, 2025, the Bank’s limit on aggregate secured loans-to-one-borrower was $67 million and unsecured loans-to-one borrower was $40 million. The Bank has established internal loan limits that are lower than its legal lending limits.
The Community Reinvestment Act. The Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) requires the federal banking regulators to evaluate the record of depository institutions in meeting the credit needs of their local communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of those institutions. Federal banking regulators consider the Bank’s CRA performance in evaluating applications for mergers, acquisitions and to establish new branches. A less than “Satisfactory” rating would likely result in the suspension of any growth of the Bank through acquisitions or opening de novo branches until the rating is improved. The Bank’s most recent CRA rating was “Satisfactory.”
Transactions with Affiliates. The Bank is subject to certain restrictions imposed by the Federal Reserve Act on extensions of credit to executive officers, directors, principal shareholders (including the Company) or any related interest of such persons. Extensions of credit must be made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are not less stringent than, those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with persons not affiliated with the Bank, and must not involve more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features. Banks are also subject to certain lending limits and restrictions on overdrafts to such persons. A violation of these restrictions may result in the assessment of substantial civil monetary penalties on the affected bank or any officer, director, employee, agent or other person participating in the conduct of the affairs of that bank, the imposition of a cease and desist order, and other regulatory sanctions.
The Federal Reserve Act and the FRB’s Regulation W limit the amount of certain loan and investment transactions between the Bank and its affiliates, require certain levels of collateral for such loans, and limit the amount of advances to third parties that may be collateralized by the securities of the Company or its subsidiaries. Regulation W requires that certain transactions between the Bank and its affiliates be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable to the Bank, as those prevailing at the time for comparable transactions with or involving nonaffiliated companies or, in the absence of comparable transactions, on terms and under circumstances, including credit standards, that in good faith would be offered to or would apply to nonaffiliated companies.
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Safety and Soundness Standards. The federal banking regulators have adopted non-capital safety and soundness standards for institutions. These standards cover internal controls, information and internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, compensation, fees and benefits, and standards for asset quality, earnings and stock valuation. An institution that fails to meet these standards must develop a plan acceptable to the agency, specifying the steps that it will take to meet the standards. Failure to submit or implement such a plan may subject the institution to regulatory enforcement actions, including civil money penalties.
Concentrations in Commercial Real Estate Lending. The federal banking regulators have issued guidance to identify institutions that may be exposed to potential significant commercial real estate lending risks and may therefore warrant greater supervisory scrutiny. The guidance includes the following numerical tests:
● total reported loans for construction, land development and other land represent 100% or more of the institution’s total risk-based capital, or
● total commercial real estate loans represent 300% or more of the institution’s total risk-based capital, and the outstanding balance of the institution’s commercial real estate loan portfolio has increased by 50% or more during the previous 36 months.
The guidance does not limit a bank’s levels of commercial real estate lending activities, but rather guides institutions in developing risk management practices and levels of capital that are commensurate with the level and nature of their commercial real estate concentrations. Banking regulators expect banks with concentrations of commercial real estate loans to maintain appropriate underwriting discipline, risk-management and capital commensurate with the level and nature of their commercial real estate risks.
Federal Deposit Insurance.The FDIC insures the Bank’s deposits, up to prescribed statutory limits, through the Deposit Insurance Fund, currently up to $250,000 per depositor per institution. The Deposit Insurance Fund is funded primarily by FDIC assessments paid by the insured depository institution. The amount of FDIC assessments paid by a depository institution is based on its relative risk of default as measured by regulatory capital ratios and other supervisory factors. The Bank’s FDIC insurance expense totaled $871 thousand for 2025.
While the FRB is the Bank’s primary federal regulator, as a federally insured depository institution, the Bank is also subject to certain regulations of and supervision by the FDIC. The FDIC may terminate a depository institution’s deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution’s financial condition is unsafe or unsound or that the institution has engaged in unsafe or unsound practices that pose a risk to the Deposit Insurance Fund or that may prejudice the interest of the institution’s depositors. Under California law, the termination of the Bank’s deposit insurance would result in a termination of the Bank’s charter.
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Consumer Protection Laws and Regulations. The bank regulatory agencies continue to focus greater attention on compliance with consumer protection laws and their implementing regulations. Examination and enforcement have become more intense in nature, and insured institutions have been advised to carefully monitor compliance with such laws and regulations. The Company is subject to many federal and state consumer protection and privacy statutes and regulations, including but not limited to the following:
Penalties for noncompliance or violations under the above laws may include enforcement actions, fines, customer reimbursement and other penalties. Violations of consumer laws may also adversely affect the Bank’s CRA rating. Due to heightened regulatory expectations related to compliance generally, the Company may incur additional compliance costs.
The Dodd-Frank Act created the CFPB as an independent federal agency with broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement powers under various federal consumer financial protection laws. The CFPB has examination and primary enforcement authority with respect to depository institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. Smaller institutions, including the Bank, are generally subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and supervised by their primary federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes.
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Anti-Money Laundering Laws. A series of banking laws and regulations beginning with the Bank Secrecy Act require banks to prevent, detect, and report illicit or illegal financial activities to the federal government to prevent money laundering, international drug trafficking, and terrorism. Under the US PATRIOT Act of 2001 (the “Patriot Act”), financial institutions are subject to prohibitions against specified financial transactions and account relationships, requirements regarding the Customer Identification Program, as well as enhanced due diligence and “know your customer” standards in their dealings with high-risk customers, foreign financial institutions, and foreign individuals and entities. These rules also mandate a variety of record keeping, reporting and employee training requirements. The Patriot Act also requires federal bank regulators to evaluate the effectiveness of an applicant in combating money laundering when determining whether to approve a proposed bank acquisition or merger.
Privacy and Data Security. The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act of 1999 (“GLBA”) imposes requirements on financial institutions with respect to consumer privacy. The GLBA generally prohibits disclosure of consumer information to non-affiliated third parties unless the consumer has been given the opportunity to object and has not objected to such disclosure. Financial institutions are further required to disclose their privacy policies to consumers annually. The Bank is required to have an information security program to safeguard the confidentiality and security of customer information and to ensure proper disposal of information that is no longer needed. Customers must be notified when unauthorized disclosure involves sensitive customer information that may be misused.
Potential Enforcement Actions; Supervisory Agreements. Under federal law, the Company, the Bank and their institution-affiliated parties may be the subject of potential enforcement actions by the federal banking regulators for unsafe and unsound practices in conducting their businesses, or for violations of any law, rule or regulation or provision, any consent order with any agency, any condition imposed in writing by the agency or any written agreement with the agency. Enforcement actions may include the imposition of a conservator or receiver, cease-and-desist orders and written agreements, the termination of insurance of deposits, the imposition of civil money penalties, the payment of restitution and removal and prohibition orders against institution-affiliated parties. The DFPI also has authority to bring similar enforcement actions against the Bank.
Legislation and Proposed Changes. From time to time, legislation is enacted which has the effect of increasing the cost of doing business, limiting or expanding permissible activities or affecting the competitive balance between banks and other financial institutions. Proposals to change the laws and regulations governing the operations and taxation of banks, bank holding companies and other financial institutions are frequently made in Congress, in the California legislature and before various bank regulatory agencies. Typically, the intent of this type of legislation is to strengthen the banking industry, even if it may on occasion prove to be a burden on management’s plans. No prediction can be made as to the likelihood of any major changes or the impact that new laws or regulations might have on us.
Effects of Government Monetary Policy. Our earnings and growth are affected not only by general economic conditions, but also by the fiscal and monetary policies of the federal government, particularly the FRB. The FRB implements national monetary policy for such purposes as curbing inflation and combating recession, through its open market operations in U.S. Government securities, control of the discount rate applicable to borrowings from the FRB, and establishment of reserve requirements against certain deposits. These activities influence growth of bank loans, investments and deposits, and also affect interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits. The Company’s profitability, like most financial institutions, is primarily dependent on interest rate spreads. In general, the difference between the interest rates paid by the Bank on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and other borrowings, and the interest rates received by the Bank on interest-earning assets, such as loans extended to customers and securities held in the investment portfolio, will comprise the major portion of the Company’s earnings. These rates are highly sensitive to many factors that are beyond our control, such as inflation, recession and unemployment, the monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government and the policies of regulatory agencies, particularly the FRB, and the impact which future changes in domestic and foreign economic conditions might have on us cannot be predicted. The nature and impact of future changes in monetary policies and their impact on us cannot be predicted with certainty.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 – “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies – Adoption of New Accounting Standards” of the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for information related to recent accounting pronouncements.
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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Risks Relating to our Business and Industry
The majority of our assets are loans, which are subject to credit risks and potential losses.
The Bank, like other lenders, is subject to credit risk, which is the risk of losing principal or interest due to borrowers’ failure to perform their obligations in accordance with the terms of their credit agreements. Underwriting and documentation controls cannot mitigate all credit risk. Accordingly, our results of operations will be directly affected by the volume and timing of loan losses, which for several reasons can vary from period to period. The risks of loan losses may be exacerbated by a downturn in the economy or the real estate market in our market areas or a rapid increase in interest rates, which could have a negative effect on collateral values and borrowers’ ability to repay. To the extent borrowers do not timely pay our loans, the loans are placed on non-accrual status, thereby reducing interest income. Further, under these circumstances, we may be required to make an additional provision for loan and lease losses or unfunded commitments, which could reduce our income and capital. See Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – “Analysis of Asset Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses”.
A deterioration of national or local economic conditions could reduce our profitability.
Our lending operations and customers are primarily located in the eastern region of Northern California and in Northern Nevada. As a result, a significant majority of the loans in our loan portfolios as of December 31, 2025, were secured by properties and collateral located within these regions. As of such date, approximately 92% of the loans in our loan portfolio were made to borrowers who primarily conduct business or live in Northern California or Northern Nevada. This geographic concentration imposes risks from lack of geographic diversification, as adverse economic developments in Northern California or Northern Nevada, among other things, could affect the volume of loan originations, increase the level of nonperforming assets, increase the rate of foreclosure losses on loans and reduce the value of our loans and the underlying collateral. Any regional or local economic downturn affecting Northern California or Northern Nevada or existing or prospective borrowers or property values in such areas may affect us and our profitability more significantly and more adversely than depository organizations whose operations are less geographically concentrated. A significant downturn in the national economy or the local economy due to the real estate market, monetary or public policy decisions, tariffs and internal trading tension, agricultural commodity prices, natural disaster, fires, drought or other factors could result in a decline in the local economy in general, which could in turn negatively impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
If our allowance for credit losses is not sufficient to absorb actual loan losses, our profitability could be reduced.
The risk of loan losses is inherent in the lending business.We maintain an allowance for credit losses based upon our actual losses over a relevant time period and management’s assessment of all relevant qualitative factors that may cause future loss experience to differ from our historical loss experience. Although we maintain a rigorous process for determining the allowance for credit losses, we cannot be certain that it will be sufficient to cover future loan losses. Determining the appropriate levels of the allowances for credit losses inherently involves a high degree of subjectivity and judgment and requires us to make estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which may undergo material changes. If our allowance for credit losses is not adequate to absorb future losses, or if bank regulatory agencies require us to increase our allowance for credit losses, our earnings could be significantly and adversely impacted.
A deterioration in the real estate market could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
As of December 31, 2025, approximately 77% of our total loan portfolio is secured by real estate, the majority of which is commercial real estate. The market value of real estate can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time as a result of market conditions in the area in which the real estate is located. Adverse changes affecting real estate values and the liquidity of real estate in our markets could increase the credit risk associated with our loan portfolio and could result in losses that would adversely affect credit quality, financial condition, and results of operation. Negative changes in the economy affecting real estate values and liquidity in our market areas could significantly impair the value of property pledged as collateral on loans and affect our ability to sell the collateral upon foreclosure without a loss or additional losses. Collateral may have to be sold for less than the outstanding balance of the loan, which could result in losses on such loans. Declines in real estate market values or increases in commercial and consumer delinquency levels could require increased net charge-offs which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
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Inflationary pressures and rising prices may affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Inflation began to rise sharply at the end of 2021 and has remained at an elevated level through 2024. While some broad inflation rates began to moderate in 2025, inflation rates in some sectors remained elevated relative to historical levels. Small to medium-sized businesses may be impacted more during periods of high inflation as they are not able to leverage economics of scale to mitigate cost pressures compared to larger businesses. Consequently, the ability of our business customers to repay their loans may deteriorate, and in some cases this deterioration may occur quickly, which would adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, a prolonged period of inflation could cause wages and other costs to the Company to increase, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
Changes in interest rates could reduce our business and profitability.
Our earnings could be significantly and adversely impacted by changes in interest rates. While we maintain processes for managing the impact of interest rate fluctuations on earnings, there is a risk that these processes may not fully mitigate the impact of interest rate fluctuations on our business and profitability.
Our earnings depend largely upon net interest income, which is the difference between the total interest income earned on interest earning assets (primarily loans and investment securities) and the total interest expense incurred on interest bearing liabilities (primarily deposits and borrowed funds). The rate of interest that we earn on assets and pay on liabilities is affected principally by direct competition and general economic conditions at the state and national level and other factors beyond our control such as actions of the FRB, the general supply of money in the economy, legislative tax policies, governmental budgetary matters, and other state and federal economic policies.
In a period of rising interest rates, the interest income we earn on our assets may not increase as rapidly as the interest expense we incur on our liabilities. Likewise, in a period of falling interest rates, the interest expense we incur on our liabilities may not decrease as rapidly as the interest income we earn on our assets. Historically, our liabilities have shorter contractual maturities than our assets. This creates a potential imbalance as interest rates change over time, which can create significant earnings volatility. Such an occurrence would have a material adverse effect on our net interest income and our results of operations.
Interest rate increases often result in larger payment requirements for our borrowers, increasing the potential for default. At the same time, the marketability of the property securing a loan may be adversely affected by any reduced demand resulting from higher interest rates.
Changes in interest rates can also affect the average life of our loans. A reduction in interest rates causes increased prepayments of loans as borrowers tend to refinance their debt to reduce their borrowing costs. This creates reinvestment risk, which is the risk that we may not be able to reinvest the funds from faster prepayments at rates that are comparable to the rates earned on the prepaid loans.
Changes in interest rates also affect the value of our interest-earning assets, particularly our investment securities portfolio. Generally, the value of fixed-rate securities fluctuates inversely with changes in interest rates, so the market value of our investment securities may fall as interest rates rise. Unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale are reported as a separate component of equity, net of tax. Stockholders’ equity, specifically accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”), is increased or decreased by the amount of change in the estimated fair value of our securities available for sale, net of deferred income taxes. Decreases in the fair value of securities available for sale resulting from increases in interest rates could have an adverse effect on shareholders’ equity.
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A lack of liquidity could adversely affect our operations and jeopardize our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Liquidity is essential to our business. We rely on our ability to generate deposits and effectively manage the repayment and maturity schedules of our loans and investment securities, respectively, to ensure that we have adequate liquidity to fund our operations. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, securities sales, Federal Reserve Bank advances, the sale of loans and other sources could have a substantial negative effect on our liquidity. Our most important source of funding consists of deposits. Deposit balances may decrease if customers seek higher investment returns or choose to move deposits to other banks or investments that are perceived as having lower risks. If customers move money out of bank deposits and into other investments, then we would lose a relatively low-cost source of funds, increasing our funding costs and reducing our net interest income and net income.
Other primary sources of funds consist of cash flows from operations, investment maturities and sales, loan repayments, and proceeds from the issuance and sale of any equity and debt securities to investors. Additional liquidity is provided by the ability to borrow from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Federal Home Loan Bank and our ability to raise brokered deposits. We also may borrow funds from third-party lenders, such as other financial institutions. Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our activities, or on terms that are acceptable to us, could be impaired by factors that affect us directly or the bank or non-bank financial services industries or the economy in general, such as disruptions in the financial markets or negative views and expectations about the prospects for the bank or non-bank financial services industries. If we increase interest rates paid to retain deposits, our earnings may be adversely affected, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Significant declines in available funding could adversely affect our ability to originate loans, invest in securities, pay our expenses, distribute dividends to our shareholders, and fulfill our debt obligations or deposit withdrawal demands. In addition, a lack of liquidity could result in the sale of securities in an unrealized loss position. All of these factors could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity, business, financial condition and results of operations.
A reduction in the value, or impairment of our investment securities, can impact our earnings and common shareholders’ equity.
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) requires that we carry our available-for-sale investment securities at fair value on our balance sheet. Unrealized gains or losses on these securities, reflecting the difference between the fair market value and the amortized cost, net of its tax effect, are reported as a component of shareholders’ equity. In certain instances, GAAP requires recognition through earnings of declines in the fair value of securities that are deemed to be impaired. Any impairment that is not credit related is recognized in other comprehensive income, net of applicable taxes. Credit-related impairment is recognized as an allowance for credit losses on the balance sheet, limited to the amount by which the amortized cost basis exceeds the fair value, with a corresponding adjustment to earnings. Changes in the fair value of these securities may result from a number of circumstances that are beyond our control, such as changes in interest rates, the financial condition of municipalities, government sponsored enterprises or insurers of municipal bonds, changes in demand for these securities as a result of economic conditions, or reduced market liquidity. If our investment securities decline in market value and impairments of these assets results, we could be required to recognize a loss which could have a material adverse effect on our net income and capital levels.
Adverse developments affecting the banking industry may erode customer confidence in the banking system and could have a material effect on our operations and/or stock price.
The high-profile failures of several depository institutions may have negatively impacted customer confidence in the safety and soundness of some regional and community banks. Future failures of or publicized financial difficulties at other depository institutions similarly erode customer confidence. As a result, we face that risk that customers may prefer to maintain deposits with larger financial institutions or invest in short-term fixed income securities instead of deposits with the Bank, either of which could materially adversely impact our liquidity, cost of funding, capital, and results of operations. In response to the failures of other depository institutions, we may face increased regulation and supervisory oversight, higher capital or liquidity requirements or a heightened risk of regulatory enforcement activities, any of which could have a material impact on our business. Further, our costs of deposit insurance may increase as a result of these bank failures and the resulting losses to the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund. In addition, concerns about the banking industry’s operating environment and the public trading prices of bank holding companies are often correlated, particularly during times of financial stress, which could adversely impact the trading price of our common stock.
We could be required to raise additional capital in the future, but that capital may not be available when it is needed or may not be available on terms that are favorable to us or our existing shareholders.
As a depository organization, we must meet significant regulatory capital requirements and maintain sufficient liquidity. We may need to raise additional capital in the future to provide us with sufficient capital resources and liquidity to meet our commitments and business needs. Our ability to raise additional capital depends on conditions in the capital markets, economic conditions, and a number of other factors, including investor perceptions regarding the banking industry, market conditions and governmental activities, and on our financial condition and performance. Accordingly, we cannot assure that we will be able to raise additional capital if needed, on terms acceptable to us or on terms that would not adversely affect our existing shareholders. If we fail to maintain capital to meet regulatory requirements, our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
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The markets in which we operate are subject to the risks of drought, fires, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
The occurrence of catastrophic weather events or pandemics could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. Most of our offices are located in California, as are most of the real and personal properties securing our loans. The areas in which we operate and lend in California and Nevada are prone to earthquakes, fires, flooding and other natural disasters. In addition to possibly sustaining damage to our own properties, if there is a major earthquake, fire, flood or other natural disaster, we face the risk that many of our borrowers may experience uninsured property losses, or sustained job interruption and/or loss which may materially impair their ability to meet the terms of their loan obligations. Therefore, a major earthquake, fire, flood or other natural disaster in California or Nevada could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Over the past decade, California has experienced periods of severe drought. A significant portion of our borrowers are involved in or are dependent on the agricultural industry in California, which requires water. As of December 31, 2025, approximately 10% of our loans were categorized as agricultural loans. As a result of the drought, there have been governmental proposals concerning the distribution or rationing of water. If the amount of water available to agriculture becomes scarcer due to drought or rationing, growers may not be able to continue to produce agricultural products profitably, which could force some out of business. Although many of our customers are not directly involved in agriculture, they could be impacted by difficulties in the agricultural industry because many jobs and businesses in our market areas are related to the production of agricultural products. Therefore, a drought could adversely impact our loan portfolio, business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to market, operational, accounting, credit and other related risks associated with our interest rate hedging strategies.
We may seek to mitigate our interest rate risk by entering into interest rate swaps and other interest rate derivative contracts from time to time. No hedging strategy can completely protect us and the derivative financial instruments we elect may not be effective in reducing our interest rate risk. Our hedging strategies rely on assumptions and projections regarding interest rates, asset levels and general market factors and subject us to counterparty risks, such as the risks of insolvency or other inability of the counterparty to a particular transaction to perform its obligations thereunder, including providing sufficient collateral. Hedging strategies that prove to be ineffective, inaccurate assumptions or projections or the failure of a counterparty to fulfill its contractual obligations could increase our risks and losses.
To the extent a derivative contract does not meet the requirements for applying hedge accounting in accordance with GAAP, our earnings may be adversely affected. In particular, to be eligible for hedge accounting under GAAP, derivatives must be highly effective in offsetting changes in the value or cash flows of the hedged items and appropriately designated or documented as such. If it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective at hedging the designated exposure, hedge accounting is discontinued and the changes in fair value of the instrument are included in our reported net income.
In addition, hedging strategies involve transaction and other costs. Therefore, our hedging strategies and the derivatives that we use may not adequately offset the risks of interest rate volatility and could result in or magnify losses, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and result of operations.
We face substantial competition from larger banks and other financial institutions.
We face substantial competition for deposits and loans. Competition for deposits primarily comes from other commercial banks, savings institutions, thrift and loan associations, credit unions, money market and mutual funds and other investment alternatives. Competition for loans comes primarily from other commercial banks, savings institutions, credit unions, mortgage banking firms, thrift and loan associations and increasingly “fintech” lending platforms. Larger competitors with larger capital resources have substantially greater resources to invest in technology and marketing and higher lending limits than us. In addition, with greater financial resources, they may be able to offer longer maturities or lower rates. Our competitors may also provide certain products and services for their customers, such as technological solutions, trust services and international banking, that we are unable to offer or may only be able to offer indirectly through correspondent relationships. Ultimately, competition can reduce our profitability, as well as make it more difficult to increase the size of our loan portfolio and deposit base.
Our growth strategy involves risks.
In July 2025, we completed our acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bancorp. In 2021 we acquired Bank of Feather River and in 2023 we opened a new branch in Chico California. Previously, during the last ten years we completed two branch purchase and assumption transactions, the establishment of a new branch office in Reno, Nevada and a loan production office in Klamath Falls, Oregon. As a result, the size and complexity of our business has increased. Our future success will depend, in part, upon our ability to manage this expanded business, which may pose challenges for management, including challenges related to the management and monitoring of new operations and associated increased costs and complexity.
We may engage in additional acquisition activity and open additional offices in the future to expand our markets and further our growth strategy. Acquiring other banks or branches involves various other risks commonly associated with acquisitions including difficulty in estimating the value of the business to be acquired, integrating the operations, and retaining key employees and customers. We cannot assure that our acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bancorp or any future acquisitions or new offices will be successful or achieve the anticipated benefits. Further, growth may strain our administrative, managerial, financial and operational resources and increase demands on our systems and controls. If we pursue our growth strategy too aggressively or fail to attract qualified personnel, control costs or maintain asset quality, or if factors beyond management’s control divert attention away from our business operations, our pursuit of growth could have a material adverse impact on our business.
Our accounting estimates and risk management processes rely on analytical and forecasting models.
The processes we use to estimate expected credit losses on loans and investment securities, and to measure the fair value of financial instruments, as well as the processes used to estimate the effects of changing interest rates and other market measures on our financial condition and results of operations, depends upon the use of analytical and forecasting models. These models reflect assumptions that may not be accurate, particularly in times of market volatility or other unforeseen circumstances. Even if these assumptions are adequate, the models may prove to be inadequate or inaccurate because of other flaws in their design or their implementation. If the models we use for interest rate risk and asset-liability management are inadequate, we may incur increased or unexpected losses upon changes in market interest rates or other market factors. If the models we use for determining our expected credit losses on loans and investment securities are inadequate, the allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to support future charge-offs. If the models we use to measure the fair value of financial instruments are inadequate, the fair value of such financial instruments may fluctuate unexpectedly or may not accurately reflect what we could realize upon sale or settlement of such financial instruments. Any such failure in our analytical or forecasting models could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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The accuracy of our financial statements and related disclosures could be affected if the judgments, assumptions or estimates used in our critical accounting policies are inaccurate.
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with GAAP requires us to make judgments, assumptions and estimates that affect the amounts reported in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our critical accounting policies, which are included in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” describe those significant accounting policies and methods used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements that we consider critical because they require judgments, assumptions and estimates that materially affect our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. As a result, if future events or regulatory views concerning such analysis differ significantly from the judgments, assumptions and estimates in our critical accounting policies, those events or assumptions could have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, in each case resulting in our need to revise or restate prior period financial statements, cause damage to our reputation and the price of our common stock and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely upon independent appraisals to determine the value of the real estate that secures a substantial portion of our loans, and the values indicated by such appraisals may not be realizable if we are forced to foreclose upon such loans.
A substantial portion of our loan portfolio consists of loans secured by real estate. We generally rely upon appraisers at the time of origination to estimate the value of such real estate. Appraisals are only estimates of value, and the soundness of those estimates may be affected by volatility in the real estate market or other changes in market conditions. In addition, the appraisers may make mistakes of fact or judgment, which adversely affect the reliability of their appraisals. In addition, events occurring after the initial appraisal may cause the value of the real estate to increase or decrease. For example, since 2020 and in light of the prevalence of hybrid work arrangements and associated lower occupancy rates, in many cases the value of commercial real estate secured by office properties has declined. As a result of these factors, the real estate securing some of our loans may be less valuable than anticipated at the time the loans were made. If a default occurs on a loan secured by real estate that is less valuable than originally estimated, then we may not be able to recover the outstanding balance of the loan and will suffer a loss.
Cybersecurity breaches and technological disruptions could damage our reputation and profitability.
Our electronic banking activities expose us to possible liability and harm to our reputation should an unauthorized party gain access to confidential customer information. Despite our considerable efforts and investment to provide the security and authentication necessary to effect secure transmission of data, we cannot guarantee that these precautions will protect our systems from security compromises or breaches. Although we have developed systems and processes that are designed to recognize and assist in preventing security breaches (and periodically test our security), a failure to protect against or mitigate breaches of security could adversely affect our ability to offer and grow our online services, constitute a breach of privacy or other laws, result in costly litigation and loss of customer relationships, negatively impact our reputation, and could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We may also incur substantial increases in costs in an effort to minimize or mitigate cybersecurity risks and to respond to cyber incidents.
The potential for operational risk exposure exists throughout our business. Integral to our performance is the continued efficacy of our technology and information systems, operational infrastructure and relationships with third parties and colleagues in day-to-day and ongoing operations. A failure by any or all of these resources subjects us to risks that may vary in size, scale and scope. This includes, but is not limited to, operational or systems failures, disruption of client operations and activities, ineffectiveness or exposure due to interruption in third party support as well as the loss of key colleagues or failure on the part of key colleagues to perform properly. The continued evolution and increased use of artificial intelligence technologies may further increase these risks.
Technology is changing rapidly and may put us at a competitive disadvantage.
The banking industry is undergoing rapid technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. Effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables banks to better serve customers. Our future success depends, in part, on our ability and the ability of our third-party partners to effectively implement new technology. The widespread adoption of new technologies, including mobile banking services, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies and payment systems, could require us in the future to make substantial expenditures to modify or adapt our existing products and services as we grow and develop new products to satisfy our customers’ expectations and comply with regulatory guidance. Many of our larger competitors have substantially greater resources than we do to invest in technological improvements. As a result, they may be able to offer, or more quickly offer, additional or superior products that could put us at a competitive disadvantage.
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The use of artificial intelligence in our marketplace may result in reputational harm or liability, or could otherwise adversely affect our business.
Artificial intelligence, including generative artificial intelligence, is or may be enabled by or integrated into our products and services or those developed by our third-party partners. As with many developing technologies, artificial intelligence presents risks and challenges that could affect its further development, adoption, and use, and therefore our business. Artificial intelligence algorithms may be flawed, for example datasets may contain biased information or otherwise be insufficient; and inappropriate or controversial data practices could impair the acceptance of artificial intelligence solutions and result in burdensome new regulations. If the analyses that products incorporating artificial intelligence assist in producing for us or our third-party partners are deficient, biased or inaccurate, we could be subject to competitive harm, potential legal liability and brand or reputational harm. The use of artificial intelligence may also present ethical issues. If we or our third-party partners offer artificial intelligence enabled products that are controversial because of their purported or real impact on human rights, privacy, or other issues, we may experience competitive harm, potential legal liability and brand or reputational harm. In addition, we expect that governments will continue to assess and implement new laws and regulations concerning the use of artificial intelligence, which may affect or impair the usability or efficiency of our products and services and those developed by our third-party partners.
We face risks relating to our reliance on third party vendors.
We outsource a large portion of our data processing to third parties who may encounter technological or other difficulties that could in turn significantly limit or affect our ability to process and account for customer transactions. These vendors provide services that support our operations, including the storage and processing of sensitive consumer and business customer data, as well as our sales efforts. A cyber security breach of a vendor’s system may result in theft of our data or disruption of business processes. In most cases, we would be primarily liable to our customers for losses arising from a breach of a vendor’s data security system.
We also rely on our outsourced service providers to implement and maintain prudent cyber security controls. The loss of these vendor relationships could disrupt the services we provide to customers and cause us to incur significant expense in connection with replacing these services.
Plumas Bancorp depends primarily on the operations of Plumas Bank to pay dividends, repurchase shares, repay its indebtedness and fund its operations. The Bank’s ability to pay dividends to Plumas Bancorp depends on the success of the Bank’s operations.
Plumas Bancorp is a separate and distinct legal entity from its subsidiary, the Bank, and it receives substantially all of its revenue from dividends paid by the Bank. There are legal limitations on the extent to which the Bank may extend credit, pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to, or engage in transactions with, Plumas Bancorp. Plumas Bancorp’s inability to receive dividends from the Bank could adversely affect its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Even if applicable laws and regulations would permit the Bank to pay dividends to Plumas Bancorp and would permit Plumas Bancorp to pay dividends to our shareholders, our Board of Directors could determine that it is not in the best interest of the our shareholders to do so in order to preserve or redeploy our capital resources, for example. For these reasons, the amount and frequency of dividends that we pay to shareholders may vary from time to time.
Damage to our reputation could significantly harm our business and prospects.
Our reputation is an important asset. Our relationship with many of our customers is predicated upon our reputation as a high-quality provider of financial services that adheres to the highest standards of ethics, service quality and regulatory compliance. Our ability to attract and retain customers, investors and employees depends upon external perceptions. Damage to our reputation among existing and potential customers, investors and employees could cause significant harm to our business and prospects and may arise from numerous sources, including litigation or regulatory actions, failing to deliver minimum standards of service and quality, lending practices, inadequate protection of customer information, sales and marketing efforts, compliance failures, cybersecurity breaches, unethical behavior and the misconduct of employees. Adverse developments in the banking industry may also, by association, negatively impact our reputation or result in greater regulatory or legislative scrutiny or litigation against us. We have policies and procedures in place intended to protect our reputation and promote ethical conduct, but these policies and procedures may not be fully effective. Negative publicity regarding our business, employees, or customers, with or without merit, may result in the loss of customers, investors, and employees, costly litigation, a decline in revenues and increased governmental regulation.
We are exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to real properties that we may acquire.
If our borrowers are unable to meet their loan repayment obligations, we will initiate foreclosure proceedings with respect to and may take actions to acquire title to the personal and real property that collateralized their loans. As an owner of such properties, we could become subject to environmental liabilities and incur substantial costs for any property damage, personal injury, investigation and clean-up that may be required due to any environmental contamination that may be found to exist at any of those properties, even though we did not engage in the activities that led to such contamination. In addition, if we were the owner or former owner of a contaminated site, we could be subject to common law claims by third parties seeking damages for environmental contamination emanating from the site. If we were to become subject to significant environmental liabilities or costs, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be adversely affected.
Risks Related to Regulation of the Company and the Bank
We are subject to extensive regulation and may face regulatory enforcement actions, incur fines, penalties and other negative consequences from regulatory violations.
Our operations are subject to extensive regulation by federal, state and local governmental authorities and are subject to various laws and judicial and administrative decisions imposing requirements and restrictions on our operations. Over time, our business has been increasingly affected by the growing breadth of these regulations, and this trend is likely to continue. Federal and state banking regulators have significant discretion and authority to prevent or remedy unsafe or unsound practices or violations of laws or regulations by bank holding companies and banks in the performance of their supervisory and enforcement duties. If banking regulators determine that we have violated laws or engaged in unsafe or unsound practices, we could face enforcement actions, incur fines, penalties, and other negative consequences. While we maintain systems and procedures designed to ensure that we comply with applicable laws and regulations, we cannot be certain that these will be effective. We may also suffer other negative consequences resulting from findings of noncompliance with laws and regulations which may also damage our reputation, and this in turn might materially affect our business and results of operations. Further, some legal/regulatory frameworks provide for the imposition of fines, restitution, or penalties for noncompliance even though the noncompliance was inadvertent or unintentional and even though there were in place at the time systems and procedures designed to ensure compliance.
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Regulatory policies regarding loans secured by commercial real estate could limit our ability to leverage our capital and adversely affect our growth and profitability.
The federal banking agencies have issued guidance regarding concentrations in commercial real estate (“CRE”) lending for banks that are deemed to have particularly high concentrations of CRE loans within their lending portfolios. Under this guidance, a bank that has (i) total reported loans for construction, land development, and other land which represent 100% or more of the bank’s total risk-based capital; or (ii) total CRE representing 300% or more of the bank’s total risk-based capital, where the outstanding balance of the bank’s CRE loan portfolio has increased 50% or more during the prior 36 months, is identified as having potential CRE concentration risk. While the agencies’ guidance does not limit the levels of a bank’s CRE lending, banks with higher levels of CRE loans are generally expected to implement enhanced underwriting, internal controls, risk management policies and portfolio stress testing, as well as higher levels of allowances for credit losses and capital levels as a result of CRE lending growth and exposures.
As of December 31, 2025, our CRE loans for purposes of this guidance, represented389%of our total risk-based capital. As of December 31, 2025, total loans secured by CRE under construction and land development represented 15% of our total risk-based capital. As a result, the FRB, which is the Bank’s federal banking regulator, could view the Bank as having a high concentration of CRE loans under this guidance.
Although we actively work to manage our CRE concentration and believe that our underwriting policies, management information systems, independent credit administration process, and monitoring of real estate loan concentrations are appropriate to address our CRE concentration, we face heightened regulatory scrutiny as a result of our CRE loan concentrations. Federal regulators could become concerned about our CRE loan concentrations, and we could be required to reduce our levels of CRE lending, increase our capital, allocate greater resources to the management of CRE risks, or any combination of these actions. The FRB could limit our ability to grow by, among other things, restricting their approvals for the establishment or acquisition of branches, or approvals of mergers or other acquisition opportunities. Further, we cannot guarantee that any risk management practices we implement will be effective to prevent losses relating to our CRE portfolio.
Any of these risks could have an adverse effect on our business, consolidated financial condition and consolidated results of operations.
General Risk Factors
The trading price of our common stock may be volatile or may decline.
The trading price of our common stock may fluctuate as a result of a number of factors, many of which are outside our control. Among the factors that could affect the trading price of our common stock are:
• research reports and recommendations by financial analysts;
• failure to meet analysts’ revenue or earnings estimates;
• speculation in the press or investment community;
• actions by institutional shareholders;
• proposed or adopted regulatory changes or developments;
• domestic and international economic factors unrelated to our performance.
A significant decline in the trading price of our common stock price could result in substantial losses for individual shareholders and could lead to costly and disruptive securities litigation.
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The trading volume of our common stock is limited.
Although our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market, trading volume to date has been relatively modest. The limited trading market for our common stock may lead to exaggerated fluctuations in market prices and possible market inefficiencies compared to more actively traded securities. It may also make it more difficult for investors to sell our common stock at desired prices, especially for holders seeking to dispose of a large number of shares of stock.
Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.
We have designed and implemented controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance that the information we are required to disclose in the reports that we file with the SEC under the Exchange Act is accurately accumulated and communicated to our management, and recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. However, no disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide absolute assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, that alternative reasoned judgments can be drawn, or that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control systems, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected, which could result in a material weakness in our internal controls over financial reporting and the correction or restatement of previously disclosed financial statements or information.
We rely on key executives and personnel and the loss of any of them could have a material adverse impact on our prospects.
Competition for qualified employees and personnel in the banking industry is intense and there are a limited number of qualified persons with knowledge of, and experience in, the California and Nevada community banking industry. The process of recruiting personnel with the combination of skills and attributes required to carry out the Company’s strategies is often lengthy. Our success depends to a significant degree upon our ability to attract and retain qualified management, loan origination, finance, administrative, marketing, compliance, and technical personnel and upon the continued contributions of our management and personnel. In particular, our success has been and continues to be highly dependent upon the abilities and relationships of key executives and certain other employees.
Climate change may materially adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Concerns over the long-term impacts of climate change have led and will continue to lead to governmental efforts around the world to mitigate those impacts. Consumers and businesses also may change their behavior on their own as a result of these concerns. We and our clients will need to respond to new laws and regulations as well as consumer and business preferences resulting from climate change concerns. We and our clients may face cost increases, asset value reductions and operating process changes. The impact on our clients will likely vary depending on their specific attributes, including reliance on or role in carbon intensive activities. Among the impacts to us could be a drop in demand for our products and services, particularly in certain industry sectors. In addition, we could face reductions in creditworthiness on the part of some clients or in the value of assets securing loans. Our efforts to take these risks into account in making lending and other decisions, including by increasing our business with climate-friendly companies, may not be effective in protecting us from the negative impact of new laws and regulations or changes in consumer or business behavior.
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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Plumas Bancorp maintains a cyber risk management program that is designed to prevent, detect, and respond to information security threats. The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the Company’s information security program, which is designed and implemented by management under the direction of the Chief Information Officer. In addition, the Internal Auditor and Risk Management Officer consider cybersecurity threat risks alongside other company risks as part of our overall risk assessment and management process.
The Chief Information Officer supervises the information security team, which is responsible for maintaining and implementing our enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, policy, standards, and architecture processes. The Information Security Officer, in coordination with compliance and human resources, conducts annual and ongoing company-wide information security awareness training. The Chief Information Officer and Information Security Officer have combined over 35 years of IT management experience. We have developed processes to identify and oversee risks from cybersecurity threats associated with third-party service providers, which include the information security team assessing cybersecurity robustness during third-party vendor onboarding, the inclusion of protective provisions in third-party vendor agreements, and risk-based monitoring of third-party vendors on an ongoing basis.
The Board of Directors receives regular reports from the Chief Information Officer and the Information Security Officer on Plumas Bancorp’s cyber risks and threats, the status of projects to strengthen Plumas Bancorp’s information security systems, assessments of Plumas Bancorp’s security program, and the emerging threat landscape. Additionally, the Chief Information Officer chairs the Technology Steering Committee, which drives awareness, ownership, and alignment across all business functions for effective cybersecurity risk management and reporting. In addition to conducting internal audits, Plumas Bancorp annually engages third parties to audit its information security programs, whose findings are reported to the Audit and Executive Committees of the Board. The Company also engages with key third-party vendors, industry participants, government agencies, and intelligence and law enforcement communities as part of our efforts, which are reported to the Technology Steering Committee and Board of Directors.
The Company has experienced and expects that it will continue to experience cyber-based attempts to compromise its information systems, although none, to its knowledge, has had a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition, or results of operations. Like all financial institutions, the Company faces the risks of such threats, the consequences of which could be material. See Item 1A – Risk Factors – “Cybersecurity breaches and technological discussions could damage our reputation and profitability,” above. In addition, given the constant and evolving threat of cyber-based attacks, the Company incurs significant costs in its efforts to detect and prevent security breaches and incidents, and these costs may increase in the future.
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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Of the Company’s nineteen depository branches, eight are owned and eleven are leased. Our Yuba City branch is classified as owned; however, it is subject to a long-term land lease. The Company also leases two lending offices and five administrative offices and owns two administrative facilities.
Owned Properties
192 Hartnell Avenue 1845 California Street 80 Main Street
Redding, California Redding, California Quincy, California (1)
215 North Lake Boulevard 900 Mangrove Avenue 315 Birch Street
Tahoe City, California Chico, California Westwood, California (1)
1280 Bridge Street 8475 North Lake Boulevard 2727 Ventura Street
Yuba City, California (4) Kings Beach, California Anderson, California
500 Riverside Way
Red Bluff, California
Leased Properties
Redding, California (1) Redding, California Auburn, California (2)
Carson City, Nevada Klamath Falls, Oregon (3) Reno, Nevada (1)
5050 Meadowood Mall Circle 336 West Main Street 120 North Pine Street
Reno, Nevada Quincy, California Portola, California
Truckee, California Fall River Mills, California Greenville, California
255 Main Street 510 North Main Street 3000 Riverside Drive
Chester, California Alturas, California Susanville, California
35 South Lindan Avenue 32 Central Avenue 424 N. Mill Creek Rd.
Quincy, California (1) Quincy, California (1) Quincy, California (1)
(1) Non-branch administrative or credit administrative offices.
(2) SBA lending office.
(3) Commercial lending office.
(4) Branch subject to long term land lease.
Including variable lease expense, total rent expense for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were $3,584,000, $3,064,000 and $635,000, respectively. The expiration dates of the leases vary, with the first such lease expiring during 2026 and the last such lease expiring during 2044.
Future minimum lease payments at December 31, 2025 for operating leases having initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year are as follows:
Year Ending December 31,
The Company maintains insurance coverage on its premises, leaseholds and equipment, including business interruption and record reconstruction coverage. The branch properties and non-branch offices are adequate, suitable, in good condition and have adequate parking facilities for customers and employees. The Company and Bank are limited in their investments in real property under Federal and state banking laws. Generally, investments in real property are either for the Company and Bank use or are in real property and real property interests in the ordinary course of the Bank’s business.
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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From time to time, the Company and/or its subsidiary are a party to claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of the Company's management, the amount of ultimate liability with respect to such proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company taken as a whole.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.
The Company’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the ticker symbol "PLBC". As of December 31, 2025, there were 6,958,814 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding held by 5,855 shareholders of record.
It is the policy of the Company to periodically distribute excess retained earnings to the shareholders through the payment of cash dividends. Our Board of Directors believes that dividends help promote shareholder value and capital adequacy by enhancing the marketability of the Company’s stock. The Company is subject to various restrictions on the payment of dividends. The Company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.30 per share on November 17, 2025, August 15, 2025, May 15, 2025, and February 17, 2025, and a quarterly cash dividend of $0.27 per share on November 15, 2024, August 15, 2024, May 15, 2024, and February 15, 2024.
The payment of future dividends is at the discretion of the Board. The Board generally considers the payment of dividends each quarter based on a number of factors, including our results of operations, general business conditions, growth, financial condition, anticipated capital needs and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.
Further, the Company is subject to various restrictions on the payment of dividends. See Note 13 “Shareholders’ Equity – Dividend Restrictions” of the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this report.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities. We did not repurchase any shares of our common stock during the quarterly period ended December 31, 2025.
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The following table presents a summary of selected financial data and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included under Item 8 – Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
At or for the year ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands except per share information)
Statement of Income
Loans held for sale $ - $ - $ - $ 2,301 $ 31,277
Balance sheet (period average)
Asset quality ratios
Performance ratios
Per share information
Capital ratios – Plumas Bank
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
General
Plumas Bancorp is a bank holding company for Plumas Bank, a California state-chartered commercial bank. We derive our income primarily from interest received on real estate related, commercial, automobile and consumer loans and, to a lesser extent, interest on investment securities and cash balances and fees received in connection with servicing deposit and loan customers. Our major operating expenses are the interest we pay on deposits and borrowings and general operating expenses. We rely on locally-generated deposits to provide us with funds for making loans.
We are subject to competition from other financial institutions and our operating results, like those of other financial institutions operating in California and Northern Nevada, are significantly influenced by economic conditions in California and Northern Nevada, including the strength of the real estate market. In addition, both the fiscal and regulatory policies of the federal and state government and regulatory authorities that govern financial institutions and market interest rates also impact the Bank’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
SALES/LEASEBACK AND iNVESTMENT RESTRUCTURING
2025 Sale/Leaseback
On March 28, 2025, Plumas Bank entered into an agreement for the purchase and sale of real property (the “Purchase Agreement”). The Purchase Agreement as amended provided for the sale to BBS Branch III, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, two administrative buildings located in Quincy California for an aggregate cash purchase price of $5.5 million. The sale was completed on November 19, 2025, resulting in a net gain on sale of $5.5 million, recording of right-of-use assets totaling $5.3 million and recording a lease liability of $4.7 million.
Concurrent with the closing of the sale, Plumas Bank and Plumas Investor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Plumas Quincy, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company entered into triple net lease agreements (the “Lease Agreements”) pursuant to which the Bank leased back the Properties sold. The Lease Agreements have an initial term of 15 years with three five-year renewal options. The Lease Agreements provide for annual rent of approximately $463,000 in the aggregate for both Properties, increasing by three percent per annum each year.
The gain on sales of the branches was mostly offset by a $5.4 million loss on the sale of approximately $47 million in investment securities. We sold $47 million in investment securities having a weighted average tax equivalent yield of 2.43% recording a $5.4 million loss on the sales. As part of the restructuring, beginning in November 2025 and ending on January 13, 2026, we purchased $42 million in investment securities having a weighted average tax equivalent yield of 4.88%.
2024 Sale/Leaseback
On January 19, 2024, Plumas Bank entered into two agreements for the purchase and sale of real property (the “Sale Agreements”). One Sale Agreement provided for the sale to MountainSeed of nine properties owned and operated by Plumas Bank as branches for an aggregate cash purchase price of approximately $25.7 million. The branch portion of the sale was completed on February 14, 2024 resulting in a net gain on sale of $19.9 million, recording of right-of-use assets totaling $22.3 million and recording a lease liability of $22.3 million. The second Sale Agreement provided for the sale to MountainSeed of up to three properties operated as non-branch administrative offices (the “Non-Branch Offices”). This agreement was terminated in August 2024.
Concurrently with the closing of the sale of the branch properties, we entered into triple net lease agreements (the “Lease Agreements”) pursuant to which Plumas Bank leased back each of the properties sold. Each Lease Agreement has an initial term of fifteen years with one 15-year renewal option. The Lease Agreements provide for an annual rent of approximately $2.4 million in the aggregate for the nine properties increased by two percent (2%) per annum for each year during the initial Term. During the renewal term, the initial rent will be the basic rent during the last year of the initial term, increased by two percent (2%) per annum for each year during the renewal term.
The gain on sales of the branches was offset by losses on the sale of approximately $115 million in investment securities. We sold $115 million in investment securities having a weighted average tax equivalent yield of 2.24% recording a $19.8 million loss on the sales. As part of the restructuring, beginning in December 2023 and ending on March 27, 2024, we purchased $120 million in investment securities having a weighted average tax equivalent yield of 5.25%.
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BUSINESS COMBINATION - Acquisition OF Cornerstone COMMUNITY Bancorp
On July 1, 2025 (the “Closing Date”), Plumas Bancorp (the “Company”) completed its previously announced acquisition of Cornerstone Community Bancorp (“Cornerstone”) pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization, dated as of January 28, 2025, by and between the Company and Cornerstone (the “Merger Agreement”). Total book value of assets acquired from Cornerstone, excluding fair value adjustments, were $658 million, gross loans totaled $478 million, and deposits totaled $580 million. Goodwill associated with the acquisition of Cornerstone was $18.7 million; the core deposit intangible (CDI) was $11.6 million. In addition, the Company recorded a discount on the acquired loans totaling $15.5 million. With the completion of the merger, Plumas Bank adds four branches in Anderson, Red Bluff and Redding (two branches), California.
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on the Closing Date, Cornerstone merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”) with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation. Immediately following the Merger, Cornerstone’s subsidiary, Cornerstone Community Bank (CCB) merged with and into the Company’s subsidiary, Plumas Bank with Plumas Bank as the surviving bank. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, upon the completion of the Merger, each share of Cornerstone common stock outstanding immediately prior was converted into the right to receive 0.6608 shares of common stock of the Company and $9.75 cash, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares. The total aggregate consideration delivered to holders of Cornerstone common stock in the Merger was 1,003,718 shares of Company common stock and $14.8 million cash. In addition, in accordance with the Merger Agreement, the Company paid approximately $1.3 million to holders of options to purchase Cornerstone common stock that were terminated in connection with the Merger. The Company also assumed options to purchase 35,000 shares of Cornerstone common stock representing, on an as-converted basis, options to purchase 30,803 shares of the Company’s common stock.
As a result of and upon the completion of the Merger, the Company assumed Cornerstone’s obligations with respect to an aggregate principal amount of $12 million of subordinated notes, comprised of (a) $2 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.75% Fixed to Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due November 30, 2035 (the “2035 Notes”) and (b) $10 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.75% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes due November 30, 2030 (the “2030 Notes”). The 2035 Notes, which were issued in 2020, have a fixed interest rate of 4.75% for the first ten years and thereafter a quarterly variable interest rate equal to the then current three-month term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus 4.14%. The 2030 Notes, which were issued in 2020, have a fixed interest rate of 4.75% for the first five years and thereafter a quarterly variable interest rate equal to the then current three-month term SOFR plus 4.52%. The 2030 notes were called for redemption on December 30, 2025. Of the $10 million originally outstanding on the 2030 notes, principal payments were made on $5.8 million while $4.2 million remain outstanding at December 31, 2025. The remaining $4.2 million will be paid once the notes are surrendered for cancelation by the debenture holders as required under the 2030 Notes. In accordance with the terms of the 2030 Notes interest has ceased to accrue on the remaining $4.2 million. Interest expense recognized on the subordinated notes for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, was $426 thousand.
Our financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP). In connection with the acquisition, the Company incurred a variety of non-recurring expenses related to the Merger which are summarized on the following page under the heading “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Disclosure”. The non-recurring expenses for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 were $7.3 million. Excluding these expenses, non-GAAP net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025 would have been $35.0 million, resulting in diluted earnings per share of $5.37 and return on average assets of 1.80%.
In addition, during the second half of 2025, the Company recorded additional expense and income related to the amortization and accretion, respectively related to the amortization/accretion of various Fair Value (FV) marks required under GAAP. The following table presents the effect on pretax earnings of the amortization/accretion of the FV marks recorded during the six months ended December 31, 2025 and the projected effect for the twelve months ended December 31, 2026. Positive numbers would increase pretax income and negative are a decrease in pretax income.
(in thousands)
Actual Projected
Six Months Twelve Months
Ending Ending
Core Deposit Intangible $ (1,127) $ (2,082)
Premium/discount on acquired time deposits 655 (92)
Discount on acquired debentures (142) (23)
Total amortization/accretion of Fair Value marks $ 486 $ (964)
The projected accretion of the discount on acquired loans is based on the acquired loans contractual payment schedules and may differ significantly from the actual accretion during the projected periods. The accretion of the premium on time deposits of $655 thousand was accelerated with the payoff of $38.5 million in brokered deposits during the three months ended September 30, 2025. This resulted in a $160 thousand discount going forward which will be amortized as an increase in interest expense over the remaining life of the time deposits acquired.
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NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
In addition to results presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the GAAP, Management has presented these non-GAAP financial measures because it believes that they provide useful and comparative information to assess trends in the Company's core operations reflected in the current quarter's results and facilitate the comparison of our performance with the performance of our peers. However, these non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental and are not a substitute for any analysis based on GAAP.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Disclosure
(Unaudited. In thousands, except per share data)
GAAP Non-GAAP
For the Twelve Months Ended
Exclude merger related items:
Investment banking, legal and other expenses N/A 1,963
CECL Day 1 loan loss allowance on acquired non-PCD loans N/A 4,972
Unfunded commitment liability related to acquired loans N/A 351
Total merger related items N/A 7,286
Diluted earnings per share $4.54 $5.37
Return on average assets 1.52% 1.80%
Critical Accounting Policies
Our accounting policies are integral to understanding the financial results reported. Our most complex accounting policies require management’s judgment to ascertain the valuation of assets, liabilities, commitments and contingencies. We have established detailed policies and internal control procedures that are intended to ensure valuation methods are applied in an environment that is designed and operating effectively and applied consistently from period to period. The following is a brief description of our current accounting policies involving significant management valuation judgments.
Allowance for Credit Losses. The allowance for credit losses is an estimate of credit losses inherent in the Company's loan portfolio that have been incurred as of the balance-sheet date. The allowance is established through a provision for credit losses which is charged to expense. Additions to the allowance are expected to maintain the adequacy of the total allowance after credit losses and loan growth. Credit exposures determined to be uncollectible are charged against the allowance. Cash received on previously charged off amounts is recorded as a recovery to the allowance.
To estimate expected losses the Company generally utilizes historical loss trends and the remaining contractual lives of the loan portfolios to determine estimated credit losses through a reasonable and supportable forecast period. Individual loan credit quality indicators including loan grade and borrower repayment performance have been statistically correlated with historical credit losses and various economic metrics, including California unemployment rates, California housing prices, and California gross domestic product. Model forecasts may be adjusted for inherent limitations or biases that have been identified through independent validation and back-testing of model performance to actual realized results. At both January 1, 2023, the adoption and implementation date of ASC Topic 326, and December 31, 2025, the Company utilized a reasonable and supportable forecast period of approximately four quarters and obtained the forecast data from publicly available sources. The Company also considered the impact of portfolio concentrations, changes in underwriting practices, and other risk factors that might influence its loss estimation process. Management believes that the allowance for credit losses at December 31, 2025, appropriately reflected expected credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio at that date.
In determining the allowance for credit losses, accruing loans with similar risk characteristics are generally evaluated collectively. The Company's policy is that loans designated as nonaccrual no longer share risk characteristics similar to other loans evaluated collectively and as such, all nonaccrual loans, in excess of $100,000, are individually evaluated for reserves. As of December 31, 2025, the Bank's nonaccrual loans comprised the entire population of loans individually evaluated. The Company's policy is that nonaccrual loans in excess of $100,000, also represent the subset of loans where borrowers are experiencing financial difficulty where an evaluation of the source of repayment is required to determine if the nonaccrual loans should be categorized as collateral dependent.
We cannot provide you with any assurance that economic difficulties or other circumstances which would adversely affect our borrowers and their ability to repay outstanding loans will not occur which would be reflected in increased losses in our loan portfolio and which could result in actual losses that exceed reserves previously established.
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The following discussion is designed to provide a better understanding of significant trends related to the Company's financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and capital. It pertains to the Company's financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2025. The discussion should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and the other financial information appearing elsewhere herein.
Overview
The Company recorded net income of $29.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $1.0 million or 4% from net income of $28.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Pretax income increased by $591 thousand, or 2%, to $39.6 million in 2025 from $39.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2024. Net interest income increased by $14.1 million to $87.8 million during 2025 from $73.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. This increase in net interest income resulted from an increase in interest income of $17.3 million partially offset by an increase in interest expense of $3.2 million. Increases of $17.4 million in interest and fees on loans and $1.6 million in interest on investment securities were partially offset by decreases in interest on other interest earning assets totaling $1.7 million. Mostly related to the acquisition of Cornerstone the provision for credit losses increased from $1.2 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 to $6.8 million during 2025.
During the year ended
December 31, 2025, non-interest income totaled $10.5 million, an increase of $1.7 million from the $8.8 million earned during
2024. Non-interest expense increased by $9.6 million from $42.3 million during
2024 to $51.9 million during the twelve months ending
December 31, 2025. The provision for income taxes totaled $10.0 million, a decrease of $407 thousand from 2024.
Total assets at December 31, 2025 were $2.2 billion, an increase of $615 million from December 31, 2024. The largest component of this increase was an increase in net loans of $490 million mostly related to the acquisition of Cornerstone.
Gross loans increased by approximately $497 million, or 49%, from $1.0 billion at December 31, 2024, to $1.5 billion at December 31, 2025. Increases in loans included $356 million in commercial real estate loans, $90 million in commercial loans, $39 million in agricultural loans, $22 million in residential real estate loans, $16 million in equity lines and $12 million in consumer and other loans. These increases were partially offset by decreases of $25 million in automobile loans and $13 million in construction loans. In the fourth quarter of 2023 we terminated our indirect automobile loan program. Ending this program, which was our lowest yielding loan segment, also improved our loan loss risk profile since this program had historically higher charge-off rates. Terminating this program also improved our consumer compliance risk profile.
Related mostly to the acquisition of Cornerstone, total deposits increased by $439 million from $1.4 billion at December 31, 2024, to $1.8 billion at December 31, 2025. The increase in deposits includes increases of $150 million in demand deposits, $173 million in money market accounts and $117 million in time deposits. Partially offsetting these increases was a decline of $1 million in savings deposits.
Borrowings increased from $15 million at December 31, 2024 to $21 million at December 31, 2025. Borrowings at December 31, 2025 consisted of $6 million in subordinated debentures and a $15 million Bancorp term loan with a correspondent bank. Borrowings at December 31, 2024 consisted of a $15 million Bancorp line of credit with a correspondent bank. This line of credit converted to a term loan on February 1, 2025.
Shareholders’ equity increased by $83 million from $178 million at December 31, 2024 to $261 million at December 31, 2025. The $83 million increase includes earnings during the twelve-month period of $29.6 million, common stock and stock options issued in the acquisition of Cornerstone totaling $45.2 million, a decrease in other comprehensive loss of $14.7 million and restricted stock and stock option activity totaling $1.4 million. These items were partially offset by the payment of cash dividends totaling $7.7 million.
The return on average assets was 1.52% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, down from 1.74% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The return on average equity decreased from 17.2% during 2024 to 13.6% during 2025.
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Results of Operations
Net Interest Income
The following table presents, for the years indicated, the distribution of consolidated average assets, liabilities and shareholders' equity. Average balances are based on average daily balances. It also presents the amounts of interest income from interest-earning assets and the resultant yields expressed in both dollars and yield percentages, as well as the amounts of interest expense on interest-bearing liabilities and the resultant cost expressed in both dollars and rate percentages. Nonaccrual loans are included in the calculation of average loans while nonaccrued interest thereon is excluded from the computation of yields earned.
Year ended December 31,
Interest Rates Interest Rates Interest Rates
Average income/ earned/ Average income/ earned/ Average income/ earned/
balance expense paid balance expense paid balance expense paid
(dollars in thousands)
Assets
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
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The following table sets forth changes in interest income and interest expense, for the years indicated and the amount of change attributable to variances in volume, rates and the combination of volume and rates based on the relative changes of volume and rates:
Increase (decrease) due to change in: Increase (decrease) due to change in:
Average Average Average Average
Volume(1) Rate(2) Mix(3) Total Volume(1) Rate(2) Mix(3) Total
(dollars in thousands)
Interest-earning assets:
Interest-bearing liabilities:
Junior subordinated debentures - - - - (141 ) - - (141 )
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2025 compared to 2024. Net interest income was $87.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $14.1 million from the same period in 2024. The increase in net interest income includes an increase of $17.3 million in interest income partially offset by an increase of $3.2 million in interest expense.
Interest and fees on loans increased by $17.4 million, mostly related to an increase in average balance. The average balance of loans during the year ended December 31, 2025, was $1.3 billion, an increase of $263 million from $989 million during the same period in 2024. The average yield on loans increased by 9 basis points from 6.21% during 2024 to 6.30% during 2025.
Interest on investment securities increased by $1.6 million related to an increase in yield of 29 basis points to 4.22%. The increase in investment yields is consistent with market rate trends, the partial restructuring of the investment portfolio in February of 2024 and again in December 2025 and an increase in accretion of discount. Most of the increase in the accretion of discount was related to an investment security that prepaid during the fourth quarter of 2025. This repayment resulted in the recognition of $635 thousand in unamortized discount. Average investment securities increased from $455 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, to $462 million during the current period.
Interest on cash balances declined by $1.7 million, related to both a decline in balance and a decline in yield. The rate earned on cash balances declined by 100 basis points to 4.36% and the average balance declined from $93.1 million during 2024 to $75.1 million during 2025. The decline in rate is consistent with the decline in rate earned on FRB balances. The average rate earned on FRB balances declined from 5.21% during 2024 to 4.27% during 2025.
Related to an increase in interest bearing deposits, an increase in the cost of these deposits and the acquisition of Cornerstone partially offset by a $4.0 million decline in interest on Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) borrowings, interest expense increased by $3.2 million to $13.9 during the year ended December 31, 2025. During 2024 Plumas Bank had borrowings under the BTFP which averaged $83 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. All BTFP borrowings were paid off during 2024.
Interest paid on deposits increased by $6.1 million and is broken down by product type as follows: money market accounts - $4.6 million, savings deposits - $302 thousand and time deposits - $1.2 million. The average rate paid on interest-bearing deposits increased from 0.92% during 2024, to 1.43% during 2025. Average interest-bearing deposits totaled $840 million during the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $194 million from $646 million during the year ended December 31, 2024.
The average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities increased from 1.39% during 2024 to 1.52% during 2025.
Net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased 12 basis points to 4.91%, up from 4.79% for the same period in 2024.
2024 compared to 2023. Net interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $73.7 million, an increase of $3.9 million from the $69.8 million earned during 2023. The increase in net interest income includes an increase of $9.7 million in interest income partially offset by an increase of $5.8 million in interest expense.
Interest and fees on loans increased by $6.5 million related to an increase in average balance and yield. The average balance of loans during the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 was $989 million, an increase of $55 million from $934 million during 2023. The average yield on loans increased by 32 basis points from 5.89% during 2023 to 6.21% during 2024.
Interest on investment securities increased by $2.7 million related to an increase in yield of 64 basis points to 3.93%. The increase in investment yield is consistent with the increase in market rates and the partial restructuring of the investment portfolio. Average investment securities declined from $462 million during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 to $455 million during the current period. Interest on cash balances increased by $606 thousand related to an increase in yield of 31 basis points and an increase in average balance of $6.2 million from $86.9 million during 2023 to $93.1 million during 2024.
Interest expense increased from $4.8 million during 2023 to $10.6 million during the current period related mostly to an increase in rate paid on interest bearing liabilities and an increase in average borrowings. The average rate paid on interest bearing liabilities increased from 0.67% during the 2023 period to 1.39% in 2024 related to an increase in borrowings and an increase in market interest rates. Interest incurred on borrowings, including junior subordinated debentures in 2023, totaled $4.7 million and $1.0 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively. The average balance of borrowings increased by $78 million from $20 million during 2023 to $98 million during 2024.
Interest paid on deposits increased by $2.2 million; this increase is broken down by product type as follows: money market accounts - $1.1 million and time deposits -$1.2 million. Related to a decline in average balance of $51 million, interest on savings deposits declined by $90 thousand. The average rate paid on interest-bearing deposits increased from 0.55% during 2023 to 0.92% during the current period. Rates paid on money market accounts and time deposits increased by 49 basis points and 75 basis points, respectively. This is consistent with market conditions and an increase in higher rate public entity money market accounts.
Net interest margin for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased 8 basis points to 4.79%, up from 4.71% during 2023.
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Provision for credit losses. During 2025 we recorded a provision for credit losses of $6.8 million, consisting of a provision for credit losses on loans of $6.9 million and a decrease in the reserve for unfunded commitments of $40 thousand. The provision includes the Current Expected Credit Losses (CECL) day 1 provision on non-Purchased Credit Deteriorated (non-PCD) loans acquired from CCB and a reserve for unfunded commitments on loans acquired from CCB. This compares to a provision for credit losses of $1.2 million consisting of a provision for credit losses on loans of $1.4 million and a decrease in the reserve for unfunded commitments of $179 thousand during 2024. See “Analysis of Asset Quality and Allowance for Credit Losses” for a discussion of loan quality trends and the provision for credit losses.
The following tables present the activity in the allowance for credit losses and the reserve for unfunded commitments during the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, and 2024 (in thousands).
Allowance for Credit Losses December 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
CECL Day 1 provision on acquired non-PCD loans 4,972 -
Provision charged to operations 1,918 1,375
Reserve on PCD loans 315 -
Losses charged to allowance (1,095 ) (2,039 )
Reserve for Unfunded Commitments December 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
Balance, beginning of period $ 620 $ 799
Provision on acquired loans 351 -
Recovery of provision for credit losses (391 ) (179 )
Balance, end of period $ 580 $ 620
These estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are reported in earnings in the periods in which they become known. Based on information currently available, management believes that the allowance for credit losses is appropriate to absorb potential risks in the portfolio. However, no assurance can be given that the Company may not sustain charge-offs which are in excess of the allowance in any given period.
Non-Interest Income
The following table sets forth the components of non-interest income for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023
Years Ended December 31, Change during Year
(dollars in thousands)
Earnings on bank owned life insurance policies, net (BOLI) 741 409 417 332 (8 )
2025 compared to 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2025, non-interest income totaled $10.5 million, an increase of $1.7 million from the year ended December 31, 2024. The largest components of this increase were a legal settlement totaling $1.1 million related to the Dixie Fire in August of 2021 and an increase in earnings on BOLI of $332 thousand. A $14.3 million reduction in gain on sale of buildings related to our 2024 sales/lease back transaction was mostly offset by a $14.0 million reduction in loss on sale of investment securities related to the 2024 partial restructuring of our investment portfolio. Loss on sale of investment securities during 2025 consisted of the December 2025 partial restructuring of the investment portfolio discussed earlier, and a $628 thousand loss generated on the disposition of Cornerstone’s investment portfolio during the third quarter of 2025.
2024 compared to 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2024, non-interest income totaled $8.8 million, a decrease of $1.9 million from the year ended December 31, 2023. The largest component of this decrease was a $1.7 million gain on termination of our interest rate swaps during 2023 which is included in other income in the above table. Related to the sale/leaseback transaction and the partial restructuring of our investment portfolio, a $19.9 million gain on sale of buildings was offset by a $19.8 million loss on investment securities. Other changes in non-interest income include a decline in interchange income of $289 thousand and an increase in service charges on deposit accounts of $199 thousand.
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Non-Interest Expense
The following table sets forth the components of other non-interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands).
Years Ended December 31, Change during Year
(dollars in thousands)
Merger and acquisition expenses 1,963 - - 1,963 -
Director compensation, education and retirement 706 728 763 (22 ) (35 )
2025 compared to 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2025, total non-interest expense increased by $9.6 million from $42.3 million during the year ended December 31, 2024, to $51.9 million during the current period. The largest components of this increase were salary and benefit expenses of $4.3 million, merger related expenses of $2.0 million, occupancy and equipment expenses of $1.5 million, amortization of Core Deposit Intangible of $1.1 million and an increase in outside service fees of $1.0 million. The increase in salary and benefit expense included an increase in salary expense of $3.0 million primarily related to the acquisition of Cornerstone and to a lesser extent merit and promotional salary increases. Other significant increases in salary and benefit expense were $934 thousand in bonus expense, $256 thousand in health insurance costs and $269 thousand in payroll taxes. The increase in occupancy and equipment expenses and outside service fees mostly relates to the acquisition of Cornerstone.
2024 compared to 2023. During 2024 non-interest expense increased by $4.7 million to $42.3 million. The largest components of this increase were a $1.4 million increase in salary and benefit expenses, a $2.3 million increase in occupancy and equipment expenses and a $643 thousand increase in other non-interest expenses. The largest increases in salary and benefit expense were $695 thousand in salary expense and $401 thousand in commission expense. The increase in salary expense relates to both an increase in FTE and merit and promotional increases, while the increase in commission is related to increased SBA loan production. These were partially offset by an increase in the deferral of loan origination costs of $414 thousand related to an increase in SBA loan production. The increase in occupancy and equipment costs relates to a $2.4 million increase in rent expense related to the sales/leaseback transaction. The increase in other non-interest expense includes $277 thousand related to a recently concluded litigation.
Provision for Income Taxes. The Company recorded an income tax provision of $10.0 million, or 25.2% of pre-tax income for the year ended December 31, 2025. This compares to an income tax provision of $10.4 million, or 26.6% of pre-tax income during 2024. The percentages for 2025 and 2024 differ from statutory rates as tax exempt items of income, such as earnings on Bank owned life insurance and municipal securities interest, decrease taxable income while non-deductible merger transaction costs incurred during the current period increase taxable income. In addition, during the fourth quarter of 2025, we purchased green energy tax credits at a discount resulting in a $700 thousand reduction in the provision for income taxes.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary differences between the reported amount of assets and liabilities and their tax basis. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The determination of the amount of deferred income tax assets which are more likely than not to be realized is primarily dependent on projections of future earnings, which are subject to uncertainty and estimates that may change given economic conditions and other factors. The realization of deferred income tax assets is assessed, and a valuation allowance is recorded if it is "more likely than not" that all or a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. "More likely than not" is defined as greater than a 50% chance. All available evidence, both positive and negative, is considered to determine whether, based on the weight of that evidence, a valuation allowance is needed. Based upon the analysis of available evidence, management has determined that it is "more likely than not" that all deferred income tax assets as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 will be fully realized and therefore no valuation allowance was recorded.
Financial Condition
Mostly related to the acquisition of Cornerstone, total assets increased by $615 million from $1.6 billion on December 31, 2024, to $2.2 billion on December 31, 2025. The largest components of this increase were increases in gross loans of $497 million, investment securities of $39 million, accrued interest receivable and other assets of $25 million, Goodwill of $19 million, BOLI of $17 million, premises and equipment of $12 million and CDI of $10 million. Increases in liabilities include $439 million in deposits, $76 million in repurchase agreements, $6 million in borrowings and $7 million in accrued interest payable and other liabilities and $4 million in lease liabilities. Total shareholders' equity increased by $83 million. The following discussion provides detail on the major components of assets, liabilities and equity and the changes during 2025.
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Loan Portfolio. Mostly related to the acquisition of CCB, gross loans increased by $497 million, or 49%, from $1.0 billion at December 31, 2024, to $1.5 billion at December 31, 2025. Increases in loans included $356 million in commercial real estate loans, $90 million in commercial loans, $39 million in agricultural loans, $22 million in residential real estate loans, $16 million in equity lines and $12 million in consumer and other loans. These increases were partially offset by decreases of $25 million in automobile loans and $13 million in construction loans. Although the Company offers a broad array of financing options, it continues to concentrate its focus on small to medium sized commercial businesses. These loans offer diversification as to industries and types of businesses, thus limiting material exposure in any industry concentrations. The Company offers both fixed and floating rate loans and obtains collateral in the form of real property, business assets and deposit accounts, but looks to business and personal cash flows as its primary source of repayment. In the fourth quarter of 2023 we terminated our indirect automobile loan program. Ending this program, which was our lowest yielding loan segment, also improved our loan loss risk profile since this program had historically higher charge-off rates. Terminating this program also improved our consumer compliance risk profile.
As shown in the following table the Company's largest lending categories are commercial real estate loans, agricultural loans and commercial loans.
Percent of Percent of
Loans in Loans in
Balance at Each Balance at Each
End of Category to End of Category to
(dollars in thousands) Period Total Loans Period Total Loans
Real estate – construction & land development 40,168 2.7 % 53,503 5.3 %
The Company’s real estate related loans, including real estate mortgage loans, real estate construction and land development loans, consumer equity lines of credit, and agricultural loans secured by real estate, comprised 82% of the total loan portfolio at December 31, 2025. Moreover, the business activities of the Company currently are focused in the California counties of Butte, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sutter and Tehama and in Washoe and Carson City Counties in Northern Nevada. Consequently, the results of operations and financial condition of the Company are dependent upon the general trends in these economies and, in particular, the commercial real estate markets. In addition, the concentration of the Company's operations in these areas of Northeastern California and Northwestern Nevada exposes it to greater risk than other banking companies with a wider geographic base in the event of catastrophes, such as earthquakes, fires and floods in these regions.
Commercial real estate loans (“CRE”) comprised 67% of the lending portfolio at December 31, 2025. CRE loans were 43% investor-owned, 43% owner-occupied, and 14% multi-family. Concentrations by real estate type within the CRE portfolio, excluding multi-family, were 14% Mixed Commercial Real Estate, 13% Office, 13% Retail, 10% Hospitality, 10% Industrial, 8% Gas Stations, 5% Medical buildings, 5% Special Purpose, 5% Mini Storage Facilities and, 5% Residential, with all remaining concentrations below 5%. There were no rent-controlled properties within the multi-family category. Office facilities are typically small and located in more rural areas. 21% of CRE loans were located in northern Nevada and 57% were located in northern California. Of the $15.1 million in non-accrual balances at December 31, 2025, approximately 13% were CRE. Of the $34.2 million in substandard balances at December 31, 2025 approximately 28% were CRE.
CRE loans consist of term loans secured by a mortgage lien on real property and include both owner occupied CRE loans as well as investor-owned loans. Investor- owned CRE loans consist of mortgage loans to finance investments in real property that may include, but are not limited to, multi-family, industrial, office, retail and other specific use properties. The primary risk characteristics in the investor-owned portfolio include impacts of overall leasing rates, absorption timelines, levels of vacancy rates and operating expenses. The Company requires collateral values in excess of the loan amounts, cash flows in excess of expected debt service requirements and equity investment in the project. The expected cash flows from all significant new or renewed income producing property commitments are stress tested to reflect the risks in varying interest rates, vacancy rates and rental rates. Inherent lending risks are monitored on a continuous basis through quarterly monitoring and the Bank’s annual underwriting process, incorporating an analysis of cash flow, collateral, market conditions and guarantor liquidity, if applicable. CRE loan policies are specific to individual product types and underwriting parameters vary depending on the risk profile of each asset class. CRE loan policies are reviewed no less than annually by management and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors to ensure they align with current market conditions and the Company’s moderate risk appetite. CRE concentration limits have been established by product type and are monitored quarterly by the Company’s Board of Directors.