CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORP (CZNC)

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Certain statements in this section and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are forward-looking statements for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Corporation that may include future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the Corporation’s underlying assumptions. Citizens & Northern Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Corporation”) intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, business objectives and expectations, and are generally identifiable by the use of words such as, “may”, “would”, “will”, "should", “likely”, “possibly”, "expect", "anticipate", “intend”, “pro forma”, “estimate”, “target”, “potentially”, “probably”, “outlook”, “predict”, “contemplate”, “continue”, “strategic”, “objective”, “plan”, “forecast”, “project”, “believe” and “goal” or other similar words, phrases or concepts. Persons reading this document are cautioned that such statements are only predictions, and that the Corporation’s actual future results or performance may be materially different. A number of factors could cause our actual results, events or developments, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed, implied or anticipated by such forward-looking statements.  In addition to factors previously disclosed in the reports filed by the Corporation with the SEC, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings, and those identified elsewhere in this document, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking statements:

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CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION – FORM 10-Q

These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions as of the date of filing of this document. The Corporation does not undertake to update forward-looking statements.

BUSINESS COMBINATION

On October 1, 2025, the Corporation completed its acquisition of Susquehanna Community Financial, Inc.  (“Susquehanna”). Susquehanna was the parent company of Susquehanna Community Bank, with seven banking offices located in Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties in Pennsylvania. In connection with the acquisition, the Corporation issued approximately 2.3 million shares of common stock to the former Susquehanna shareholders, resulting in merger consideration valued at $44.6 million and an increase in stockholders’ equity of $44.4 million, net of issuance costs. Intangible assets recorded included goodwill of $10.8 million and a core deposit intangible asset of $10.7 million. Assets acquired included loans valued at $393.6 million, securities valued at $147.6 million, bank-owned life insurance valued at $8.0 million and cash and due from banks of $6.1 million. Liabilities assumed included deposits valued at $501.5 million and short-term borrowings valued at $45.8 million. The assets purchased and liabilities assumed were recorded at their preliminary estimated fair values at the time of closing and may be adjusted for up to one year subsequent to the acquisition. There were no adjustments to the fair value measurements of assets acquired or liabilities assumed in the first quarter of 2026.

EARNINGS OVERVIEW

First Quarter 2026 as Compared to First Quarter 2025

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First quarter 2026 net income was $273,000, or $0.02 per diluted share, as compared to $6,293,000, or $0.41 per diluted share, in the first quarter 2025. First quarter 2026 earnings were impacted by an elevated provision for credit losses discussed below. Significant variances were as follows:

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CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION – FORM 10-Q

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

Certain statements in this section and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are forward-looking statements for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements may include financial and other projections as well as statements regarding the Corporation that may include future plans, objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or the Corporation’s underlying assumptions. Citizens & Northern Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Corporation”) intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, are based on certain assumptions and describe future plans, business objectives and expectations, and are generally identifiable by the use of words such as, “may”, “would”, “will”, "should", “likely”, “possibly”, "expect", "anticipate", “intend”, “pro forma”, “estimate”, “target”, “potentially”, “probably”, “outlook”, “predict”, “contemplate”, “continue”, “strategic”, “objective”, “plan”, “forecast”, “project”, “believe” and “goal” or other similar words, phrases or concepts. Persons reading this document are cautioned that such statements are only predictions, and that the Corporation’s actual future results or performance may be materially different. A number of factors could cause our actual results, events or developments, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed, implied or anticipated by such forward-looking statements.  In addition to factors previously disclosed in the reports filed by the Corporation with the SEC, including the Risk Factors section of this Form 10-K, and those identified elsewhere in this document, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward looking statements:

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These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on management’s current beliefs and assumptions as of the date of filing of this document. The Corporation does not undertake to update forward-looking statements.

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Completion of Merger with Susquehanna Community Financial, Inc.

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On October 1, 2025, the Corporation completed its previously announced merger with Susquehanna. Susquehanna was the parent company of Susquehanna Community Bank, with seven banking offices located in Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties in Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated April 23, 2025 between the Corporation and Susquehanna, Susquehanna merged with and into the Corporation, with the Corporation as the surviving corporation in the Merger. Immediately following the completion of the Merger, Susquehanna Community Bank, the wholly owned subsidiary of Susquehanna, merged with and into C&N Bank, with C&N Bank surviving. Upon completion of the merger, shareholders of Susquehanna became entitled to exchange each share of Susquehanna common stock owned for 0.80 shares of the Corporation’s common stock.  Cash was issued in lieu of fractional shares resulting from the conversion of Susquehanna’s stock.  In total, C&N issued approximately 2.3 million shares of common stock to the former Susquehanna stockholders, resulting in total merger consideration valued at $44.6 million and an increase in the Corporation’s stockholders’ equity of $44.4 million, net of equity issuance costs.

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In connection with the acquisition, effective October 1, 2025, tangible common book value per share (a non-GAAP ratio- see reconciliation on. page 38) was diluted by $0.56, or 3.6%, as the Corporation recorded goodwill of $10.8 million and a core deposit intangible asset of $10.7 million. Assets acquired included loans valued at $393.6 million, cash and due from banks of $6.1 million, bank-owned life insurance valued at $8.0 million and securities valued at $147.6 million. Liabilities assumed included deposits valued at $501.5 million and short-term borrowings valued at $45.8 million. The assets purchased and liabilities assumed in the acquisition were recorded at their preliminary estimated fair values at the time of closing and may be adjusted for up to one year subsequent to the acquisition.

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In November 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update 2025-08, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (ASU 2025-08). The Corporation adopted ASU 2025-08 in accounting for the Susquehanna acquisition. Consistent with ASU 2025-08, The Corporation recorded loans receivable at fair value plus an allowance for credit losses of $7.1 million, including allowances totaling $2.6 million on loans with more than insignificant deterioration in credit quality subsequent to origination (“PCD”) loans and an allowance of $4.5 million on non-PCD loans. At acquisition date, the recorded value of loans receivable included PCD loans totaling $23.7 million.

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In 2025, the Corporation incurred pre-tax merger-related expenses related to the Susquehanna acquisition of $7,940,000. Merger-related expenses include expenses related to conversion of Susquehanna’s core customer system data into C&N’s core system, severance and legal and other professional expenses. Management believes disclosure of 2025 earnings results, adjusted to exclude the impact of merger-related expenses, net of tax, provides useful information to investors for comparative purposes. The following table provides a reconciliation of the Corporation’s 2025 earnings results under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) to comparative non-U.S. GAAP results excluding merger-related expenses, net of tax.

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EARNINGS OVERVIEW

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2025 vs. 2024

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2025 was $23,427,000 or $1.46 per diluted share, as compared to $25,958,000, or $1.69 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2024. The addition of Susquehanna contributed to growth in net interest income, noninterest income and noninterest expenses. As disclosed in the table above, adjusted earnings (which is a non-GAAP number that excludes the impact of merger-related expenses, net of tax), for the year ended December 31, 2025 were $29,777,000, or $1.85 per diluted share.

Significant variances were as follows:

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2024 vs. 2023

Net income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $25,958,000, or $1.69 per diluted share, as compared to $24,148,000, or $1.57 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2023. The results for 2023 included the impact of a $1.3 million charge, or $0.08 per diluted share, related to the repositioning of available-for-sale securities and bank-owned life insurance (BOLI).

Significant variances were as follows:

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More detailed information concerning the Corporation’s earnings results are provided in other sections of Management’s Discussion and Analysis.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The presentation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect many of the reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

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Business Combinations – The Corporation accounts for its mergers and acquisitions using the acquisition method of accounting under the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 805 ("ASC 805"), Business Combinations. Under ASC 805, the assets acquired, including identified intangible assets such as core deposit intangibles and liabilities assumed in a business combination are recognized at their acquisition-date fair value, while transaction costs and restructuring costs associated with the business combination are expensed as incurred. The excess of the merger consideration over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, if any, is allocated to goodwill.

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The valuations are based upon management’s assumptions of future growth rates, future attrition, discount rates and other relevant factors, which involves a significant level of estimation and uncertainty. In addition, management engaged independent third-party specialists to assist in the development of the fair values of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities. The preliminary estimates of fair values may be adjusted for a period of time subsequent to the acquisition date if new information is obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the merger date that, if known, would have affected the measurement of the amounts recognized as of that date. Adjustments would be recorded to goodwill during the current reporting period.

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Examples of the impacted acquired assets and assumed liabilities include loans, deposits, identifiable intangible assets and certain other assets and liabilities.

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For acquired loans at the merger date, management evaluated and classified loans based upon whether the loans had experienced a more-than-insignificant amount of credit deteriorating since origination. To determine the fair value of the loans, significant estimates and assumptions were applied, including projected cash flows, discount rates, repayment speeds, credit loss severity rates, default rates and realizable collateral values. In November 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update 2025-08, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (ASU 2025-08). The Corporation adopted ASU 2025-08 in accounting for the Susquehanna acquisition. Consistent with ASU 2025-08, the Corporation recorded loans receivable at fair value plus an allowance for credit losses of $7.1 million, including allowances totaling $2.6 million on loans with more than insignificant deterioration in credit quality subsequent to origination (“PCD”) loans and an allowance of $4.5 million on non-PCD loans at acquisition.

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Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans – A material estimate that is particularly susceptible to significant change is the determination of the allowance for credit losses (ACL) on loans. The Corporation maintains an ACL on loans which represents management’s estimate of expected net charge-offs over the life of the loans. The ACL includes two primary components: (i) an allowance established on loans which share similar risk characteristics collectively evaluated for credit losses (collective basis), and (ii) an allowance established on loans which do not share similar risk characteristics with any loan segment and which are individually evaluated for credit losses (individual basis). Management considers the determination of the ACL on loans to be critical because it requires significant judgment regarding estimates of expected credit losses based on the Corporation’s historical loss experience, current conditions and economic forecasts. Management’s evaluation is based upon a continuous review of the Corporation’s loans, with consideration given to evaluations resulting from examinations performed by regulatory authorities. Notes 1 and 8 to the consolidated financial statements provide an overview of the process management uses for determining the ACL, and additional discussion of the ACL is provided in a separate section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis.

The ACL may increase or decrease due to changes in economic conditions affecting borrowers and macroeconomic variables, including new information regarding existing problem loans, identification of additional problem loans, changes in the fair value of underlying collateral, unforeseen events such as natural disasters and pandemics, and other factors. Because current economic conditions and forecasts can change and future events are inherently difficult to predict, the anticipated amount of estimated credit losses on loans, and therefore the appropriateness of the ACL, could change significantly.

NET INTEREST INCOME

The Corporation’s primary source of operating income is net interest income, which is equal to the difference between the amounts of interest income and interest expense. Tables I, II and III include information regarding the Corporation’s net interest income in 2025, 2024 and 2023. In each of these tables, the amounts of interest income earned on tax-exempt securities and loans have been adjusted to a fully taxable-equivalent basis using the Corporation’s marginal tax rate of 21%. The Corporation believes presentation of net interest income on a fully taxable-equivalent basis provides investors with meaningful information for purposes of comparing returns on tax-exempt securities and loans with returns on taxable securities and loans. Accordingly, the net interest income amounts reflected in these tables exceed the amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements. Fully-taxable-equivalent interest income is reconciled to interest income following Table I. The discussion that follows is based on amounts in the tables.

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2025 vs. 2024

Fully taxable equivalent net interest income was $92,735,000 in 2025, $12,801,000 (16.0%) higher than in 2024  including the benefit of three months of income from growth in net earning assets resulting from the Susquehanna merger. Table III shows the net impact of changes in the volume increased net interest income by $6,832,000 and changes in interest rates increased net interest income by $5,969,000. The increase in net interest income reflected an increase in interest income of $11,202,000 and a decrease in interest expense of $1,599,000. As presented in Table II, the Net Interest Margin was 3.61% in 2025, as compared to 3.30% in 2024, and the “Interest Rate Spread” (excess of average rate of return on earning assets over average cost of funds on interest-bearing liabilities) increased to 2.97% in 2025 from 2.59% in 2024. The average yield on earning assets of 5.45% was 0.13% higher in 2025 as compared to 2024, while the average rate on interest bearing liabilities of 2.48% was 0.25% lower in 2025 as compared to 2024. Accretion of acquisition accounting valuation adjustments related to the Susquehanna merger had a positive impact of $789,000 including accretion on loans of $486,000 and $303,000 on time deposits.

INTEREST INCOME AND EARNING ASSETS

Interest income totaled $140,099,000 in 2025, an increase of $11,202,000, or 8.7%, from 2024.

Interest and fees from loans receivable increased $10,242,000 in 2025 as compared to 2024. In 2025, the fully taxable equivalent yield on loans was 6.12%, up from 6.03% in 2024, reflecting the effects of loans acquired from  Susquehanna and valued based on current market yields as of October 1, 2025 as well as gradual paydowns on loans originated prior to interest rates rising in 2022 and 2023 with more recent loans originated at higher market rates. Average outstanding loans receivable increased $137,995,000 (7.3%) to $2,019,117,000 in 2025 from $1,881,122,000 in 2024. The increase in average annual loans attributable to Susquehanna was $97,392,000.

Income from interest-bearing due from banks totaled $3,359,000 in 2025, a decrease of $948,000 from 2024. Within this category, the largest asset balance in 2025 and 2024 has been interest-bearing deposits held with the Federal Reserve. The average yield on interest-bearing due from banks decreased to 4.21% in 2025 from 4.97% in 2024. The average balance of interest-bearing due from banks was $79,833,000 in 2025, down from $86,703,000 in 2024.

Interest income from available-for-sale debt securities, on a fully taxable-equivalent basis, increased $1,905,000 in 2025. The average yield on the portfolio increased to 2.78% for 2025 from 2.45% for 2024, and the average balance (at amortized cost) increased $15,534,000. The Susquehanna merger resulted in an initial increase in available-for-sale debt securities of $147,617,000. The majority of these securities were sold, and a significant portion of the proceeds were reinvested in securities contributing to the increase in average balance and yield.

INTEREST EXPENSE AND INTEREST-BEARING LIABILITIES

Interest expense decreased $1,599,000 to $47,364,000 in 2025 from $48,963,000 in 2024.

Interest expense on deposits increased $275,000, as average total deposits (interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing) increased  $170,214,000 (8.3%) in 2025 as compared to 2024. The increase in average annual deposit balances included $121,038,000 attributable to the Susquehanna acquisition. The average rate on interest-bearing deposits decreased to 2.29% in 2025 from 2.51% in 2024. Within average deposits, average brokered deposits were $11,123,000 at an average rate of 4.57% in 2025 as compared to $61,537,000 at an average rate of 5.19% in 2024. Average time deposits increased $58,512,000, average interest checking deposits increased $41,761,000, average savings deposits increased $38,120,000, average total balance of money market accounts increased $18,405,000 and the average balance of noninterest bearing demand deposits increased $13,416,000.

Interest expense on borrowed funds decreased $1,874,000 in 2025 as compared to 2024. Interest expense on short-term borrowings of $7,000 in 2025 was down from $1,168,000 in 2024 as the average balance of short-term borrowings decreased to $1,370,000 in 2025 from 22,743,000 in 2024. The average rate on short-term borrowings was 0.51% in 2025 compared to 5.14% in 2024. Interest expense on long-term borrowings (FHLB advances) decreased $720,000 to $6,468,000 in 2025 from $7,188,000 in 2024. The average balance of long-term borrowings was $144,114,000 in 2025, down from an average balance of $167,181,000 in 2024. Borrowings are classified as long-term within the Tables based on their term at origination or assumption in business combinations. The average rate on long-term borrowings was 4.49% in 2025 compared to 4.30% in 2024.

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2024 vs. 2023

Fully taxable equivalent net interest income was $79,934,000 in 2024, $1,385,000 (1.7%) lower than in 2023. The decrease in net interest income reflected an increase in interest expense of $15,859,000 and an increase in interest income of $14,474,000. As presented in Table II, the Net Interest Margin was 3.30% in 2024, as compared to 3.47% in 2023, and the “Interest Rate Spread” (excess of average rate of return on earning assets over average cost of funds on interest-bearing liabilities) decreased to 2.59% in 2024 from 2.91% in 2023. The average yield on earning assets of 5.32% was 0.43% higher in 2024 as compared to 2023, while the average rate on interest bearing liabilities of 2.73% was 0.75% higher in 2024 as compared to 2023. Additionally, average total earning assets increased $81,866,000, average total loans increased $88,973,000 (5.0%) and average total deposits increased $85,644,000 (4.3%). Table III shows the net impact of changes in volume of earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities increased net interest income for 2024 over 2023 by $2,539,000, while the net impact of changes in interest rates (primarily increases) decreased net interest income by $3,924,000.

INTEREST INCOME AND EARNING ASSETS

Interest income totaled $128,897,000 in 2024, an increase of $14,474,000, or 12.6%, from 2023.

Interest and fees from loans receivable increased $11,730,000 in 2024 as compared to 2023. In 2024, the fully taxable equivalent yield on loans was 6.03%, up from 5.67% in 2023, reflecting the effects of primarily rising interest rates on new loan originations and floating-rate loans. Average outstanding loans receivable increased $88,973,000 (5.0%) to $1,881,122,000 in 2024 from $1,792,149,000 in 2023. The Corporation experienced growth in commercial real estate and other commercial loans in 2023 and in 2024.

Income from interest-bearing due from banks totaled $4,307,000 in 2024, an increase of $2,928,000 from 2023. Within this category, the largest asset balance in 2024 and 2023 has been interest-bearing deposits held with the Federal Reserve. The average yield on interest-bearing due from banks was 4.97% in 2024, up from 4.22% in 2023. The average balance of interest-bearing due from banks was $86,703,000 in 2024, up from $32,709,000 in 2023. The net increase in average interest-bearing due from banks for 2024 as compared to 2023 reflected net sources of cash from deposit growth, a reduction in average available-for-sale debt securities and an increase in borrowed funds, partially offset by net uses of cash for loan growth and an increase in Bank-Owned Life Insurance.

Interest income from available-for-sale debt securities, on a fully taxable-equivalent basis, decreased $246,000 in 2024 as compared to 2023, as the average balance (at amortized cost) of available-for-sale debt securities decreased $61,916,000 as indicated in Table II. The average yield on available-for-sale debt securities was 2.45% for 2024, up from 2.21% in 2023.

INTEREST EXPENSE AND INTEREST-BEARING LIABILITIES

Interest expense increased $15,859,000 to $48,963,000 in 2024 from $33,104,000 in 2023.

Interest expense on deposits increased $14,967,000, as the average rate on interest-bearing deposits increased to 2.51% in 2024 from 1.66% in 2023. Average total deposits (interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing) increased $85,644,000 (4.3%) in 2024 as compared to 2023. Within average deposits, average brokered deposits were $61,537,000 at an average rate of 5.19% in 2024 as compared to $47,424,000 at an average rate of 4.78% for 2023. Average time deposits increased $84,394,000, average interest checking deposits increased $48,472,000 and the average total balance of money market accounts increased $11,144,000 while average savings deposits decreased $35,631,000 and the average balance of noninterest bearing demand deposits decreased $22,735,000.

Interest expense on borrowed funds increased $892,000 in 2024 as compared to 2023. Interest expense on short-term borrowings in 2024 of $1,168,000 was down from $3,240,000 in 2023 as the average balance of short-term borrowings decreased to $22,743,000 in 2024 from $62,926,000 in 2023. The average rate on short-term borrowings was 5.14% in 2024 compared to 5.15% in 2023. Interest expense on long-term borrowings (FHLB advances) increased $2,958,000 to $7,188,000 in 2024 from $4,230,000 in 2023. The average balance of long-term borrowings was $167,181,000 in 2024, up from an average balance of $110,943,000 in 2023. Borrowings are classified as long-term within the Tables based on their term at origination or assumption in business combinations. The average rate on long-term borrowings was 4.30% in 2024 compared to 3.81% in 2023.

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TABLE I - ANALYSIS OF INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE

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TABLE II - ANALYSIS OF AVERAGE DAILY BALANCES AND RATES

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TABLE III -  ANALYSIS OF VOLUME AND RATE CHANGES

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NONINTEREST INCOME

TABLE IV - COMPARISON OF NONINTEREST INCOME

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N/M = Not meaningful

NONINTEREST EXPENSE

TABLE V - COMPARISON OF NONINTEREST EXPENSE

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Additional detailed information concerning fluctuations in the Corporation’s earnings results and other financial information are provided in other sections of Management’s Discussion and Analysis.

INCOME TAXES

The effective income tax rate was 18.2% of pre-tax income in 2025, down from 18.6% in 2024 and 20.8% in 2023. Tax-exempt interest income and income from BOLI contributed to the effective rate being lower than the federal statutory rate in 2023 through 2025.The higher effective income tax rate in 2023 included the net impact of a tax charge of $950,000 for the initiated surrender of BOLI.

The Corporation recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities based on differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. At December 31, 2025, the net deferred tax asset was $17,615,000, down from the balance at December 31, 2024 of $19,098,000. The largest change in temporary difference components was a decrease of $3,928,000 in the net deferred tax asset related to the unrealized loss on available-for-sale debt securities resulting from decreases in interest rates. Other significant changes included increases in the net deferred tax asset related to the ACL and acquisition accounting  valuation adjustments on loans and a decrease related to core deposit intangibles.

The Corporation regularly reviews deferred tax assets for recoverability based on history of earnings, expectations for future earnings and expected timing of reversals of temporary differences. Realization of deferred tax assets ultimately depends on the existence of sufficient taxable income, including taxable income in prior carryback years, as well as future taxable income. Further, the value of the benefit from realization of deferred tax assets would be impacted if income tax rates were changed from currently enacted levels.

Management believes the recorded net deferred tax asset at December 31, 2025 is fully realizable; however, if management determines the Corporation will be unable to realize all or part of the net deferred tax asset, the Corporation would adjust the deferred tax asset, which would negatively impact earnings.

Additional information related to income taxes is presented in Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements.

SECURITIES

Management continually evaluates several objectives in determining the size, securities mix and other characteristics of the available-for-sale debt securities (investment) portfolio. Key objectives include supporting liquidity needs and maximizing return on earning assets within reasonable risk parameters.

Table VI shows the composition of the available-for-sale debt securities portfolio at December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023. The total amortized cost of available-for-sale debt securities at December 31, 2025 was higher by $86,377,000 from December 31, 2024 and by $71,292,000 from December 31, 2023. The increase in amortized cost of the portfolio at December 31, 2025 resulted from purchases of available-for-sale debt securities with funding provided by proceeds from the sale of most of the securities acquired from Susquehanna.

At December 31, 2025, the largest categories of securities held as a percentage of total amortized cost, were as follows: (1) residential mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies or sponsored agencies, including pass-through securities

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and collateralized mortgage obligations, 40.0%; (2) tax-exempt and taxable municipal bonds, 29.0%; and (3) commercial mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government sponsored agencies, 18.5%.

The composition of the available-for-sale debt securities portfolio at December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 is as follows:

TABLE VI - INVESTMENT SECURITIES

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As reflected in the table above, the fair value of available-for-sale securities was lower than the amortized cost basis by $29,685,000, or 5.5% at December 31, 2025, $47,543,000, or 10.6% at December 31, 2024 and $49,213,000 or 10.6% at December 31, 2023. The volatility in the fair value of the portfolio, including the significant reduction in fair value, resulted from changes in interest rates.

Additional information regarding the potential impact of interest rate changes on all of the Corporation’s financial instruments is provided in Item 7A, Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

As described in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements, management determined the Corporation does not have the intent to sell, nor is it more likely than not that it will be required to sell, available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2025 before it is able to recover the amortized cost basis. Further, management reviewed the Corporation’s holdings as of December 31, 2025 and concluded there were no credit-related declines in fair value. Additional information related to the types of securities held at December 31, 2025, other than securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government entities or agencies, was as follows:

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Based on the results of management’s assessment, there was no ACL required on available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2025.

The following table presents the contractual maturities and the weighted-average yields (calculated based on amortized cost) of investment securities as of December 31, 2025. Yields on tax-exempt securities are presented on a fully taxable-equivalent basis using the Corporation’s marginal tax rate of 21%. For callable securities, yields on securities purchased at a discount are based on yield-to-maturity, while yields on securities purchased at a premium are based on yield to the first call date. Yields on mortgage-backed securities are estimated and include the effects of prepayment assumptions. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because counterparties may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

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The Corporation’s mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations have stated maturities that may differ from actual maturities due to borrowers’ ability to prepay obligations. Cash flows from such investments are dependent upon the performance of the underlying mortgage loans and are generally influenced by the level of interest rates. As rates increase, cash flows generally decrease as prepayments on the underlying mortgage loans decrease. As rates decrease, cash flows generally increase as prepayments increase due to increased refinance activity and other factors. In the table above, the entire balances and weighted-average rates for mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations are shown in one period.

FINANCIAL CONDITION

This section includes information regarding the Corporation’s lending activities or other significant changes or exposures that are not otherwise addressed in Management’s Discussion and Analysis. Significant changes in the average balances of the Corporation’s earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities are described in the Net Interest Income section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis. Other significant balance sheet items, including securities, the allowance for credit losses for loans and stockholders’ equity, are discussed in separate sections of Management’s Discussion and Analysis. There are no significant concerns that have arisen related to the Corporation’s off-balance sheet loan commitments or outstanding letters of credit at December 31, 2025.

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Table VII shows the composition of the loan portfolio at year-end from 2021 through 2025. Throughout this time period, the portfolio was primarily commercial in nature. At December 31, 2025, commercial loans represented 76% of the portfolio while residential loans totaled 19% of the portfolio.

As presented in Table VII, total loans outstanding at December 31, 2025 were $2,354,365,000 which is an increase of $458,517,000 (24.2%) from total loans at December 31, 2024 including $393,587,000 of gross loans receivable, net of purchase accounting adjustments, recorded effective October 1, 2025 pursuant to the acquisition of Susquehanna. In comparing outstanding balances at December 31, 2025 and 2024, total commercial loans were up $376,154,000 or 26.4%, total outstanding consumer loans increased $46,422,000 or 72.6% and total residential mortgage loans increased $35,941,000 or 8.8%.

Also included in Table VII is additional detail regarding the composition of the non-owner occupied commercial real estate loan portfolio at December 31, 2025. The data in Table VII shows the amortized cost of non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans for which the primary purpose is utilization of office space by third parties was $125,175,000, or 5.3% of gross loans receivable. At December 31, 2025, within this segment there were two loans with a total amortized cost basis of $2,787,000 in nonaccrual status with no individual allowances and the remainder of the non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans with a primary purpose of office space utilization were in accrual status with no individual allowance at December 31, 2025.

While the Corporation’s lending activities are primarily concentrated in its market areas, a portion of the Corporation’s commercial loan segment consists of participation loans. Participation loans represent portions of larger commercial transactions for which other institutions are the “lead banks”. Although not the lead bank, the Corporation conducts detailed underwriting and monitoring of participation loan opportunities. Participation loans are included in the “Commercial and industrial”, “Commercial loans secured by real estate”, “Political subdivisions” and “Other commercial” classes in the loan tables presented in this Form 10-K. Total participation loans outstanding amounted to $107,351,000 at December 31, 2025, up from $35,129,000 at December 31, 2024. The increase in 2025 resulted from participation loans acquired from Susquehanna.

The Corporation originates and sells residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Xtra program administered by the Federal Home Loan Banks of Pittsburgh and Chicago. Residential mortgages originated and sold through the MPF Xtra program consist primarily of conforming, prime loans sold to the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), a quasi-government entity. The Corporation also originates and sells residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Original program, administered by the Federal Home Loan Banks of Pittsburgh and Chicago. Residential mortgages originated and sold through the MPF Original program consist primarily of conforming, prime loans sold to the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. The Corporation also  originates and sells mortgages under the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and other programs though the volume of sales has been small in comparison to the volume under the MPF programs.

For loan sales originated under the MPF programs, the Corporation provides customary representations and warranties to investors that specify, among other things, that the loans have been underwritten to the standards established by the investor. The Corporation may be required to repurchase a loan and reimburse a portion of fees received or reimburse the investor for a credit loss incurred on a loan, if it is determined that the representations and warranties have not been met. Such repurchases or reimbursements generally result from an underwriting or documentation deficiency. At December 31, 2025, the total outstanding balance of loans the Corporation has repurchased as a result of identified instances of noncompliance amounted to $2,598,000 and the corresponding total outstanding balance of repurchased loans at December 31, 2024 was $3,029,000.

At December 31, 2025, outstanding balances of loans sold and serviced through the MPF Xtra and Original programs totaled $450,120,000, including loans sold through the MPF Xtra program of $272,656,000 and loans sold through the Original program of $177,464,000. At December 31, 2024, outstanding balances of loans sold and serviced through the MPF Xtra and Original programs totaled $329,766,000. The outstanding balance of residential mortgage loans originated and serviced by the Corporation that have been sold to third parties increased $120,354,000 from the total at December 31, 2024, reflecting the impact of servicing obligations assumed on such loans that had been sold by Susquehanna prior to the merger. Based on the fairly limited volume of required repurchases to date, no allowance has been established for representation and warranty exposures as of December 31, 2025.

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TABLE VII – Five-Year Summary of Loans by Type

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Additional details regarding the composition of the non-owner occupied commercial real estate loan portfolio at December 31, 2025 is as follows:

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TABLE VIII – LOAN MATURITY DISTRIBUTION

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PROVISION AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

A summary of the provision for credit losses for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 is as follows:

For the year ended December 31, 2025, there was a provision for credit losses of $6,073,000, an increase of $3,878,000 compared to $2,195,000 in 2024. The provision for 2025 included expense related to loans receivable of $5,556,000 and expense related to off-balance sheet exposures of $517,000. The provision for the year ended December 31, 2025 included the impact of increases in the ACL related to changes in qualitative factors. The ACL increased $11,013,000, to 1.32% of loans receivable at December 31, 2025 as compared to 1.06% at December 31, 2024, including the impact of an increase in the ACL attributable to the Susquehanna acquisition and an increase related to changes in qualitative factors.

As shown in Table X, the ACL on loans individually evaluated increased to $2,772,000 at December 31, 2025 from $122,000 at December 31, 2024, including an ACL of $2,632,000 at December 31, 2025 on acquired PCD loans as part of the Susquehanna acquisition.

Table X also shows that, at December 31, 2025 as compared to December 31, 2024, the ACL related to collectively evaluated commercial loans increased by a total of $8,234,000 and the ACL on collectively evaluated residential mortgage increased $273,000, while the ACL on collectively evaluated consumer loans decreased $144,000. The increase for commercial loans includes the impact of growth in the portfolio, mainly from the Susquehanna acquisition and an increase in qualitative adjustments resulting mainly from changes in external indexes and an increase in past due and nonaccrual loans.

In 2025, net charge-offs totaled $1,617,000, or 0.08% of average outstanding loans compared to net charge-offs for 2024 of $1,603,000, or 0.09% of average outstanding loan. Table IX shows annual average net charge-off rates ranging from a high of 0.26% in 2022 to a low of 0.01% in 2023. Table XII shows that over the five-year period ended December 31, 2025, the average net-charge off rate was 0.10%.

Table XI shows that total nonperforming assets as a percentage of total assets was 1.06% at December 31, 2025, up from 0.92% at December 31, 2024 and higher than that at year-end 2021 through 2023. Total nonperforming assets were $33.1 million at December 31, 2025, up from $24.1 million at December 31, 2024, including the impact of nonaccrual PCD loans acquired as part of the merger with a total amortized cost basis of $6.8 million at December 31, 2025.

Over the period 2021-2025, each period includes a few large commercial relationships that have required significant monitoring and workout efforts. As a result, a limited number of relationships may significantly impact the total amount of allowance required on individual loans and may significantly impact the provision for credit losses and the amount of total charge-offs reported in any one period.

Management believes it has been prudent in its decisions concerning identification of loans requiring individual evaluation for credit loss, estimates of loss, and nonaccrual status; however, the actual losses realized from these relationships could vary materially from the

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ACL calculated as of December 31, 2025. Management continues to closely monitor its commercial loan relationships for credit losses and will adjust its estimates of loss and decisions concerning nonaccrual status, if appropriate.

Tables IX through XII present historical data related to loans and the allowance for credit losses.

TABLE IX - ANALYSIS OF THE ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES ON LOANS

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