EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 898171
Filing Year: 2021
Filename: 898171_10-K_2021_0001564590-21-011239.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Item 1.
Business.
Uwharrie Capital Corp (the “Company”) is a North Carolina business corporation and registered bank holding company. The Company was incorporated on February 24, 1993 to become the bank holding company for Uwharrie Bank (the “Bank”), a North Carolina commercial bank, originally chartered on September 28, 1983 as Bank of Stanly, and its three wholly owned subsidiaries, The Strategic Alliance Corporation (“Strategic Alliance”), BOS Agency, Inc. (“BOS Agency”) and Gateway Mortgage, Inc., a mortgage brokerage company acquired in August 2000. The Company also owns two non-bank subsidiaries, Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc., formerly known as Strategic Investment Advisors, Inc., formed in 1999 and Uwharrie Mortgage, Inc. formed in 2004.
On January 19, 2000, the Company completed its acquisition of Anson Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary, Anson Savings Bank. The savings bank retained its North Carolina savings bank charter and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company until September 1, 2013 when it was merged with and into the Bank.
During 2002, the Company expanded its service area into the Cabarrus County market. On April 10, 2003 the Company capitalized a new wholly-owned subsidiary bank, Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company. As of that date, Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company purchased two Cabarrus County branch offices of the Bank, formerly known as Bank of Stanly, in order to commence operations. Cabarrus Bank & Trust Company was merged with and into the Bank, effective September 1, 2013.
The Company and its subsidiaries conduct their operations in Stanly County, Anson County, Cabarrus County and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Company is community-oriented, emphasizing the well-being of the people in its region above financial gain in directing its corporate decisions. In order to best serve its communities, the Company believes it must remain a strong, viable, independent financial institution. This means that the Company must evolve with today’s quickly changing financial services industry. Beginning with its inception in 1993, the Company implemented its current strategy to remain a strong, independent community financial institution that is competitive with larger institutions and allows its service area to enjoy the benefits of a local financial institution and the strength its capital investment provides the community. This strategy consists of developing and expanding the Company’s technological capabilities while recruiting and maintaining a workforce sensitive to the financial services needs of its customers. This strategy has provided the Company with the capacity to grow and leverage the cost of delivering competitive services.
At December 31, 2020, the Company and related subsidiaries had 182 full-time and 11 part-time employees.
Business of the Bank
The Bank is a North Carolina chartered commercial bank, which was incorporated in 1983 and which commenced banking operations as Bank of Stanly on January 26, 1984. Its main banking office is located at 167 North Second Street, Albemarle, North Carolina, and it operates nine other banking offices and two loan production offices in Stanly County, Cabarrus County, Anson County and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The Bank is the only commercial bank headquartered in Stanly County.
Its operations are primarily retail-oriented and directed to individuals and small to medium-sized businesses located in its market area, and its deposits and loans are derived primarily from customers in its geographical market. The Bank provides traditional commercial and consumer banking services, including personal and commercial checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and related business and individual banking services. The Bank’s lending activities include commercial loans and various consumer-type loans to individuals, including installment loans, mortgage loans, equity lines of credit and overdraft checking credit. The Bank also offers Internet Banking, mobile banking, 24-Hour Telephone Banking, and issues Visa ® Check Cards, an electronic banking card, which functions as a point-of-sale card and allows its customers to access their deposit accounts at the Bank’s ten branches and at most automated teller machines of other banks linked to the STAR ® or CIRRUS ® networks. The Bank offers credit cards under license from MasterCard ®. The Bank does not presently provide the services of a trust department.
Non-Bank Subsidiaries
The Bank has three wholly-owned subsidiaries, BOS Agency, Strategic Alliance and Gateway Mortgage, Inc. BOS Agency was formed during 1987 and engages in the sale of various insurance products, including annuities, life insurance, long-term care, disability insurance and Medicare supplements. Strategic Alliance was formed during 1989 as BOS Financial Corporation and, during 1993, adopted its current name. It is registered with the SEC and licensed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) as a securities broker-dealer. Gateway Mortgage, Inc. is a mortgage brokerage company, acquired by the Bank in 2000.
The Company has two non-bank subsidiaries. Uwharrie Investment Advisors, Inc., which is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC, began operations on April 1, 1999 and provides portfolio management services to customers in the Charlotte
Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions. The Company established Uwharrie Mortgage, Inc., a subsidiary to serve in the capacity of trustee and substitute trustee under deeds of trust, in 2004.
Competition
Commercial banking in North Carolina is extremely competitive, due in large part to early adoption of statewide and interstate branching laws. The Company encounters significant competition from a number of sources, including other bank holding companies, commercial banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions and financial intermediaries including financial technology companies.
Among commercial banks, the Bank competes in its market areas with some of the largest banking organizations operating in the state, several of which have hundreds of branches in North Carolina and billions of dollars in assets. Consequently, some competitors have substantially higher lending limits due to their greater total capitalization, and may perform functions for their customers that the Company currently does not offer. The Company could encounter increased competition in the future, from existing or new competitors that may limit its ability to maintain or increase its market share or otherwise materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.
The Bank depends on its reputation as a community bank in its local market, direct customer contact, its ability to make credit and other business decisions locally, and personalized service to counter these competitive disadvantages.
Exposure to Local Economic Conditions
The Company’s success is dependent to a significant extent upon economic conditions in Stanly, Anson, Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties, and more generally, in the Charlotte Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions. In addition, the banking industry in general is affected by economic conditions such as inflation, recession, unemployment and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Economic recession over a prolonged period or other economic dislocation in the Charlotte Metropolitan and Uwharrie Lakes Regions could cause increases in non-performing assets and impair the values of real estate collateral, thereby causing operating losses, diminishing liquidity and eroding capital. Although management believes its loan policy and review process results in sound and consistent credit decisions on its loans, there can be no assurance that future adverse changes in the economy in the Company’s market area would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
Impact of Technological Advances; Upgrade to Company’s Infrastructure
The banking industry is undergoing, and management believes it will continue to undergo, technological changes with frequent introductions of new technology-driven products and services. In addition to improving customer services, the effective use of technology increases efficiency and enables financial institutions to reduce costs. The Company’s future success will depend, in part, on its ability to address the needs of its customers by using technology to provide products and services that will satisfy customer demands for convenience as well as enhance efficiencies in the Company’s operations. Management believes that keeping pace with technological advances is critical for the Company in light of its strategy to continue its sustained pace of growth. As a result, the Company intends to continue to upgrade its internal systems, both through the efficient use of technology and by strengthening its policies and procedures. The Company also currently anticipates that it will evaluate opportunities to expand its array of technology-based products to its customers from time to time in the future.
Federal Bank Holding Company Regulation and Structure
As a registered bank holding company, the Company is subject to regulation under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (the “BHCA”) and to the supervision, examination and reporting requirements of the Federal Reserve System. The Bank has a North Carolina commercial bank charter and is subject to regulation, supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve and the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks (“NCCOB”).
The BHCA requires every bank holding company to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve before:
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it may acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting shares of any bank if, after the acquisition, the bank holding company will directly or indirectly own or control more than 5% of the voting shares of the bank;
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it or any of its subsidiaries, other than a bank, may acquire all or substantially all of the assets of any bank; or
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it may merge or consolidate with any other bank holding company.
The BHCA further provides that the Federal Reserve may not approve any transaction that would result in a monopoly or that would substantially lessen competition in the banking business, unless the public interest in meeting the needs of the communities to be served outweighs the anti-competitive effects. The Federal Reserve is also required to consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the bank holding companies and banks involved and the convenience and needs of the communities to be served. Consideration of financial resources generally focuses on capital adequacy, and consideration of convenience and needs issues focuses, in part, on the performance under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, both of which are discussed elsewhere in more detail.
Subject to various exceptions, the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act, together with related regulations, require Federal Reserve approval prior to any person or company acquiring “control” of a bank holding company. Control is conclusively presumed to exist if a person or company acquires 25% or more of any class of voting securities of a bank holding company. Control is also presumed to exist, although rebuttable, if a person or company acquires 10% or more, but less than 25%, of any class of voting securities and either:
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the bank holding company has securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act; or
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no other person owns a greater percentage of that class of voting securities immediately after the transaction.
The Company’s common stock is registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. Federal Reserve regulations provide a procedure for challenging rebuttable presumptions of control.
On April 1, 2020, the Federal Reserve’s final rule revising the “controlling influence” prong of its “control” rules promulgated under the BHCA became effective. The final rule largely reaffirms the Federal Reserve’s existing framework for analyzing “controlling influence” but with some new rules for presumptions of control for investments in and by banking organizations that represent more than 4.9% and less than 24.9% of control over any class of voting securities. By codifying the Federal Reserve’s presumptions used in making control determinations, the final rule provides greater transparency on the types on relationships that the Federal Reserve generally views as supporting a facts-and-circumstances determination that one entity controls another. The final rule applies to questions of control under the BHCA, but does not extend to the Change in Bank Control Act.
The BHCA generally prohibits a bank holding company from engaging in activities other than banking, managing or controlling banks or other permissible subsidiaries, and acquiring or retaining direct or indirect control of any company engaged in any activities other than activities closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks. In determining whether a particular activity is permissible, the Federal Reserve considers whether performing the activity can be expected to produce benefits to the public that outweigh possible adverse effects, such as undue concentration of resources, decreased or unfair competition, conflicts of interest or unsound banking practices. The Federal Reserve has the power to order a bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any activity or control of any subsidiary when the continuation of the activity or control constitutes a serious risk to the financial safety, soundness or stability of any bank subsidiary of that bank holding company.
Under the BHCA, a bank holding company may file an election with the Federal Reserve to be treated as a financial holding company and engage in an expanded list of financial activities. The election must be accompanied by a certification that all of the company’s insured depository institution subsidiaries are “well capitalized” and “well managed.” Additionally, the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 rating of each subsidiary bank must be satisfactory or better. If, after becoming a financial holding company and undertaking activities not permissible for a bank holding company, the company fails to continue to meet any of the prerequisites for financial holding company status, the company must enter into an agreement with the Federal Reserve to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements. If the company does not return to compliance within 180 days, the Federal Reserve may order the company to divest its subsidiary banks or the company may discontinue or divest investments in companies engaged in activities permissible only for a bank holding company that has elected to be treated as a financial holding company. The Company has not filed an election to become a financial holding company.
Under Federal Reserve policy and as has been codified by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, or the Dodd-Frank Act, the Company is expected to act as a source of financial strength for the Bank and to commit resources to support the Bank. This support may be required at times when the Company might not be inclined to provide it. In addition, any capital loans made by the Company to the Bank will be repaid only after the Bank’s deposits and various other obligations are repaid in full.
The Bank is also subject to numerous state and federal statutes and regulations that affect its business, activities and operations and is supervised and examined by state and federal bank regulatory agencies. The Federal Reserve and the NCCOB regularly examine the operations of the Bank and are given the authority to approve or disapprove mergers, consolidations, the establishment of branches and similar corporate actions. These agencies also have the power to prevent the continuance or development of unsafe or unsound banking practices or other violations of law.
Bank Merger Act
Section 18(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, popularly known as the “Bank Merger Act,” requires the prior written approval of the federal banking regulators before any bank may (i) merge or consolidate with, (ii) purchase or otherwise acquire the assets of, or (iii) assume the deposit liabilities of, another bank if the resulting institution is to be a state nonmember bank.
The Bank Merger Act prohibits approval of any proposed merger transaction that would result in a monopoly, or would further a combination or conspiracy to monopolize or to attempt to monopolize the business of banking in any part of the United States. Similarly, the Bank Merger Act prohibits the approval of a proposed merger transaction whose effect in any section of the country may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly, or which in any other manner would be in restraint of trade. An exception may be made in the case of a merger transaction whose effect would be to substantially lessen competition, tend to create a monopoly, or otherwise restrain trade, if federal regulators find that the anticompetitive effects of the proposed transaction are clearly outweighed in the public interest by the probable effect of the transaction in meeting the convenience and needs of the community to be served.
In every proposed merger transaction, federal banking regulators must also consider the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the existing and proposed institutions, the convenience and needs of the community to be served, and the effectiveness of each insured depository institution involved in the proposed merger transaction in combating money-laundering activities, including in overseas branches.
State Law
The Bank is subject to extensive supervision and regulation by the NCCOB. The NCCOB oversees state laws that set specific requirements for bank capital and that regulate deposits in, and loans and investments by, banks, including the amounts, types, and in some cases, rates. The NCCOB supervises and performs periodic examinations of North Carolina-chartered banks to assure compliance with state banking statutes and regulations, and banks are required to make regular reports to the NCCOB describing in detail their resources, assets, liabilities, and financial condition. Among other things, the NCCOB regulates mergers and consolidations of North Carolina state-chartered banks, capital requirements for banks, the payment of dividends, loans to officers and directors, record keeping, types and amounts of loans and investments, and the establishment, relocation, and closing of branches.
The NCCOB has extensive enforcement authority over North Carolina banks. Such authority includes the ability to issue cease-and-desist orders and to seek civil money penalties. The NCCOB may also take possession of a North Carolina bank in various circumstances, including for a violation of its charter or of applicable laws, operating in an unsafe and unsound manner, or as a result of an impairment of its capital, and may appoint a receiver.
The Company is also required to maintain registration as a bank holding company with the NCCOB. Subject to certain exceptions, the Company may not acquire control over another bank or bank holding company or consummate a merger or other combination transaction with another company without the prior approval of the NCCOB. The NCCOB also has authority to assert civil money penalties against a holding company if the NCCOB determines such holding company to be in violation of any banking laws and the holding company fails to comply with an NCCOB order to cease and desist from such violations of law.
The primary state banking laws to which the Bank is subject are set forth in Chapters 53C and 53 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Certain provisions of the North Carolina Business Corporation Act are also applicable to the Bank, as a North Carolina banking corporation.
Payment of Dividends and Other Restrictions
The Company is a legal entity separate and distinct from the bank it owns. While there are various legal and regulatory limitations under federal and state law on the extent to which banks can pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to holding companies, the principal source of cash revenues for the Company is dividends from the Bank. The relevant federal and state regulatory agencies have authority to prohibit a state bank or bank holding company, which would include Uwharrie Capital Corp and the Bank, from engaging in what, in the opinion of such regulatory body, constitutes an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business. The payment of dividends could, depending upon the financial condition of a bank, be deemed to constitute an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting its business.
North Carolina commercial banks, such as the Bank, are subject to legal limitations on the amounts of dividends they are permitted to pay. Specifically, an insured depository institution, such as the Bank, is prohibited from making capital distributions, including the payment of dividends, if, after making such distribution, the institution would become “undercapitalized” (as such term is defined in the applicable law and regulations).
The Federal Reserve has issued a policy statement on the payment of cash dividends by bank holding companies, which expresses the Federal Reserve’s view that a bank holding company should pay cash dividends only to the extent that the holding company’s net income for the past year is sufficient to cover both the cash dividends and a rate of earning retention that is consistent with the holding company’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve also indicated that it would be inappropriate for a holding company experiencing serious financial problems to borrow funds to pay dividends. Furthermore, under the prompt corrective action regulations adopted by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Reserve may prohibit a bank holding company from paying any dividends if any of the holding company’s bank subsidiaries are classified as undercapitalized.
A bank holding company is required to give the Federal Reserve prior written notice of any purchase or redemption of its outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for the purchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such purchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, is equal to 10% or more of its consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve may disapprove such a purchase or redemption if it determines that the proposal would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, Federal Reserve order or any condition imposed by, or written agreement with, the Federal Reserve.
Capital Adequacy
The Bank must comply with the Federal Reserve’s established capital adequacy standards. The Federal Reserve has promulgated two basic measures of capital adequacy: a risk-based measure and a leverage measure. Banks and bank holding companies must satisfy all applicable capital standards to be considered in compliance. Pursuant to the Federal Reserve’s Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement, the Company is exempt from the Federal Reserve’s risk-based capital and leverage rules.
The risk-based capital standards are designed to make regulatory capital requirements sensitive to differences in risk profile among banks and bank holding companies, account for off-balance-sheet exposure and minimize disincentives for holding liquid assets.
Assets and off-balance-sheet items are assigned to broad risk categories, each with appropriate weights. The resulting capital ratios represent capital as a percentage of total risk-weighted assets and off-balance-sheet items. The minimum guideline for the ratio of total capital to risk-weighted assets is 8%. At least half of total capital must be Tier 1 Capital, which is common stock, undivided profits, minority interests in the equity accounts of consolidated subsidiaries and noncumulative perpetual preferred stock, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets. The remainder may consist of Tier 2 Capital, which is subordinated debt, other preferred stock and a limited amount of loan loss reserves.
At December 31, 2020 the Bank’s total risk-based capital ratio and its Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio were 13.08% and 12.21%, respectively. The Bank has not been advised by any federal banking agency of any additional specific minimum capital ratio requirement applicable to it.
In addition, the Federal Reserve has established minimum leverage ratio guidelines for bank holding companies. These guidelines provide for a minimum ratio of Tier 1 Capital to average assets, less goodwill and certain other intangible assets, of 3% for bank holding companies that meet specified criteria. All other bank holding companies generally are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4%. The Company’s ratio at December 31, 2020 was 6.88%, compared to 7.37% at December 31, 2019. The guidelines also provide that bank holding companies experiencing internal growth or making acquisitions will be expected to maintain strong capital positions substantially above the minimum supervisory levels without significant reliance on intangible assets. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve has indicated that it will consider a “tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio” and other indications of capital strength in evaluating proposals for expansion or new activities. The Federal Reserve has not advised us of any additional specific minimum leverage ratio or tangible Tier 1 Capital leverage ratio applicable to the Company.
Failure to meet capital guidelines could subject a bank to a variety of enforcement remedies, including issuance of a capital directive, the termination of deposit insurance by the FDIC, a prohibition on taking brokered deposits and certain other restrictions on its business. As described below, federal banking regulators can impose substantial additional restrictions upon FDIC-insured depository institutions that fail to meet applicable capital requirements.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or FDI Act, requires the federal regulatory agencies to take “prompt corrective action” if a depository institution does not meet minimum capital requirements. The FDI Act establishes five capital tiers: “well capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized.” A depository institution’s capital tier will depend upon how its capital levels compare to various relevant capital measures and certain other factors, as established by regulation.
The federal bank regulatory agencies have adopted regulations establishing relevant capital measures and relevant capital levels applicable to FDIC-insured banks. The relevant capital measures are the Total Risk-Based Capital ratio, Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio and the leverage ratio. Under the regulations, an FDIC-insured bank will be:
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“well capitalized” if it has a Total Risk-Based Capital ratio of 10% or greater, a Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio of 8% or greater and a leverage ratio of 5% or greater and is not subject to any order or written directive by the appropriate regulatory authority to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure;
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“adequately capitalized” if it has a Total Risk-Based Capital ratio of 8% or greater, a Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio of 6% or greater and a leverage ratio of 4% or greater (3% in certain circumstances) and is not “well capitalized;”
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“undercapitalized” if it has a Total Risk-Based Capital ratio of less than 8%, a Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio of less than 6% or a leverage ratio of less than 4% (3% in certain circumstances);
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“significantly undercapitalized” if it has a Total Risk-Based Capital ratio of less than 6%, a Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital ratio of less than 4% or a leverage ratio of less than 3%; and
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“critically undercapitalized” if its tangible equity is equal to or less than 2% of average quarterly tangible assets.
An institution may be downgraded to, or deemed to be in, a capital category that is lower than is indicated by its capital ratios if it is determined to be in an unsafe or unsound condition or if it receives an unsatisfactory examination rating with respect to certain matters. As of December 31, 2020, the Bank had capital levels that qualify as “well capitalized” under such regulations.
The FDI Act generally prohibits an FDIC-insured bank from making a capital distribution (including payment of a dividend) or paying any management fee to its holding company if the bank would thereafter be “undercapitalized.” “Undercapitalized” banks are subject to growth limitations and are required to submit a capital restoration plan. The federal regulators may not accept a capital plan without determining, among other things, that the plan is based on realistic assumptions and is likely to succeed in restoring the bank’s capital. In addition, for a capital restoration plan to be acceptable, the bank’s parent holding company must guarantee that the institution will comply with such capital restoration plan. The aggregate liability of the parent holding company is limited to the lesser of: (i) an amount equal to 5% of the bank’s total assets at the time it became “undercapitalized”; and (ii) the amount which is necessary (or would have been necessary) to bring the institution into compliance with all capital standards applicable with respect to such institution as of the time it fails to comply with the plan. If a bank fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is “significantly undercapitalized.”
“Significantly undercapitalized” insured banks may be subject to a number of requirements and restrictions, including orders to sell sufficient voting stock to become “adequately capitalized,” requirements to reduce total assets, cease receipt of deposits from correspondent banks, or dismiss directors or officers, and restrictions on interest rates paid on deposits, compensation of executive officers, and capital distributions by the parent holding company. “Critically undercapitalized” institutions are subject to the appointment of a receiver or conservator, may not make any payment of principal or interest on certain subordinated debt, extend credit for a highly leveraged transaction, or enter into any material transaction outside the ordinary course of business. A bank that is not “well capitalized” is also subject to certain limitations relating to brokered deposits.
The regulatory capital framework under which the Company and the Bank operate has changed in significant respects as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act and other regulations, including the separate regulatory capital requirements put forth by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, commonly known “Basel III.”
In July, 2013, the Federal Reserve, FDIC and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved final rules that established an integrated regulatory capital framework that addressed shortcomings in certain capital requirements. The capital rules implemented in the United States the Basel III regulatory capital reforms from the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and certain changes required by the Dodd-Frank Act. These rules have applied to us and the Bank since 2015.
The major provisions of the rule applicable to us are:
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The rule implemented higher minimum capital requirements, including a new common equity Tier 1 capital requirement, and established criteria that instruments must meet in order to be considered Common Equity Tier 1 capital, additional Tier 1 capital, or Tier 2 capital. The minimum capital to risk-weighted assets (“RWA”) requirements under the rule are a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 4.5% and a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.0%, which is an increase from 4.0%, and a total capital ratio that remains at 8.0%. The minimum leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to total assets) is 4.0%. The rule maintains the general structure of the current prompt corrective action, or PCA, framework while incorporating these increased minimum requirements.
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The rule implemented changes to the definition of capital, including stricter eligibility criteria for regulatory capital instruments that disallows the inclusion of instruments such as trust preferred securities in Tier 1 capital going forward
(subject to certain exceptions), and new constraints on the inclusion of minority interests, mortgage-servicing assets (“MSAs”), deferred tax assets (“DTAs”), and certain investments in the capital of unconsolidated financial institutions.
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Under the rule, in order to avoid limitations on capital distributions, including dividend payments and certain discretionary bonus payments to executive officers, a banking organization must hold a capital conservation buffer composed of common equity Tier 1 capital above its minimum risk-based capital requirements. This buffer is intended to help ensure that banking organizations conserve capital when it is most needed, allowing them to better weather periods of economic stress. The buffer is measured relative to RWA. A banking organization with a buffer greater than 2.5% would not be subject to limits on capital distributions or discretionary bonus payments; however, a banking organization with a buffer of less than 2.5% would be subject to increasingly stringent limitations as the buffer approaches zero. The rule also prohibits a banking organization from making distributions or discretionary bonus payments during any quarter if its eligible retained income is negative in that quarter and its capital conservation buffer ratio was less than 2.5% at the beginning of the quarter. The minimum capital requirements plus the capital conservation buffer exceed the PCA well-capitalized thresholds.
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The rule also increased the risk weights for past-due loans, certain commercial real estate loans, and some equity exposures, and made selected other changes in risk weights and credit conversion factors.
Compliance by the Company and the Bank with these capital requirements affects their respective operations by increasing the amount of capital required to conduct operations.
In 2019, the federal banking agencies released a final rule amending the U.S. Basel III capital rules to simplify the capital treatment of capital deductions and recognition of minority interests for banking organizations such as the Registrant that are not subject to the advanced approaches capital rule. The final rule:
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simplifies the framework of regulatory capital deductions and heightened risk weights for mortgage servicing assets, deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences that an institution could not realize through net operating loss carrybacks, and investments in the capital of unconsolidated financial institutions, resulting in potentially fewer deductions for these items;
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simplifies the recognition and calculation of minority interests that are includable in regulatory capital, resulting in potentially greater recognition of minority interests; and
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makes certain technical amendments to the capital rules.
Community Bank Leverage Ratio. As discussed below, in 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) became law, which directed the federal banking agencies (which includes the FDIC, Federal Reserve Board, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC) to develop a community bank leverage ratio (“CBLR”) of not less than 8 percent and not more than 10 percent for qualifying community banking organizations. EGRRCPA defines a qualifying community banking organization as a depository institution or depository institution holding company with total consolidated assets of less than $10 billion, which would include the Company and its banking subsidiary. A qualifying community banking organization that exceeds the CBLR level established by the agencies is considered to have met: (i) the generally applicable leverage and risk-based capital requirements under the agencies’ capital rule; (ii) the capital ratio requirements in order to be considered well capitalized under the agencies’ PCA framework (in the case of insured depository institutions); and (iii) any other applicable capital or leverage requirements. Section 201 of EGRRCPA defines the CBLR as the ratio of a banking organization’s CBLR tangible equity to its average total consolidated assets, both as reported on the banking organization’s applicable regulatory filing.
In 2019, the federal bank regulatory agencies passed a final rule on the CBLR, setting the minimum required CBLR at 9%. The rule went into effect in 2020. Under the final rule, a qualifying community banking organization may elect to use the CBLR framework if its CBLR is greater than 9 percent. A qualifying community banking organization that has chosen the proposed framework is not required to calculate the existing risk-based and leverage capital requirements. A bank is also considered to have met the capital ratio requirements to be well capitalized for the agencies' prompt corrective action rules provided it has a CBLR greater than 9 percent. We have not elected to implement the CBLR framework at this time.
Acquisitions
The Company must comply with numerous laws related to any potential acquisition activity. Under the BHCA, a bank holding company may not directly or indirectly acquire ownership or control of more than 5% of the voting shares or substantially all of the assets of any bank or merge or consolidate with another bank holding company without the prior approval of the Federal Reserve. The acquisition of non-banking companies is also regulated by the Federal Reserve. Current federal law authorizes interstate acquisitions of banks and bank holding companies without geographic limitation. Furthermore, a bank headquartered in one state is authorized to merge with a bank headquartered in another state, as long as neither of the states has opted out of such interstate merger authority prior
to such date, and subject to any state requirement that the target bank shall have been in existence and operating for a minimum period of time, not to exceed five years, and to certain deposit market-share limitations. After a bank has established branches in a state through an interstate merger transaction, the bank may establish and acquire additional branches at any location in the state where a bank headquartered in that state could have established or acquired branches under applicable federal or state law. Additionally, under the Dodd-Frank Act, banks are permitted to open a de novo branch in any state if that state would permit a bank organized in that state to open a branch.
Restrictions on Affiliate Transactions
Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act establish parameters for a bank to conduct “covered transactions” with its affiliates, with the objective of limiting risk to the insured bank. Generally, Sections 23A and 23B (i) limit the extent to which the bank or its subsidiaries may engage in “covered transactions” with any one affiliate to an amount equal to 10% of such bank’s capital stock and surplus, and limit the aggregate of all such transactions with all affiliates to an amount equal to 20% of such capital stock and surplus and (ii) require that all such transactions be on terms substantially the same, or at least as favorable, to the bank or subsidiary as those that would be provided to a non-affiliate. The term “covered transaction” includes the making of loans to the affiliate, purchase of assets from the affiliate, issuance of a guaranty on behalf of the affiliate and several other types of transactions.
The Dodd-Frank Act imposed additional restrictions on transactions between affiliates by amending these two sections of the Federal Reserve Act. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, restrictions on transactions with affiliates are enhanced by (i) including among “covered transactions” transactions between bank and affiliate-advised investment funds; (ii) including among “covered transactions” transactions between a bank and an affiliate with respect to securities repurchase agreements and derivatives transactions; (iii) adopting stricter collateral rules; and (iv) imposing tighter restrictions on transactions between banks and their financial subsidiaries.
FDIC Insurance Assessments
Assessments are paid by each Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) member institution. The assessment rates for an insured depository institution vary according to the level of risk incurred in its activities, which for established small institutions like the Bank (i.e., those institutions with less than $10 billion in assets and insured for five years or more), is generally determined by reference to the institution’s supervisory ratings. The assessment rate schedule can change from time to time, at the discretion of the FDIC, subject to certain limits. The Bank’s insurance assessments during 2020 and 2019 were $307,000 and $230,000, respectively.
The FDIC may terminate insurance of deposits upon a finding that an institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.
The Dodd-Frank Act expanded the base for FDIC insurance assessments, requiring that assessments be based on the average consolidated total assets less tangible equity capital of a financial institution. In 2011, the FDIC approved a final rule to implement the foregoing provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. Among other things, the final rule revised the assessment rate schedule to provide assessments ranging from 5 to 35 basis points, with the initial assessment rates subject to adjustments which could increase or decrease the total base assessment rates. The FDIC has three possible adjustments to an institution’s initial base assessment rate: (1) a decrease of up to five basis points (or 50% of the initial base assessment rate) for long-term unsecured debt, including senior unsecured debt and subordinated debt; (2) an increase for holding long-term unsecured or subordinated debt issued by other insured depository institutions known as the Depository Institution Debt Adjustment; and (3) for institutions not well rated and well capitalized, an increase not to exceed 10 basis points for brokered deposits in excess of 10 percent of domestic deposits.
The FDIC has authority to increase deposit insurance assessments. A significant increase in insurance premiums would likely have an adverse effect on the operating expenses and results of operations of the Company and the Bank. Management cannot predict what insurance assessment rates will be in the future.
Community Reinvestment Act
The Community Reinvestment Act requires federal bank regulatory agencies to encourage financial institutions to meet the credit needs of low and moderate-income borrowers in their local communities. An institution’s size and business strategy determines the type of examination that it will receive. Large, retail-oriented institutions are examined using a performance-based lending, investment and service test. Small institutions are examined using a streamlined approach. All institutions may opt to be evaluated under a strategic plan formulated with community input and pre-approved by the bank regulatory agency.
The Community Reinvestment Act regulations provide for certain disclosure obligations. Each institution must post a notice advising the public of its right to comment to the institution and its regulator on the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act performance and to review the institution’s Community Reinvestment Act public file. Each lending institution must maintain for
public inspection a file that includes a listing of branch locations and services, a summary of lending activity, a map of its communities and any written comments from the public on its performance in meeting community credit needs. The Community Reinvestment Act requires public disclosure of a financial institution’s written Community Reinvestment Act evaluations. This promotes enforcement of Community Reinvestment Act requirements by providing the public with the status of a particular institution’s community reinvestment record.
Community Reinvestment Act agreements with private parties must be disclosed and annual Community Reinvestment Act reports must be made available to a bank’s primary federal regulator. A bank holding company will not be permitted to become a financial holding company and no new activities authorized under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act may be commenced by a holding company or by a bank financial subsidiary if any of its bank subsidiaries received less than a satisfactory Community Reinvestment Act rating in its latest Community Reinvestment Act examination. The Bank received a “Satisfactory” rating in its last CRA examination, which was conducted as of April 17, 2017.
The Federal Reserve is considering changes to the regulations under the Community Reinvestment Act. The Company will monitor any proposed changes as they make their way through the agency rulemaking process.
Consumer Protection Laws
The Bank is subject to a number of federal and state laws designed to protect borrowers and promote lending to various sectors of the economy and population. These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, the Fair Debt Collection Act and state law counterparts.
Federal law currently contains extensive customer privacy protection provisions. Under these provisions, a financial institution must provide to its customers, at the inception of the customer relationship and then again if any changes are made, the institution’s policies and procedures regarding the handling of customers’ nonpublic personal financial information. These provisions also provide that, except for certain limited exceptions, an institution may not provide such personal information to unaffiliated third parties unless the institution discloses to the customer that such information may be so provided and the customer is given the opportunity to opt out of such disclosure. Federal law makes it a criminal offense, except in limited circumstances, to obtain or attempt to obtain customer information of a financial nature by fraudulent or deceptive means. In addition, certain state laws could potentially impact the Bank’s operations, including those related to applicable notification requirements when unauthorized access to customers’ nonpublic personal information has occurred
Additional Legislative and Regulatory Matters
The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the “USA PATRIOT Act”) required each financial institution: (i) to establish an anti-money laundering program; (ii) to establish due diligence policies, procedures and controls with respect to its private banking accounts involving foreign individuals and certain foreign banks; and (iii) to avoid establishing, maintaining, administering or managing correspondent accounts in the United States for, or on behalf of, foreign banks that do not have a physical presence in any country. The USA PATRIOT Act also required the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe by regulation minimum standards that financial institutions must follow to verify the identity of customers, both foreign and domestic, when a customer opens an account. In addition, the USA PATRIOT Act encouraged cooperation among financial institutions, regulatory authorities and law enforcement authorities with respect to individuals, entities and organizations engaged in, or reasonably suspected of engaging in, terrorist acts or money laundering activities.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”) mandated for public companies, such as Uwharrie Capital Corp, a variety of reforms intended to address corporate and accounting fraud and provided for the establishment of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), which enforces auditing, quality control and independence standards for firms that audit SEC-reporting companies. Sarbanes-Oxley imposed higher standards for auditor independence and restricted the provision of consulting services by auditing firms to companies they audit and required that certain audit partners be rotated periodically. It also requires chief executive officers and chief financial officers, or their equivalents, to certify the accuracy of periodic reports filed with the SEC, subject to civil and criminal penalties if they knowingly or willfully violate this certification requirement, and increases the oversight and authority of audit committees of publicly traded companies.
Fiscal and Monetary Policy
Banking is a business which depends on interest rate differentials for success. In general, the difference between the interest paid by a bank on its deposits and its other borrowings, and the interest received by a bank on its loans and securities holdings, constitutes the significant portion of a bank’s earnings. Thus, our earnings and growth will be subject to the influence of economic conditions generally, both domestic and foreign, and also to the monetary and fiscal policies of the United States and its agencies,
particularly the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve regulates the supply of money through various means, including open market dealings in United States government securities, the discount rate at which banks may borrow from the Federal Reserve and the reserve requirements on deposits. The nature and timing of any changes in such policies and their effect on our business and results of operations cannot be predicted.
Current and future legislation and the policies established by federal and state regulatory authorities will affect our future operations. Banking legislation and regulations may limit our growth and the return to their investors by restricting certain of our activities.
In addition, capital requirements could be changed and have the effect of restricting the activities of the Company or requiring additional capital to be maintained. The Company cannot predict with certainty what changes, if any, will be made to existing federal and state legislation and regulations or the effect that such changes may have on our business and results of operations.
Federal Home Loan Bank System
The FHLB System consists of 12 district Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”) subject to supervision and regulation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”). The FHLBs provide a central credit facility primarily for member institutions. As a member of the FHLB of Atlanta, the Bank is required to acquire and hold shares of capital stock in the FHLB of Atlanta. The Bank was in compliance with this requirement with investment in FHLB of Atlanta stock of $657,000 at December 31, 2020. The FHLB of Atlanta serves as a reserve or central bank for its member institutions within its assigned district. It is funded primarily from proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the FHLB System. It offers advances to members in accordance with policies and procedures established by the FHFA and the Board of Directors of the FHLB of Atlanta. Long-term advances may only be made for the purpose of providing funds for residential housing finance, small businesses, small farms and small agribusinesses.
Real Estate Lending Evaluations
The federal regulators have adopted uniform standards for evaluations of loans secured by real estate or made to finance improvements to real estate. Banks are required to establish and maintain written internal real estate lending policies consistent with safe and sound banking practices and appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its operations. The regulations establish loan to value ratio limitations on real estate loans. The Bank’s loan policies establish limits on loan to value ratios that are equal to or less than those established in such regulations.
Commercial Real Estate Concentrations
Lending operations of commercial banks may be subject to enhanced scrutiny by federal banking regulators based on a bank’s concentration of commercial real estate loans. The federal banking regulators have issued guidance to remind financial institutions of the risk posed by commercial real estate, or CRE, lending concentrations. CRE loans generally include land development, construction loans, and loans secured by multifamily property, and nonfarm, nonresidential real property where the primary source of repayment is derived from rental income associated with the property. The guidance prescribes the following guidelines for its examiners to help identify institutions that are potentially exposed to significant CRE risk and may warrant greater supervisory scrutiny:
•
total reported loans for construction, land development and other land (“C&D”) represent 100% or more of the institution’s total capital; or
•
total CRE loans represent 300% or more of the institution’s total capital, and the outstanding balance of the institution’s CRE loan portfolio has increased by 50% or more.
As of December 31, 2020, our C&D concentration as a percentage of risk-based capital totaled 61.7% and our CRE concentration, net of owner-occupied loans, as a percentage of risk-based capital totaled 165.3%.
Limitations on Incentive Compensation
In 2009, the Federal Reserve issued proposed guidance designed to help ensure that incentive compensation policies at banking organizations do not encourage excessive risk-taking or undermine the safety and soundness of the organization. In connection with the proposed guidance, the Federal Reserve announced that it would review incentive compensation arrangements of bank holding companies such as Uwharrie Capital Corp as part of the regular, risk-focused supervisory process.
In 2010, the Federal Reserve issued the incentive compensation guidance in final form and was joined by the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The final guidance, which covers all employees that have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of an organization, either individually or as part of a group, is based upon the key principles that a banking organization’s incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide employees incentives that appropriately balance risk and reward and, thus, do
not encourage risk-taking beyond the organization’s ability to effectively identify and manage risks, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management, and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the organization’s board of directors. Any deficiencies in compensation practices that are identified may be incorporated into the organization’s supervisory ratings, which can affect its ability to make acquisitions or perform other actions. The guidance provides that enforcement actions may be taken against a banking organization if its incentive compensation arrangements or related risk-management control or governance processes pose a risk to the organization’s safety and soundness and the organization is not taking prompt and effective measures to correct the deficiencies.
Economic Environment
The policies of regulatory authorities, including the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve, have a significant effect on the operating results of bank holding companies and their subsidiaries. Among the means available to the Federal Reserve to affect the money supply are open market operations in U.S. government securities, changes in the discount rate on member bank borrowings and changes in reserve requirements against member bank deposits. These means are used in varying combinations to influence overall growth and distribution of bank loans, investments and deposits, and their use may affect interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.
The Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have materially affected the operating results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The nature of future monetary policies and the effect of these policies on our business and earnings cannot be predicted.
Evolving Legislation and Regulatory Action
General. New laws or regulations or changes to existing laws and regulations, including changes in interpretation or enforcement, could materially adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations. As a result, the overall financial impact on the Company and the Bank cannot be anticipated at this time.
Dodd-Frank Act. In 2009, many emergency government programs enacted in 2008 in response to the financial crisis and the recession slowed or wound down, and global regulatory and legislative focus generally moved to a second phase of broader regulatory reform and a restructuring of the entire financial regulatory system. The Dodd-Frank Act was signed into law in 2010 and implements many new changes in the way financial and banking operations are regulated in the United States, including through the creation of a new resolution authority, mandating higher capital and liquidity requirements, requiring banks to pay increased fees to regulatory agencies and numerous other provisions intended to strengthen the financial services sector. The Dodd-Frank Act provided for the creation of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”), which is charged with overseeing and coordinating the efforts of the primary U.S. financial regulatory agencies (including the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the SEC) in establishing regulations to address systemic financial stability concerns. The Dodd-Frank Act also provided for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), a consumer financial services regulator. The CFPB is authorized to prevent unfair, deceptive and abusive practices and ensure that consumers have access to markets for consumer financial products and services and those markets are fair, transparent and competitive.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Act includes a number of provisions that impact the Company, including the following:
•
Tax Rate. The Tax Act replaced the graduated corporate tax rates applicable under prior law, which imposed a maximum tax rate of 35%, with a reduced 21% flat tax rate.
•
Employee Compensation. A “publicly held corporation” is not permitted to deduct compensation in excess of $1 million per year paid to certain employees. The Tax Act eliminates certain exceptions to the $1 million limit applicable under prior to law related to performance-based compensation, such as equity grants and cash bonuses that are paid only on the attainment of performance goals.
•
Business Asset Expensing. The Tax Act allowed taxpayers immediately to expense the entire cost (instead of only 50%, as under prior law) of certain depreciable tangible property and real property improvements acquired and placed in service after September 27, 2017 and before January 1, 2023 (with an additional year for certain property). This 100% “bonus” depreciation is phased out proportionately for property placed in service on or after January 1, 2023 and before January 1, 2027 (with an additional year for certain property).
•
Interest Expense. The Tax Act limited a taxpayer’s annual deduction of business interest expense to the sum of (i) business interest income and (ii) 30% of “adjusted taxable income,” defined as a business’s taxable income without taking into
account business interest income or expense, net operating losses, and, for 2018 through 2021, depreciation, amortization and depletion.
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. In 2018, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“EGRRCPA”) was signed into law, which amended provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act and was intended to ease, and better tailor, regulation, particularly with respect to smaller-sized institutions such as the Company. EGRRCPA’s highlights include, among other things: (i) exempting banks with less than $10 billion in assets from the ability-to-repay requirements for certain qualified residential mortgage loans held in portfolio; (ii) not requiring appraisals for certain transactions valued at less than $400,000 in rural areas; (iii) clarifying that, subject to various conditions, reciprocal deposits of another depository institution obtained using a deposit broker through a deposit placement network for purposes of obtaining maximum deposit insurance would not be considered brokered deposits subject to the FDIC’s brokered-deposit regulations; (iv) raising eligibility for the 18-month exam cycle from $1 billion to banks with $3 billion in assets; and (v) simplifying capital calculations by requiring regulators to establish for institutions under $10 billion in assets a community bank leverage ratio (tangible equity to average consolidated assets) at a percentage not less than 8% and not greater than 10% that such institutions may elect to replace the general applicable risk-based capital requirements for determining well capitalized status. In 2019, the federal banking agencies passed a final rule on the community bank leverage ratio, setting the minimum required community bank leverage ratio at 9%. The rule went into effect in 2020. In addition, the Federal Reserve Board was required to raise the asset threshold under its Small Bank Holding Company Policy Statement from $1 billion to $3 billion for bank or savings and loan holding companies that are exempt from consolidated capital requirements, provided that such companies meet certain other conditions such as not engaging in significant nonbanking activities and not having a material amount of debt or equity securities outstanding (other than trust preferred securities) that are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Consistent with EGRRCPA, the Federal Reserve passed an interim final rule that became effective in 2018 to increase the asset threshold to $3 billion for qualifying for such policy statement.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, pandemic, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, was signed into law on March 27, 2020, to provide national emergency economic relief measures. Many of the CARES Act’s programs are dependent upon the direct involvement of U.S. financial institutions, such as the Company and the Bank, and have been implemented through rules and guidance adopted by federal departments and agencies, including the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve and other federal banking agencies, including those with direct supervisory jurisdiction over the Company and the Bank. Furthermore, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic evolves, federal regulatory authorities continue to issue additional guidance with respect to the implementation, lifecycle, and eligibility requirements for the various CARES Act programs as well as industry-specific recovery procedures for COVID-19. In addition, it is possible that Congress will enact supplementary COVID-19 response legislation, including amendments to the CARES Act or new bills comparable in scope to the CARES Act. The Company continues to assess the impact of the CARES Act and other statutes, regulations and supervisory guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paycheck Protection Program. The CARES Act amended the SBA’s loan program, in which the Bank participates, to create a guaranteed, unsecured loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, to fund operational costs of eligible businesses, organizations and self-employed persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act was enacted, which among other things, gave borrowers additional time and flexibility to use PPP loan proceeds. Shortly thereafter, and due to the evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, additional legislation was enacted authorizing the SBA to resume accepting PPP applications on July 6, 2020 and extending the PPP application deadline to August 8, 2020. As a participating lender in the PPP, the Bank continues to monitor legislative, regulatory, and supervisory developments related thereto.
Troubled Debt Restructuring and Loan Modifications for Affected Borrowers. The CARES Act permits banks to suspend requirements under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for loan modifications to borrowers affected by COVID-19 that would otherwise be characterized as troubled debt restructurings and suspend any determination related thereto if (i) the loan modification is made between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020 and (ii) the applicable loan was not more than 30 days past due as of December 31, 2019. The federal banking agencies also issued guidance to encourage banks to make loan modifications for borrowers affected by COVID-19 and to assure banks that they will not be criticized by examiners for doing so. The Company is applying this guidance to qualifying loan modifications.
Temporary Community Bank Leverage Ratio Relief. Pursuant to the CARES Act, the federal banking agencies adopted an interim rule, effective until December 31, 2020, to (i) reduce the minimum Community Bank Leverage Ratio from 9% to 8% percent and (ii) give community banks two-quarter grace period to satisfy such ratio if such ratio falls out of compliance by no more than 1%.
Temporary Regulatory Capital Relief related to Impact of CECL. Concurrent with enactment of the CARES Act, federal banking agencies issued an interim final rule that delays the estimated impact on regulatory capital resulting from the adoption of the current expected credit loss model, or CECL, for determining credit loss estimates. The interim final rule provides banking
organizations that implemented CECL before the end of 2020 the option to delay for two years the estimated impact of CECL on regulatory capital relative to regulatory capital determined under the prior incurred loss methodology, followed by a three-year transition period to phase out the aggregate amount of capital benefit provided during the initial two-year delay. The federal banking agencies have since issued a final rule that makes certain technical changes to the interim final rule. The changes in the final rule apply only to those banking organizations that elect the CECL transition relief provided under the rule. The Company did not implement CECL before the end of 2020.
Future Legislation
The Company cannot predict what legislation might be enacted or what regulations might be adopted, or if enacted or adopted, the effect thereof on the Company’s operations.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Item 1A.
Risk Factors.
Item not required for smaller reporting companies.

---

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments.
Item not required for non-accelerated filers.

---

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Item 2.
Properties.
The Company’s executive office is located at 132 North First Street, Albemarle, North Carolina, where the Company owns a three-building complex located at 130-134 North First Street in Albemarle. This complex houses the Company’s offices and meeting rooms and is also the location of the Bank’s subsidiary, Strategic Alliance.
The Bank’s Main Office is located at 167 North Second Street, Albemarle, North Carolina. A portion of the Main Office facility leased since it opened in 1984 was purchased in 2009. Its administrative and executive offices occupy an adjoining building, purchased in 1991. The Bank owns a commercial building which houses some of its operations offices and parking lot adjacent to its Main Office. The Bank also acquired a commercial building in downtown Albemarle in December 2001 that is held for future expansion. During 2009 the Bank acquired property in downtown Albemarle for future expansion.
The Bank owns its other banking locations at 710 North First Street, which houses the Village Branch, and its East Albemarle Branch at 800 Highway 24-27 Bypass, both located in Albemarle. It also owns a branch office located at 107 South Main Street in Norwood, North Carolina and a branch located at 416 West Main Street in Locust, North Carolina. The Bank leases its branch office at 224 North Main Street in Oakboro, North Carolina.
In Cabarrus County, the Bank owns full service branch offices located at 25 Palaside Drive, N.E., Concord, North Carolina and at 1490 South Main Street, Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina and also owns property adjacent to the Mt. Pleasant banking office located at 1480 South Main Street. The Bank owns an office at 700 North Church Street in Concord, North Carolina where it previously provided banking services, which currently serves as a loan production office.
In Anson County, the Bank owns its banking facility located at 211 South Greene Street, Wadesboro, North Carolina and also owns an ATM site at 426 East Caswell Street, Wadesboro, North Carolina. The Bank purchased a lot in Anson County 2006 for a future branch location.
In Mecklenburg County, the Bank leases its loan production office located at 141 Providence Road, Charlotte, North Carolina and leases its banking facility located at 5231 Piper Station Drive, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28277.
The Bank leases an additional wealth advisory office in Asheboro, North Carolina located at 220 Sunset Avenue.
All of the Bank’s existing offices are fully equipped and have adequate parking and drive-up banking facilities, with the exception of the Bank’s loan production offices, the Main Office in Albemarle, and the banking facility in Charlotte, which do not have drive-up facilities.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings.
In the ordinary course of operations, the Company and the Bank are at times involved in legal proceedings. In the opinion of management, as of December 31, 2020 there are no material pending legal proceedings to which the Company, or any of its subsidiaries, is a party, or of which any of their property is the subject.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
Market Information
It is the philosophy of Uwharrie Capital Corp to promote a strong base of local shareholders. While bid and ask prices for the Company’s common stock are quoted on the OTC Pink marketplace through www.otcmarkets.com, operated by OTC Market Groups, Inc. and under the symbol UWHR, trading is limited and sporadic with most trades taking place in privately negotiated transactions. Any over-the-counter market quotations of the Company’s common stock reflect inter-dealer prices, without retail mark-up, mark-down, or commission, and may not necessarily represent actual transactions. Management makes every reasonable effort to match willing buyers with willing sellers as they become known for the purpose of private negotiations for the purchase and sale of the Company’s common stock. The Company has an independent valuation of its common stock performed on an annual basis and makes this valuation available to interested shareholders in order to promote fairness and market efficiency in privately negotiated transactions.
Holders
On December 31, 2020, there were approximately 3,135 shareholders of record of the Company’s common stock. This number does not include shareholders for whom shares are held in “nominee” or “street” name.
Dividends
There were no cash dividends declared on the Company’s common stock in 2020 or 2019. The timing and amount of cash dividends paid depends on the Company’s earnings, capital requirements, financial condition and other relevant factors. See “Payment of Dividends and Other Restrictions” under Item 1 of this Report for more information on restrictions on the Company’s ability to declare and pay dividends. The Company can offer no assurance that the board of directors will declare or pay cash dividends in any future period.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
None.
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
See Item 12 of this Report for disclosure regarding securities authorized for issuance and equity compensation plans required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
The following table sets forth information with respect to shares of common stock repurchased by the Company during each of the three months in the quarterly period ended December 31, 2020.
(a) Total
Number of
Shares
Purchased
(b) Average
Price Paid per
Share
(c) Total Number
of Shares
Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced
Plans or Program (1)
(d) Maximum
Dollar Value of
Shares that May
Yet Be
Purchased Under
the Plans
October 1, 2020 Through October 31, 2020
-
$
-
-
$
-
November 1, 2020 Through November 30, 2020
17,632
$
5.65
-
$
-
December 1, 2020 Through December 31, 2020
29,236
$
5.33
-
$
-
Total
46,868
$
5.45
-
$
-
(1)
Trades of the Company’s common stock occur in the Over-the-Counter market from time to time. The Company also has in place a Stock Repurchase Plan that provides liquidity to its shareholders in the event a willing buyer is not available to purchase shares that are offered for sale. The Company is under no obligation to purchase shares offered; however, it will accommodate such offers as its Stock Repurchase Plan allows.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Item 6.
Selected Financial Data.
Item not required for smaller reporting companies.

---

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
Item not required for smaller reporting companies.

---

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

---

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
At the end of the period covered by this Report, the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Securities Exchange Act Rule 13a-15.
Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective (1) to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports filed or submitted by it under the Securities Exchange Act was recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and (2) to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by the Company in such reports is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed under the supervision of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of the Company’s financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Management has made a comprehensive review, evaluation and assessment of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020. In making its assessment of internal control over financial reporting, management used the criteria issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission’s (“COSO”) Internal Control Integrated Framework 2013. In accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, management makes the following assertions:
Management has implemented a process to monitor and assess both the design and operating effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.
All internal control systems, no matter how well designed, have inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation.
Based on management’s assessment pursuant to the COSO Internal Control Integrated Framework 2013, the Company believes that, as of December 31, 2020, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective.
This Annual Report does not include an attestation report of the Company’s registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report was not subject to attestation by the Company’s registered public accounting firm pursuant to applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management of the Company has evaluated, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, changes in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the fourth quarter of 2020. In connection with such evaluation, the Company has determined that there have been no changes in internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 2020 that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 9B.
Other Information.
None.
PART III

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to, among others, its Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer. The Company’s Code of Business Conduct Ethics is available on the Company’s website at https://www.uwharrie.com/about/investor.

---

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 11.
Executive Compensation.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

---

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
The following table sets forth information with respect to certain equity compensation plans at December 31, 2020.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
Plan Category
Number of securities
to be issued
upon exercise of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans
(excluding securities
reflected in column(a))
(a)
(b)
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved by security
holders
-
-
-
Equity compensation plans not approved by
security holders
N/A
N/A
N/A
Total
-
-
-

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
Item 14.
Principal Accounting Fees and Services.
Incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.
The following documents are filed as part of this report:
1.
Financial statements from the Registrant’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, which are incorporated herein by reference:
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.
Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
2.
Financial statement schedules required to be filed by Item 8 of this Form:
None
3.
Exhibits
UWHARRIE CAPITAL CORP
Exhibit Index
Exhibit Number
Description of Exhibit
3.1
Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(a) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
3.2
Registrant’s By-laws (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(b) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
3.3
Articles of Amendment effective April 24, 1997 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.3 of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 4, 2020)
3.4
Articles of Amendment effective November 1, 1999 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(c) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
3.5
Articles of Amendment effective May 31, 2000 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(d) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
3.6
Articles of Amendment effective December 19, 2008 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with SEC on December 29, 2008)
4.1
Form of common stock certificate (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4(a) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
4.2
Description of Registrant’s Securities Registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 4, 2020)
10.1
2006 Incentive Stock Option Plan, a compensatory plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with SEC on August 13, 2007)
10.2
2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a compensatory plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with SEC on August 13, 2007)
10.3
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan and Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between Uwharrie Capital Corp and Roger L. Dick, a compensatory plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with SEC on December 31, 2008)
10.4
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan and Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan Agreement between Uwharrie Capital Corp and R. David Beaver, III, a compensatory plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(e) of Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with SEC on March 1, 2017)
10.5
2015 Stock Grant Plan (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of Registrant’s Form S-8 filed with SEC on October 27, 2015)
2020 Annual Report to Shareholders (filed herewith)
Subsidiaries of the Registrant (filed herewith)
Consent of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP (filed herewith)
31.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
31.2
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith)
Interactive data files providing financial information from the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) (filed herewith)