EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1108134
Filing Year: 2023
Filename: 1108134_10-K_2023_0001108134-23-000006.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 1.
ITEM 1 TABLE 1 - LOAN PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS
ITEM 1 TABLE 2 - MATURITY AND SENSITIVITY OF LOAN PORTFOLIO
ITEM 1 TABLE 3 - CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS
ITEM 1 TABLE 4 - ALLOCATION OF ALLOWANCE BY LOAN CATEGORY
ITEM 1 TABLE 5 - WEIGHTED AVERAGE YIELD ON SECURITIES
ITEM 1 TABLE 6 - AVERAGE BALANCE AND WEIGHTED AVERAGE RATES FOR DEPOSITS
ITEM 1 TABLE 7 - MATURITY OF DEPOSITS > $250,000
PART II
ITEMS 7-7A.
ITEM 7 TABLE 1 - AVERAGE BALANCES, INTEREST AND AVERAGE YIELD COSTS
ITEM 7 TABLE 2 - RATE VOLUME ANALYSIS
ITEM 7 - 7A TABLE 3 - QUALITATIVE ASPECTS OF MARKET RISK
PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this document that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (referred to as the Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (referred to as the Securities Exchange Act), and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements from the use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “plan,” “potential,” “estimate,” “project,” “believe,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “target” and similar expressions.
These forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including among other things, changes in general economic and business conditions, increased competitive pressures, changes in the interest rate environment and inflation, legislative and regulatory change, changes in the financial markets, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed from time to time in documents that Berkshire Hills Bancorp files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Risk Factors in Item 1A of this report.
Because of these and other uncertainties, Berkshire’s actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, may be materially different from the results indicated by these forward-looking statements. In addition, Berkshire’s past results of operations do not necessarily indicate Berkshire’s combined future results. You should not place undue reliance on any of the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made. Berkshire is not undertaking an obligation to update forward-looking statements, even though its situation may change in the future, except as required under federal securities law. Berkshire qualifies all of its forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
GENERAL
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (“Berkshire” or “the Company”) is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Berkshire is a Delaware corporation and the holding company for Berkshire Bank (“the Bank”).
Berkshire Bank is transforming what it means to bank its neighbors socially, humanly, and digitally to empower the financial potential of people, families, and businesses in its communities as it pursues its vision of being the leading socially responsible omni-channel community bank in the markets it serves. Berkshire Bank provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, wealth management, and investment services. At year-end 2022, the Bank had 100 full-service financial centers its New England and New York footprint. The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 affected many aspects of the Company’s operations and financial condition through 2022, as further described in other sections of this report.
FILINGS
Information regarding the Company is available through the Investor Relations tab at berkshirebank.com. The Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and any amendments to those reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge at sec.gov and, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the Securities and Exchange Commission, at berkshirebank.com under the Investor Relations tab. Information on the website is not incorporated by reference and is not a part of this annual report on Form 10-K.
COMPETITION
The Company is subject to strong competition from banks and other financial institutions and financial service providers. Its competition includes national and super-regional banks. Non-bank competitors include credit unions, brokerage firms, insurance providers, financial planners, and the mutual fund industry. New technology is reshaping customer interaction with financial service providers and the increase of internet-accessible financial institutions increases competition for the Company’s customers. The Company generally competes on the basis of customer service, relationship management, and the fair pricing of its products. The location and convenience of branch offices is also a significant competitive factor, particularly regarding new offices. The Company is pursuing a “banker heavy, branch light” model in newer markets, and uses its mobile MyBanker teams which provide personalized service to customers with committed relationships. The Company does not rely on any individual, group, or entity for a material portion of its deposits. Due to recent mergers of in-market bank competitors, the Company is pursuing opportunities to expand its market share and talent recruitment. The Company seeks to differentiate itself with its DigitouchSM approach to personal service and user-friendly technology, as well as its commitment to corporate social responsibility. The Company recently introduced its new brand theme of “Where You Bank Matters” to highlight these differentiating factors.
LENDING ACTIVITIES
General. The Bank originates loans in the basic portfolio categories discussed below. Lending activities are limited by federal and state laws and regulations. Loan interest rates and other key loan terms are affected principally by the Bank’s credit policy, asset/liability strategy, loan demand, competition, and the supply of money available for lending purposes. These factors, in turn, are affected by general and economic conditions, monetary policies of the federal government, including the Federal Reserve, legislative tax policies, and governmental budgetary matters. Most of the Bank’s loans held for investment are made in its market areas and are secured by real estate located in its market areas. Lending is therefore affected by activity in these real estate markets. The Bank monitors and manages the amount of long-term fixed-rate lending volume. Adjustable-rate loan products generally reduce interest rate risk but may produce higher loan losses in the event of sustained rate increases. The Bank generally originates loans for investment except for residential mortgages, which are sometimes originated for sale on a servicing released basis. Additionally, the Bank also originates Small Business Administration ("SBA") 7A loans for sale to investors. The Bank also conducts loan participations generally with other banks doing business in its markets, including selected national banks. The information discussed below describes the Company’s ongoing lending activities. Lending activities were affected by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and subsequent government interventions and support, as well as economic and monetary disruptions resulting from these conditions.
Loan Portfolio Analysis. The following table sets forth the year-end composition of the Bank’s loan portfolio in dollar amounts and as a percentage of the portfolio at the dates indicated. Further information about the composition of the loan portfolio is contained in Note 6 - Loans of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Item 1 -- Table 1 -- Loan Portfolio Analysis
2022 2021 2020
(In millions) Amount Percent of Total Amount Percent of Total Amount Percent of Total
Loans:
Construction $ 320 3.9 % $ 324 4.7 % $ 455 5.6 %
Commercial multifamily 620 7.5 516 7.6 483 6.0
Commercial real estate owner occupied 641 7.7 607 8.9 552 6.8
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 2,496 29.9 2,157 31.6 2,119 26.2
Commercial and industrial 1,445 17.3 1,285 18.8 1,943 24.0
Residential real estate 2,312 27.7 1,489 21.8 1,932 23.9
Home equity 227 2.7 252 3.7 294 3.7
Consumer other 274 3.3 196 2.9 303 3.8
Total $ 8,335 100.0 % $ 6,826 100.0 % $ 8,081 100.0 %
Allowance for credit losses (96) (106) (127)
Net loans $ 8,239 $ 6,720 $ 7,954
Commercial Real Estate. The Bank originates commercial real estate loans on properties used for business purposes such as small office buildings, industrial, healthcare, lodging, recreation, or retail facilities. Commercial real estate loans are provided on owner-occupied properties and on investor-owned properties. The portfolio includes commercial 1-4 family and multifamily properties. Loans may generally be made with amortizations of up to 30 years and with interest rates that adjust periodically (primarily from short-term to five years). Most commercial real estate loans are originated with final maturities of 10 years or less. As part of its business activities, the Bank also enters into commercial loan participations and interest rate swaps.
Commercial real estate is generally managed within federal regulatory monitoring guidelines of 300% of risk based capital for non-owner occupied commercial real estate and 100% for construction loans. Total commercial real estate loans measured 259% of regulatory capital at year-end 2022 and construction real estate loans measured 26% of regulatory capital.
The Bank has hold limits for numerous categories of commercial specialty lending including healthcare, hospitality, designated franchises, and leasing.
Commercial real estate loans are among the largest of the Bank’s loans, and may have higher credit risk and lending spreads. Because repayment is often dependent on the successful operation or management of the properties, repayment of commercial real estate loans may be affected by adverse conditions in the real estate market or the economy. The Bank seeks to manage these risks through its underwriting disciplines and portfolio management processes. The Bank generally requires that borrowers have debt service coverage ratios (the ratio of available cash flows before debt service to debt service) of at least 1.25 times based on stabilized cash flows of leases in place, with some exceptions for national credit tenants. For variable rate loans, the Bank underwrites debt service coverage to interest rate shocks of 300 basis points or higher based on a minimum of 1.0 times coverage and it uses loan maturities to manage risk based on the lease base and interest sensitivity. Loans at origination may be made up to 80% of appraised value based on property type and risk, with sublimits of 75% or less for designated specialty property types. Generally, commercial real estate loans are supported by full or partial personal guarantees by the principals.
The Bank offers interest rate swaps to certain larger commercial mortgage borrowers. These swaps allow the Bank to originate a mortgage based on short-term published interest rates and allow the borrower to swap into a longer-term fixed rate. The Bank simultaneously sells an offsetting back-to-back swap to an investment grade national bank so that it does not retain this fixed-rate risk. The Bank also records fee income on these interest rate swaps based on the terms of the offsetting swaps with the bank counterparties.
The Bank originates construction loans to developers and commercial borrowers in and around its markets. The maximum loan to value limits for construction loans follow Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") supervisory limits, up to a maximum of 85 percent. The Bank commits to provide the permanent mortgage financing on most of its construction loans on income-producing property. Advances on construction loans are made in accordance with a schedule reflecting the cost of the improvements. Construction loans include land acquisition loans up to a maximum 50 percent loan to value on raw land. Construction loans may have greater credit risk due to the dependence on completion of construction and other real estate improvements, as well as the sale or rental of the improved property. The Bank generally mitigates these risks with presale or preleasing requirements and phasing of construction.
Commercial and Industrial Loans ("C&I"). C&I loans are mostly managed through the Bank’s commercial middle market banking organization, as well as its Asset Based Lending Group, its Small Business Banking Group, and 44 Business Capital The Bank offers secured commercial term loans with repayment terms which are normally limited to the expected useful life of the asset being financed, and generally not exceeding ten years. The Bank also offers revolving loans, lines of credit, letters of credit, time notes and SBA guaranteed loans. Business lines of credit have adjustable rates of interest and can be committed or are payable on demand, subject to annual review and renewal. Commercial and industrial loans are generally secured by a variety of collateral such as accounts receivable, inventory and equipment, and are generally supported by personal guarantees. Loan-to-value ratios depend on the collateral type and generally do not exceed 80 percent of orderly liquidation value or net book value as reported on the borrower’s financial statements. Some commercial loans may also be secured by liens on real estate. The Bank generally does not make unsecured commercial loans.
Commercial and industrial loans are of higher risk and are made primarily on the basis of the borrower’s ability to make repayment from the cash flows of its business. Further, any collateral securing such loans may depreciate over time, may be difficult to monitor and appraise and may fluctuate in value. The Bank gives additional consideration to the borrower’s credit history and the guarantor’s capacity to help mitigate these risks. Additionally, the Bank uses loan structures including shorter terms, amortizations, and advance rate limitations to additionally mitigate credit risk. Credit enhancements in the form of additional collateral or guarantees are normally considered for start-up businesses without a qualifying cash flow history.
The Company considers commercial and industrial loans, together with its owner-occupied commercial real estate loans, as constituting the primary relationship based component of its commercial lending activities. The loans originated through the Company’s participation in the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) lending program in 2020 were classified as C&I loans. This program was an integral component of federal support programs in response to the emergence of the pandemic in the first half of 2020. These loans were viewed as zero credit risk due to the related SBA guarantee. These loans totaled $633 million at year-end 2020. Most of these loans were repaid via SBA forgiveness in 2021.
The Asset Based Lending Group serves the commercial middle market in New England, as well as the Bank’s market in northeastern New York and in the Mid-Atlantic. The group expands the Bank’s business lending offerings to include revolving lines of credit and term loans secured by accounts receivable, inventory, and other assets to manufacturers, distributors and select service companies experiencing seasonal working capital needs, rapid sales growth, a turnaround, buyout or recapitalization with credit needs generally ranging from $2 to $25 million. Asset based lending involves monitoring loan collateral so that outstanding balances are properly margined by business asset collateral, which reduces the risks associated with these loans.
Small Business Banking Group is also referred to as Business Banking, and handles most business relationships which are smaller than the middle market category. Additionally, some smaller business needs are handled through the Bank’s retail branch system. Berkshire Bank also owns Firestone Financial Corp. ("Firestone"), which originated loans secured by business-essential equipment throughout the U.S. Key customer segments included the fitness, carnival, gaming, and entertainment industries. The origination of loans by Firestone was terminated in mid-2022 and the remaining $133 million portfolio at year-end 2022 is being run-off.
44 Business Capital is a dedicated SBA 7A program lending team based in the Philadelphia area. This team originates loans in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and nationally. 44 Business Capital also works with business banking and small business teams to provide SBA guaranteed loans to Business Banking Customers in Berkshire’s footprint. This team generally sells the guaranteed portions of these loans with servicing retained and the Bank retains the unguaranteed portions of the loans in its C&I loan portfolio. The unguaranteed loan balances are participated pari-passu with the SBA and are generally collateralized and supported by recourse to business principals. The Bank is a preferred SBA lender and closely manages the servicing portfolio pursuant to SBA requirements. This team is the Bank’s largest source of commercial lending fee revenue. 44 Business Capital is one of the top 20 bank originators of SBA 7A loans in the U.S.
Residential Mortgages. Through its mortgage banking operations, the Bank offers fixed-rate and adjustable-rate residential mortgage loans to individuals with maturities of up to 30 years that are fully amortizing with monthly loan payments. The majority of loans have been originated for investment, although the Bank targets more held for sale originations in the future. The majority of mortgages originated in 2022 were jumbo mortgages exceeding the maximum amounts according to U.S. government sponsored enterprise guidelines and were viewed as generally consistent with secondary market guidelines for these loans. The Bank does not offer subprime mortgage lending programs. The Bank buys and sells seasoned mortgages primarily with smaller financial institutions operating in its markets. The Bank is developing correspondent channels in its markets as an additional business channel for newly originated mortgages.
Mortgage loan originations often include rate lock features intended to cover normal processing times. These rate locks introduce price risk into the Company’s operations and cause mortgage origination yields to lag market interest rates. The Bank does not offer interest-only or negative amortization mortgage loans. Adjustable rate mortgage loan interest rates may rise as interest rates rise, thereby increasing the potential for default. The Bank also originates construction loans which generally provide 15-month construction periods followed by a permanent mortgage loan, and follow the Bank’s normal mortgage underwriting guidelines. Mortgage banking also requires flexible and scalable operations due to the volatility of mortgage demand over time. Investor management is integral to maintaining the secondary market support that is a component for these operations. In 2021, the Bank entered into a third party relationship to service the residential mortgages and real estate secured consumer loans in its portfolio.
Consumer Loans. The Bank’s consumer loans are centrally underwritten and processed by its experienced consumer lending team based in Syracuse, New York. The Bank engages in prime home equity lending, following its conforming mortgage underwriting guidelines with more streamlined verifications and documentation. Most of these outstanding loans are prime based home equity lines with a maximum combined loan-to-value of 85 percent. Home equity line credit risks include the risk that higher interest rates will affect repayment and possible compression of collateral coverage on second lien home equity lines. The Company exited its prime indirect auto originations business in 2019 and has a remaining portfolio in runoff. In late 2021, the Company expanded its consumer lending in its markets through a third party relationship with financial technology company Upstart which originates unsecured consumer loans through the internet using artificial intelligence technology in combination with the Bank’s underwriting criteria. The Bank suspended originating loans through this partnership in mid-2022 due to the possible impact of a potential economic slowdown.
Maturity and Sensitivity of Loan Portfolio. The following table shows contractual final maturities of loans at year-end 2022. The contractual maturities do not reflect premiums, discounts, deferred costs, or prepayments.
Item 1 - Table 2A - Loan Contractual Maturity - Scheduled loan amortizations are not included in the maturities presented.
Contractual Maturity One Year One to Five to More Than
(In thousands) or Less Five Years Fifteen Years Fifteen Years Total
Loans:
Construction $ 12,852 $ 233,495 $ 64,985 $ 8,120 $ 319,452
Commercial multifamily 18,565 206,013 393,341 2,169 620,088
Commercial real estate owner occupied 27,964 177,362 353,804 81,359 640,489
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 280,368 1,280,002 889,709 46,158 2,496,237
Commercial and industrial 236,565 948,245 246,527 13,899 1,445,236
Residential real estate 2,329 32,703 231,302 2,046,113 2,312,447
Home equity 428 2,333 71,894 152,795 227,450
Consumer other 7,962 208,030 43,577 14,341 273,910
Total $ 587,033 $ 3,088,183 $ 2,295,139 $ 2,364,954 $ 8,335,309
Item 1 - Table 2B - Total loans due after one year as of December 31, 2022 - fixed and variable interest rates
(In thousands) Fixed Interest Rate Variable Interest Rate Total
Loans:
Construction $ 75,136 $ 231,464 $ 306,600
Commercial multifamily 130,141 471,382 601,523
Commercial real estate owner occupied 228,887 383,638 612,525
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 817,576 1,398,293 2,215,869
Commercial and industrial 360,681 847,990 1,208,671
Residential real estate 1,715,222 594,896 2,310,118
Home equity 2,308 224,714 227,022
Consumer other 257,550 8,398 265,948
Total $ 3,587,501 $ 4,160,775 $ 7,748,276
Loan Administration. Lending activities are governed by a loan policy approved by the Board’s Risk Management, Capital, and Compliance Committee. Internal staff perform and monitor post-closing loan documentation review, quality control, and commercial loan administration. The lending staff assigns a risk rating to all commercial loans, excluding point scored small business loans. Management primarily relies on internal risk management staff to review the risk ratings of the majority of commercial loan balances.
The Bank’s lending activities follow written, non-discriminatory underwriting standards and loan origination procedures established by the Risk Management, Capital and Compliance Committee and Management, under the leadership of the Chief Risk Officer. The Bank’s loan underwriting is based on a review of certain factors including risk ratings, repayment capacity, recourse, loan-to-value ratios, and material policy exceptions. The Risk Management, Capital and Compliance Committee has established individual and combined loan limits and lending approval authorities. Management’s Executive Loan Committee is responsible for commercial loan approvals in accordance with these standards and procedures. Generally, pass rated secured commercial loans can be approved jointly up to $7 million by the business line Managing Director and Credit Director. Loans up to $12.5 million can be approved with the additional signature of the Chief Credit Officer. Loans in excess of this amount, and designated lower rated loans are approved by the Executive Loan Committee. The Bank tracks loan underwriting exceptions and exception reports are actively monitored by executive lending management.
The Bank’s lending activities are conducted by its salaried and commissioned loan personnel. Designated salaried branch staff originate conforming residential mortgages and receive bonuses based on overall performance. Additionally, the Bank employs commissioned residential mortgage originators. Commercial lenders receive salaries and are eligible for bonuses based on individual and overall performance. The Bank purchases whole loans and participations in loans from banks headquartered in its market and from outside of its market. These loans are underwritten according to the Bank’s underwriting criteria and procedures and are generally serviced by the originating lender under terms of the applicable agreement. The Bank routinely sells newly originated, fixed-rate residential mortgages in the secondary market. Customer rate locks are offered without charge and rate locked applications are generally committed for forward sale or hedged with derivative financial instruments to minimize interest rate risk pending delivery of the loans to the investors. The Bank also sells interest rate derivatives to larger commercial borrowers desiring to fix their interest rates through interest rate swaps, and includes these derivatives in its underwriting and administrative procedures.
The Bank also sells residential mortgages and commercial loan participations on a non-recourse basis. The Bank issues loan commitments to its prospective borrowers conditioned on the occurrence of certain events. Loan origination commitments are made in writing on specified terms and conditions and are generally honored for up to 60 days from approval and may be honored for up to six months; some commercial commitments are made for longer terms. The Company also monitors pipelines of loan applications and has processes for issuing letters of interest for commercial loans and pre-approvals for residential mortgages, all of which are generally conditional on completion of underwriting prior to the issuance of formal commitments.
The loan policy sets certain limits on concentrations of credit and requires periodic reporting of concentrations to the Risk Management, Capital and Compliance Committee. The Bank has heightened monitoring of its 25 largest borrower relationships. Commercial real estate is generally managed within federal regulatory monitoring guidelines of 300% of risk based capital for non-owner occupied commercial real estate and 100% for construction loans. The Bank has hold limits for numerous categories of commercial specialty lending including healthcare, hospitality, designated franchises, and leasing, as well as hold limits for designated commercial loan participations purchased. In most cases, these limits are below 100% of risk based capital for all outstanding loans in each monitored category.
Problem Assets. The Bank prefers to work with borrowers to resolve problems rather than proceeding to foreclosure. For commercial loans, this may result in a period of forbearance or restructuring of the loan, which is normally done at current market terms and does not result in a “troubled” loan designation. For residential mortgage loans, the Bank generally follows FDIC guidelines to attempt a restructuring that will enable owner-occupants to remain in their home. However, if these processes fail to result in a performing loan, then the Bank generally will initiate foreclosure or other proceedings no later than the 90th day of a delinquency, as necessary, to minimize any potential loss. Management reports delinquent loans and non-performing assets to the Board quarterly. Loans are generally removed from accruing status when they reach 90 days delinquent, except for certain loans which are well secured and in the process of collection. Loan collections are managed by a combination of the related business units and the Bank’s special assets group, which focuses on larger, riskier collections and the recovery of purchased credit deteriorated loans.
Real estate obtained by the Bank as a result of loan collections, including foreclosures, is classified as real estate owned until sold. When property is acquired it is recorded at fair market value less estimated selling costs at the date of foreclosure, establishing a new cost basis. Holding costs and decreases in fair value after acquisition are expensed. Interest income on accruing troubled debt restructurings totaled $0.1 million for 2022. The total carrying value of troubled debt restructurings was $12.4 million at year-end.
Asset Classification and Delinquencies. The Bank performs an internal analysis of its commercial loan portfolio and assets to classify such loans and assets in a manner similar to that employed by federal banking regulators. There are four classifications for loans with higher than normal risk: Loss, Doubtful, Substandard, and Special Mention. Usually an asset classified as Loss is fully charged-off. Substandard assets have one or more defined weaknesses and are characterized by the distinct possibility that the insured institution will sustain some loss if the deficiencies are not corrected. Doubtful assets have the weaknesses of substandard assets with the additional characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full on the basis of currently existing facts, conditions, and values questionable, and there is a high possibility of loss. Assets that do not currently expose the insured institution to sufficient risk to warrant classification in one of the aforementioned categories, but possess weaknesses, are designated Special Mention. Please see the additional discussion of non-accruing and potential problem loans in Item 7 and additional information in notes to the financial statements. Impaired loans acquired in business combinations are normally rated Substandard or lower and the fair value assigned to such loans at acquisition includes a component for the possibility of loss if deficiencies are not corrected.
Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans. The Bank’s loan portfolio is regularly reviewed by management to evaluate the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses on loans. Prior to 2020, the allowance represented management’s estimate of inherent incurred losses that are probable and estimable as of the date of the financial statements. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted the new loan loss allowance standard based on Current Expected Credit losses (“CECL”). Under this standard, management makes estimates of future economic conditions over the life of the loan portfolio and other future conditions and arrives at a reasonable estimate of expected loan losses. The basis of the allowance changed from an incurred model to an expected model based on this standard. As a result, the amount of the loan loss allowance and the loan loss provision beginning in 2020 is not comparable to prior years. Also, since different banks may use different estimates and arrive at different expectations, comparisons between banks are more difficult. Further, since the accounting is based on future projections our estimates may change significantly from period to period, the amounts of the allowance and provision may be more volatile than under the previous model. Further information about the allowance is discussed further in Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Management believes that it uses the best information available to establish the allowance. However, future adjustments to the allowance for credit losses on loans may be necessary, and results of operations could be adversely affected if circumstances differ substantially from the assumptions used in making its determinations. There can be no assurance that the existing allowance for credit losses is adequate or that increases will not be necessary should the quality of any loan or loan portfolio category deteriorate. Regulatory agencies may require the Bank to make additional provisions for credit losses based upon judgments different from those of management. Any material increase in the allowance may adversely affect the Bank’s financial condition and results of operations.
Item 1 - Table 3 - Credit Quality Ratios
2022 2021 2020
Ratios:
Allowance for credit losses on loans/total loans 1.15 % 1.55 % 1.58 %
Non-accrual loans/total loans 0.37 % 0.52 % 0.80 %
Allowance for credit losses/non-accruing loans 309.41 % 300.33 % 196.01 %
Net charge-offs/average loans 0.27 % 0.29 % 0.41 %
Item 1 - Table 3.a - Net charge-offs to average loans for each loan category
2022 2021 2020
Net charge-offs to average loans:
Construction - % - % 0.01 %
Commercial multifamily - - -
Commercial real estate owner occupied - 0.02 0.08
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 0.06 0.18 0.12
Commercial and industrial 0.20 0.09 0.16
Residential real estate (0.01) - 0.01
Home equity - - -
Consumer other 0.02 0.01 0.02
The following tables present year-end data for the approximate allocation of the allowance for credit losses on loans by loan categories at the dates indicated (including an apportionment of any unallocated amount). The first table shows for each category the amount of the allowance allocated to that category as a percentage of the outstanding loans in that category. The second table shows the allocated allowance together with the percentage of loans in each category to total loans. Management believes that the allowance can be allocated by category only on an approximate basis. The allocation of the allowance to each category is not indicative of future losses and does not restrict the use of any of the allowance to absorb losses in any category.
Item 1 - Table 4A - Allocation of Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans by Category (as of year-end)
2022 2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount
Allocated Percent Allocated to Total Loans in Each Category Amount
Allocated Percent Allocated to Total Loans in Each Category Amount
Allocated Percent Allocated to Total Loans in Each Category
Construction $ 1,227 0.4 % $ 3,206 1.0 % $ 5,111 1.1 %
Commercial multifamily 1,810 0.3 6,120 1.2 5,916 1.2
Commercial real estate owner occupied 10,739 1.7 12,752 2.1 12,380 2.2
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 30,724 1.2 32,106 1.5 35,850 1.7
Commercial and industrial 18,743 1.3 22,584 1.8 25,013 1.3
Residential real estate 18,666 0.8 22,734 1.5 28,491 1.5
Home equity 2,173 1.0 4,006 1.6 6,482 2.2
Consumer other 12,188 4.5 2,586 1.3 8,059 2.7
Total $ 96,270 1.2 % $ 106,094 1.6 % $ 127,302 1.6 %
Item 1 - Table 4B - Allocation of Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans (as of year-end)
2022 2021 2020
(Dollars in thousands) Amount
Allocated Percent
of
Loans in
Each
Category to Total
Loans Amount
Allocated Percent
of
Loans in
Each
Category to Total
Loans Amount
Allocated Percent
of
Loans in
Each
Category to Total
Loans
Construction $ 1,227 3.8 % $ 3,206 4.8 % $ 5,111 5.6 %
Commercial multifamily 1,810 7.4 6,120 7.5 5,916 6.0
Commercial real estate owner occupied 10,739 7.7 12,752 8.9 12,380 6.8
Commercial real estate non-owner occupied 30,724 30.0 32,106 31.6 35,850 26.2
Commercial and industrial 18,743 17.4 22,584 18.8 25,013 24.0
Residential real estate 18,666 27.7 22,734 21.8 28,491 23.9
Home equity 2,173 2.7 4,006 3.7 6,482 3.7
Consumer other 12,188 3.3 2,586 2.9 8,059 3.8
Total $ 96,270 100.0 % $ 106,094 100.0 % $ 127,302 100.0 %
INVESTMENT SECURITIES ACTIVITIES
The securities portfolio provides cash flow to protect the safety of customer deposits and as a potential source of liquidity. The portfolio is also used to manage interest rate risk and to earn a reasonable return on investment. Decisions are made in accordance with the Company’s investment policy and include consideration of risk, return, duration, and portfolio concentrations. Day-to-day oversight of the portfolio rests with the Chief Financial Officer and the Treasurer. The Enterprise Risk Management/Asset-Liability Committee meets multiple times each quarter and reviews investment strategies. The Risk Management, Capital and Compliance Committee of the Board of Directors provides general oversight of the investment function.
Historically, the Company has maintained short-term investment balances as a component of cash and cash equivalents which are a component of short-term liquidity management. Due to the pandemic, with a surge in demand deposits and a reduction in loan balances, the balance of short-term investments increased in 2020 and 2021 due to the comparatively low yields and spreads on longer duration investment securities. Most short-term investments have been maintained at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
The Company has historically maintained a high-quality portfolio of managed duration mortgage-backed securities, together with a portfolio of municipal bonds including national and local issuers and local economic development bonds issued to non-profit organizations. Nearly all of the mortgage-backed securities are issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, consisting principally of collateralized mortgage obligations (generally consisting of planned amortization class bonds and pass-through securities). The municipal portfolio provides tax-advantaged yield, and the local economic development bonds were originated by the Company to area borrowers. The Company invests in investment grade corporate bonds and Agency commercial mortgage-backed securities. Purchases of non-investment grade fixed-income securities have consisted primarily of capital instruments issued by local and regional financial institutions. The Company also invests in funds financing community reinvestment projects. The Bank owns restricted equity in the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston (“FHLBB”) based on its operating relationship with the FHLBB. The Company has various hold limits limiting credit and instrument exposures.
The Company owns an interest rate swap against a tax advantaged economic development bond issued to a local not-for-profit organization, and as a result this security is carried as a trading account security. The Company generally designates debt securities as available for sale, but sometimes designates longer-duration municipal and other securities as held to maturity based on its intent. This also allows the Company to more effectively manage the potential impact of longer-duration, fixed-rate securities on shareholders' equity in the event of rising interest rates.
The following table summarizes year-end 2022 amortized cost, weighted average yields, and contractual maturities of debt securities. Yields are shown on a fully taxable equivalent basis and are based on amortized cost. A significant portion of the mortgage-based securities are planned amortization class bonds. Their expected durations were targeted at 3-5 years, but durations lengthened due to the slower prepayment speeds of all mortgage related instruments in the environment of rising interest rates in 2022. The contractual maturities shown below reflect the underlying maturities of the collateral mortgages. Additionally, the mortgage-based securities maturities shown below are based on final maturities and do not include scheduled amortization. Yields include amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts. There were no material changes in the tax-exempt portfolio.
Item 1 - Table 5 - Weighted Average Yield
One Year or Less More than One
Year to Five Years More than Five Years
to Ten Years More than Ten Years Total
(In millions) Amortized
Cost Weighted
Average
Yield Amortized
Cost Weighted
Average
Yield Amortized
Cost Weighted
Average
Yield Amortized
Cost Weighted
Average
Yield Amortized
Cost Weighted
Average
Yield
Municipal bonds and obligations $ 1.4 5.2 % $ 7.4 4.3 % $ 39.5 4.9 % $ 284.4 4.1 % $ 332.7 4.3 %
Mortgage-backed securities 0.1 2.1 % 43.4 2.2 % 229.0 1.8 % 1,581.1 1.7 % 1,853.6 1.5 %
Other bonds and obligations 12.1 3.6 % 6.1 7.1 % 38.7 4.3 % 1.5 3.8 % 58.4 2.0 %
Total $ 13.6 3.8 % $ 56.9 3.0 % $ 307.2 2.5 % $ 1,867.0 2.1 % $ 2,244.7 1.9 %
DEPOSIT ACTIVITIES AND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS
Deposits are the major source of funds for the Bank’s lending and investment activities. Deposit accounts are the primary product and service interaction with the Bank’s customers. The Bank serves personal, commercial, non-profit, and municipal deposit customers. Most of the Bank’s deposits are generated from the areas surrounding its branch offices. The Bank offers a wide variety of deposit accounts with a range of interest rates and terms. The Bank also periodically offers promotional interest rates and terms for limited periods of time. The Bank’s deposit accounts consist of demand deposits (non-interest-bearing checking), NOW (interest-bearing checking), regular savings, money market savings, and time certificates of deposit. Additionally, the Bank offers a variety of retirement deposit accounts to personal and business customers.
The Bank emphasizes its transaction deposits - checking and NOW accounts - for personal accounts and checking accounts promoted to businesses. These accounts have the lowest marginal cost to the Bank and are also often a core account for a customer relationship. The Bank offers a courtesy overdraft program to improve customer service, and also provides debit cards and other electronic fee producing payment services to transaction account customers. The Bank offers targeted online and mobile deposit account opening capabilities for personal accounts. The Bank promotes remote deposit capture devices so that commercial accounts can make deposits from their place of business.
Deposit related fees include overdraft fees, interchange fees related to debit card usage, service charges, and other miscellaneous transactions and convenience services sold to customers through the branch system as part of an overall service relationship. The Bank offers compensating balance arrangements for larger business customers as an alternative to fees charged for checking account services. Berkshire’s Business Connection is a personal financial services benefit package designed for the employees of its business customers.
In addition to providing service through its branches, Berkshire provides services to deposit customers through its private bankers, MyBankers, commercial/small business relationship managers, and call center representatives. Commercial cash management services are an important commercial service offered to commercial and governmental depositors and a fee income source to the bank. The Bank also operates a commercial payment processing business that serves regional and national payroll service bureau customers, with the majority of volume originated by a leading national provider of payroll and human capital management software solutions.These payroll deposits often fluctuate daily by hundreds of millions of dollars depending on payroll cycles. Payroll deposits were concentrated in money market deposit balances at year-end 2022. The Bank was one of the top 50 bank ACH originators by volume in 2021 based on the most recent data available.
Online banking and mobile banking functionality is increasingly important as a component of deposit account access and service delivery. The Bank is also gradually deploying its MyTeller video tellers to complement and extend its service capabilities in its branches. The Bank has partnered with a third party fintech company to provide enhanced online deposit account opening services and plans in 2023 to implement a new online and mobile banking platform developed in partnership with this provider as an important milestone in its DigitouchSM strategy. The Company also is monitoring the development of payment services which are growing in their importance in the personal and commercial deposit markets.
The following table presents information concerning average balances and weighted average interest rates on the Bank’s interest-bearing deposit accounts for the years indicated.
Item 1 - Table 6 - Average Balance and Weighted Average Rates for Deposits
2022 2021 2020
(In millions) Average
Balance Percent
of Total
Average
Deposits Weighted
Average
Rate Average
Balance Percent
of Total
Average
Deposits Weighted
Average
Rate Average
Balance Percent
of Total
Average
Deposits Weighted
Average
Rate
Demand $ 2,914.9 30 % - % $ 3,008.5 30 % - % $ 2,324.6 23 % - %
NOW and other 1,416.7 14 0.4 976.4 10 0.1 1,216.6 12 0.3
Money market 2,809.1 29 0.5 3,293.5 32 0.2 2,713.6 26 0.6
Savings 1,114.8 11 0.1 1,111.6 11 0.1 914.1 9 0.1
Time 1,541.7 16 0.9 1,678.9 17 0.9 3,102.9 30 1.7
Total $ 9,797.2 100 % 0.9 % $ 10,068.9 100 % 0.3 % $ 10,271.8 100 % 0.7 %
Estimated uninsured deposits were $3.8 billion and $3.7 billion at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. At year-end 2022, time deposits in excess of the FDIC insurance limit and estimated time deposits that are otherwise uninsured by maturity were as follows:
Item 1 - Table 7 - Maturity of Deposits >$250,000
Maturity Period Time Deposits that
Meet or Exceed the
FDIC Insurance
Limit Estimated Aggregate
Time Deposits that
Meet or Exceed the
FDIC Insurance
Limit and Otherwise
Uninsured Time
Deposits
(In thousands)
Three months or less $ 38,117 $ 59,192
Over 3 months through 6 months 42,668 42,836
Over 6 months through 12 months 142,382 164,035
Over 12 months 218,675 266,841
Total $ 441,842 $ 532,904
The Bank’s deposits are insured by the FDIC. The Bank utilizes brokered time deposits to broaden its funding base, augment its interest rate risk management vehicles, and to support loan growth. The Bank also offers brokered reciprocal money market arrangements to provide additional deposit protection to certain large commercial and institutional accounts. These balances are viewed as part of overall relationship balances with regional customers. Brokered deposits are sourced through selected Board approved brokers and are managed as a component of the Bank's liquidity policies.
The Company also uses borrowings from the FHLBB as an additional source of funding, particularly for daily cash management and for funding longer duration assets. FHLBB advances also provide more pricing and option alternatives for particular asset/liability needs. The FHLBB functions as a central reserve bank providing credit for member institutions. As an FHLBB member, the Company is required to own capital stock of the organization. Borrowings from this institution are secured by a blanket lien on most of the Bank’s mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities, as well as certain other assets. Advances are made under several different credit programs with different lending standards, interest rates, and range of maturities. The Bank also has access to borrowings from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
The Company had a $15 million trust preferred obligation and a $7 million trust preferred obligation outstanding, as well as $100 million in subordinated notes at year-end 2022. The Company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “BHLB”. Subject to certain limitations, the Company can also choose to issue common stock, preferred stock, subordinated debt, or senior debt in public stock offerings or private placements. The Company maintains a shelf registration as part of its routine capital management.
DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS
The Company offers interest rate swaps to commercial loan customers who wish to fix the interest rates on their loans, and the Company backs these swaps with offsetting swaps with national bank counterparties. With other lending institutions, the Company engages in risk participation agreements. These arrangements are structured similarly to its swaps with commercial borrowers, but a different bank is the lead underwriter. The Company gets paid a fee to take on the risk associated with having to make the lead bank whole on Berkshire’s portion of the pro-rated swap should the borrower default. These swaps are designated as economic hedges. Interest rate swaps that meet certain criteria to be viewed as conforming are required to be cleared through exchanges. The Bank has designated a national financial institution as its clearing agent.
The Company’s mortgage banking activities result in derivatives. Commitments to lend are provided on applications for residential mortgages intended for resale and are accounted for as non-hedging derivatives. The Company arranges offsetting forward sales commitments for most of these rate-locks with national bank counterparties, which are designated as economic hedges. Commitments on applications intended to be held for investment are not accounted for as derivative financial instruments.
The Company has a policy for managing its derivative financial instruments, and the policy and program activity are overseen by the Risk Management, Capital and Compliance Committee. Derivative financial instruments with counterparties which are not customers are limited to a select number of national financial institutions. Collateral may be required based on financial condition tests. The Company works with third-party firms which assist in marketing derivative transactions, executing transactions, and providing information for bookkeeping and accounting purposes.
The Company sometimes uses interest rate swap instruments for its own account to fix the interest rate on some of its borrowings, all of which have been designated as cash flow hedges. The Company may also use interest rate collars or other derivative instruments in managing its interest rate risk. The Company also has begun offering forward foreign exchange derivatives to its commercial markets as part of its expanded international banking services. The Company expects to back these forwards with offsetting forwards with national bank counterparties. This activity would be targeted to support routine commercial needs of customers engaged in international trading activities and would only be offered for bank approved currencies and durations.
LIBOR BASED INSTRUMENTS
The Company’s floating-rate funding, certain hedging transactions and certain of the Company’s products, such as floating-rate loans and mortgages, determine the applicable interest rate or payment amount by reference to a benchmark rate using the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). Pursuant to bank regulations, the use of LIBOR as an index for new contracts was prohibited beginning in 2022. The use of LIBOR as an index on existing “Legacy” contracts will be discontinued beginning in 2023. There is further discussion of the LIBOR transition in Item 1A and Item 7 of this report.
WEALTH MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The Company’s Wealth Management Group provides consultative investment management, trust administration, and financial planning to individuals, businesses, and institutions, with an emphasis on personal investment management. The Wealth Management Group has built a track record over more than a decade with its dedicated in-house investment management team. The Bank also provides a full line of investment products, financial planning, and brokerage services through BerkshireBanc Investment Services utilizing Commonwealth Financial Network as the broker/dealer. The Bank is integrating with its growing private banking and MyBanker teams to further develop wealth management account generation. The Wealth Management Group reported $1.7 billion in total assets under management at year-end 2022. The Company expanded this team during the year and has introduced Socially Responsible Investment portfolios as another element of the Company’s overall vision of being a leading socially responsible company, and as part of a brand theme that Where You Invest Matters.
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
Berkshire’s people are the driving force behind its progress on Berkshire’s Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST) plan and vision of being a high performing, leading socially responsible community bank in New England and beyond. The Company’s approach to human capital management is grounded in its corporate values and focuses on:
•Strong oversight and risk management practices
•Recruitment
•Compensation & Benefits
•Training, Development, Engagement & Retention
•Health & Wellness
OVERSIGHT
The Board of Directors has ultimate responsibility for the strategy of the Company. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors oversees executive compensation matters and the Corporate Responsibility & Culture committee oversees company culture as well as diversity, equity and inclusion performance. The full Board also receives an annual briefing on employee engagement. The SEVP, Chief Human Resources & Culture Officer provides management oversight on human capital matters. The Company proactively identifies potential human capital related risks, such as the labor market shortage, rising labor costs, and employee retention and designs strategies to mitigate those risks. Strong human capital management is viewed as integral to the Company's transformation and ability to meet its strategic objectives.
RECRUITMENT
Berkshire operates in a highly competitive labor market with strong competition for top talent. The Company relies on and continues to recruit employees with the right mix of skills, expertise and experiences based on current openings and forecasted needs. The Company leverages several strategies to support its talent pipeline and talent acquisition activities including formal advertising, postings on targeted career sites, career events, internship placements, affinity group relationships, and the use of experienced external recruiters for key management and specialized positions. Berkshire also has a small internal team of talent recruitment professionals.
Berkshire maintains a hybrid work model to expand its access to top talent and provide its employees with workplace flexibility. These strategies have proved effective in meeting the demand for talent demonstrated by the Company’s strong track record of attracting high-caliber talent across retail, commercial, wealth management, business banking, technology and operational areas. In addition, as market disruptions from mergers remain and recessionary pressures impact other industries, Berkshire will continue to leverage its differentiated brand and unique market positioning to hire community-focused bankers from its competitors and attract high-performing operational talent from outside the industry.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
A highly competitive labor market along with inflationary pressures has impacted labor costs for all businesses. Berkshire is not immune to these economic pressures. The Company continually evaluates its compensation strategies and benefits programs, benchmarks to industry and peers and surveys the landscape of best practices to develop compensation and benefits packages that reward performance and retain top talent at all levels of the Company. Against this backdrop, and in keeping with the Company’s socially responsible mission, Berkshire raised the minimum starting pay to $17/hour in 2022. It also enhanced its vacation benefit as well as its incentive plans across lines of business to provide opportunities for employees to earn higher compensation and bonuses for strong performance aligned with Berkshire’s strategic objectives.
Berkshire provides comprehensive medical coverage, paid vacation, personal and sick time, paid protective leave for gender-based violence, a 401(k) plan with employer match, long-term disability insurance, and group term life insurance. In addition, Berkshire offers a day care reimbursement program, a dependent care expense account, family and medical leave along with flexible work arrangements, including the ability to work fully remote dependent on the duties of one’s job. All benefits are available to married same-sex or different-sex couples as well as domestic partners. In addition to its compensation and health benefits, Berkshire offers volunteer-time off, a matching-gift program, an employee assistance program, regular performance reviews, professional development and the You FIRST Fund to help employees impacted by personal financial hardships. Approximately 97% of employees are eligible for benefits.
TRAINING, DEVELOPMENT, ENGAGEMENT & RETENTION
Training and development programs provide employees with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed and have upward career mobility. They are critical components, along with competitive compensation and benefits programs, to having an engaged workforce. Ultimately an engaged workforce drives high levels of retention which reduces human capital risks, expense, and advances Berkshire’s progress and performance.
The Company provides several learning and training programs consistent with one’s job responsibilities, professional goals, and development plans. Employees have regular performance assessments to identify strengths and areas for further growth. Berkshire continues to reskill and upskill employees from across the Company helping them advance along career paths by taking on new responsibilities and roles. The Company offers a mentoring program for high potential junior employees along with leadership development programs. For employees looking to expand their professional experience in the classroom, the Company offers educational assistance along with access to formal degree and certification programs.
Berkshire continues to monitor the progress of its efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and strategies on engagement. A comprehensive annual employee engagement and pulse survey is conducted to identify strengths and opportunity areas within the organization. Overall, employees felt there was a strong spirit of teamwork, that Berkshire genuinely cares for its communities, and they have strong relationships with their direct managers. Actions plans are developed for areas identified in the survey that do not meet the Company’s high expectations.
While Berkshire has been impacted by higher-than-average turnover due to labor market disruptions, it is seeing positive momentum because of the actions it has taken to improve engagement and combat turnover including:
•Launched Company-wide reward and recognition program
•Enhanced vacation benefit
•Introduced wellness day
•Enhanced line of business incentive plans
•Established career paths for various job families
•Increased starting wage
•Offered mentoring program
•Developed robust employee communications program
Collectively these efforts have led to improved retention year over year, historically high employee engagement and being named a Forbes America’s Best Midsize Employers.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
As the world began to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic Berkshire continued to proactively manage impacts to protect the health and safety of its employees, customers and communities. During the height of the pandemic, the Company provided protective equipment to front-line employees, including masks and gloves, and offered all additional paid sick time, paid vaccine time, paid quarantine/isolation leave, job protected personal leave, flexible work schedules for remote employees, premium pay for onsite employees and maintained full pay for employees with reduced schedules, as a result of the pandemic.
Berkshire works to protect and enhance the physical, mental and financial wellbeing of its workforce by providing programs, benefits and a health and wellness employee resource group. The Company, through its insurance provider, offers a fitness, weight and mind/body reimbursement along with a year-round calendar of various wellness related activities. Since physical and mental health go hand-in-hand with financial health, Berkshire provides access to financial education resources, webinars along with its You FIRST Fund to assist employees experiencing financial hardships. In addition, Berkshire provides a comprehensive employee assistance program which includes counseling services and resources for those experiencing mental health challenges. To further support the needs of its workforce, Berkshire introduced a wellness day to provide a day off for employees to disconnect, recharge and take care of themselves in whatever way works best for them.
FUTURE OF THE WORKPLACE
Berkshire continues to evolve and enhance its human capital management strategies to drive organizational growth in support of BEST while combating risks, such as the labor market shortage and rising labor costs. The Company expects to maintain its hybrid workplace over the long-term and invest in technology. While technology will play a bigger role in the future of Berkshire, helping to improve processes and drive efficiencies, people will always be at the core of its ability to deliver value to its customers, shareholders and communities. The Company remains confident that the Berkshire brand, value proposition and socially responsible vision will continue to be a differentiator in the market.
Human Capital* ◦Total Full Time Equivalent
◦Retention Rate
71%
◦Promotion Rate
20%
◦Minimum Starting Salary
$17/hour
◦Average Tenure (years)
*All metrics reported are as of and for the year-ended December 31, 2022.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplace is an essential enabler to continuing to drive forward progress on Berkshire’s Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST), its BEST Community Comeback and vision. Ultimately Berkshire’s goal is to ensure that its workforce reflects the communities in which it operates, that its employees feel valued and can reach their full potential and that it improves the access and affordability of financial solutions to support economic growth of underrepresented populations and communities. The Company’s advances those goals through an integrated approach grounded in its corporate values:
•Strong oversight and governance practices
•Recruitment & talent management
•Education and training
•Workplace programming through employee resource groups (ERGs)
•Financial solutions which drive economic equity
•Community programming focused on financial inclusion and entrepreneurship
•Supplier diversity
The Company has a strong foundation of governance practices to ensure that diversity, equity and inclusion is embedded into Berkshire’s business activities. This includes the Corporate Responsibility & Culture Committee of the Board of Directors which has ultimate oversight responsibility. Berkshire’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, which reports into the Board committee, provides additional management level oversight to the Company’s programming and performance. The Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer manages the Company’s DEI programming.
Berkshire continues working to improve representation within its workplace through recruitment initiatives while enhancing its internal talent pipeline to ensure representation at all levels of the Company. Berkshire identifies opportunities in targeted markets and business lines, develops deeper partnerships with non-profit organizations and affinity groups, advertises positions on specialized career sites, participates in affinity career events and uses internal as well as external recruitment professionals to ensure it receives candidate pools that reflect the rural and urban communities in which it operates. It works to develop and implement strategies aimed at increasing representation at each level of the Company. In addition, the Company regularly reviews the gender and ethnic diversity of its workforce at the employee, manager and executive management level and completes a review of pay and performance measures to ensure that all employees, regardless of gender and ethnicity, in comparable roles are compensated equitably. As a result of Berkshire’s intentional and impactful efforts to date, Berkshire was listed in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion* Percent of women in workforce 67 %
Percent of ethnic minorities in workforce 13 %
Percent of women on the Board 31 %
Percent of ethnic minorities on the Board 31 %
Percent of women in manager roles (officer+) 20 %
Percent of ethnic minorities in manager roles (officer+) 4 %
Percent of women in executive management roles 36 %
Percent of ethnic minorities in executive management roles 14 %
*Workforce metrics reported are as of December 31, 2022. Board metrics reflect the current composition of the Board of Directors.
Berkshire provides a full suite of diversity, equity & inclusion trainings. The trainings help build understanding and provide employees with knowledge, skills and tactics they can put into practice. All new employees complete training at the time of hire and Berkshire intends to roll out enhancements to its training program which includes required annual and elective courses for all employees and hiring managers in 2023. In addition, Berkshire offers seven Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) each playing an integral role for employees and the culture of the company. Every Employee Resource Group provides a safe space for dialogue, education, and collective action on topics relevant to their members and the Company. Through the ERGs, employees concerns and ideas to strengthen Berkshire’s culture are elevated to members of management and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee for action, empowering employees to collectively be engines of positive change within the workplace and the broader community.
The Company continues to work towards building economic equity in its communities by developing and offering safe, accessible, affordable financial solutions and programs including its MyFreedom Checking account, nationally certified by BankOn for its affordability, and the Futures Fund. The Futures Fund is a special purpose credit program which provides access to a low-interest, low barrier to entry line of credit in collaboration with non-profit partners who provide wrap around technical assistance to minority, LGBTQIA+ and other businesses owned by underrepresented individuals. Since launching the program in 2020, it has deployed nearly $1.5 million to underrepresented business owners. Beyond offering financial solutions and wellness programming, Berkshire also understands that a diverse third-party base is important to achieving its operational goals, supply chain resilience, vision and creating equity in its communities. As a result, Berkshire works to maintain a third-party base that reflects the communities in which it operates and, to the maximum extent possible, increase the utilization of third parties owned by underrepresented people.
Additional information on Berkshire’s Human Capital Management and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices can be found in the Company’s annual Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the company's environmental, social and governance programs.
SUBSIDIARY ACTIVITIES
The Company wholly-owns Berkshire Bank. The Bank operates as a commercial bank under a Massachusetts trust company charter. Berkshire Bank owns Firestone Financial, LLC which is a Massachusetts limited liability company, as well as consolidated subsidiaries operated as Massachusetts securities corporations and other subsidiary entities. The Company also owns all of the common stock of Delaware statutory business trusts, Berkshire Hills Capital Trust I and SI Capital Trust II. The capital trusts are unconsolidated and their only material assets are trust preferred securities related to the junior subordinated debentures reported in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Additional information about the subsidiaries is contained in Exhibit 21 to this report.
REGULATION AND SUPERVISION
The Company is a Delaware corporation and a bank holding company that has elected financial holding company status within the meaning of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. It is registered with, supervised by and required to comply with the rules and regulations of the Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Reserve Board requires the Company to file various reports and also conducts examinations of the Company. The Company must receive the approval of the Federal Reserve Board to engage in certain transactions, such as acquisitions of additional banks and savings associations, and the Company must seek nonobjection for various capital actions, including stock repurchases.
The Bank is a Massachusetts-chartered trust company and its deposits are insured up to applicable limits by the FDIC. The Bank is subject to extensive regulation by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks (the “Commissioner”), as its chartering agency, and by the FDIC, as its deposit insurer. The Bank is required to file reports with the Commissioner and the FDIC concerning its activities and financial condition in addition to obtaining regulatory approvals prior to entering into certain transactions such as mergers with, or acquisitions of, other depository institutions or branches of other institutions. Under specified conditions, the Bank must also seek regulatory approval of capital distributions to the Company, its sole shareholder.
The Commissioner and the FDIC conduct periodic examinations to test the Bank’s safety and soundness and compliance with various regulatory requirements. The regulatory structure gives the regulatory authorities extensive discretion in connection with supervisory and enforcement activities and examination policies, including policies with respect to the classification of assets and the establishment of adequate loan loss reserves for regulatory purposes. Any change in such regulatory requirements and policies, whether by the Commissioner, the Massachusetts legislature, the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Board, or Congress, could have a material adverse impact on the Company, the Bank, and their operations.
Certain regulatory requirements applicable to the Company and the Bank are referred to below. The description of statutory provisions and regulations applicable to financial institutions and their holding companies set forth in this Form 10-K does not purport to be a complete description of such statutes and regulations and their effects on the Company and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual laws and regulations. A summary of the regulatory requirements referred to below is as follows:
•Massachusetts Banking Laws and Supervision
•Federal Banking Regulations
•Enforcement
•Holding Company Regulation
•Mergers and Acquisitions
•Other Regulations
•Taxation
Massachusetts Banking Laws and Supervision
General. As a Massachusetts-chartered depository institution, the Bank is subject to various Massachusetts statutes and regulations which govern, among other things, investment powers, lending and deposit-taking activities, borrowings, maintenance of surplus and reserve accounts, distribution of earnings and payment of dividends. In addition, the Bank is subject to Massachusetts consumer protection and civil rights laws and regulations. The approval of the Commissioner is required for a Massachusetts-chartered institution to establish or close branches, merge with other financial institutions, issue stock, and undertake certain other activities.
Massachusetts law and regulations generally allow Massachusetts institutions to engage in activities permissible for federally chartered banks or banks chartered by another state. There is a 30-day notice procedure to the Commissioner in order to engage in such activities. Massachusetts law also authorized Massachusetts institutions to engage in activities determined to be “financial in nature,” or incidental or complementary to such a financial activity, subject to a 30-day notice to the Commissioner.
Dividends. Under Massachusetts law, the Bank may declare cash dividends from net profits not more frequently than quarterly and non-cash dividends at any time. No dividends may be declared, credited, or paid if the institution’s capital stock is impaired. An institution with outstanding preferred stock may not, without the prior approval of the Commissioner, declare dividends to the common stock without also declaring dividends to the preferred stock. The approval of the Commissioner is generally required if the total of all dividends declared in any calendar year exceeds the total of its net profits for that year combined with its retained “net profits,” as defined, of the preceding two years. The Bank was required to obtain the approval of the Commissioner to pay Bank dividends to the Company in 2022 and is expected to require such approval in 2023.
Loans to One Borrower Limitations. Massachusetts banking law grants broad lending authority. However, with certain limited exceptions, total obligations of one borrower to an institution may not exceed 20.0% of the total of the institution’s capital, which is defined under Massachusetts law as the sum of the institution’s capital stock, surplus account and undivided profits.
Regulatory Enforcement Authority. Any Massachusetts-chartered institution that does not operate in accordance with the regulations, policies, and directives of the Commissioner may be sanctioned for non-compliance, including seizure of the property and business of the institution and suspension or revocation of its charter. The Commissioner may, under certain circumstances, suspend or remove officers or directors who have violated the law, conducted the institution’s business in a manner which is unsafe, unsound or contrary to the depositors’ interests, or been negligent in the performance of their duties. In addition, upon finding that an institution has engaged in an unfair or deceptive act or practice, the Commissioner may issue an order to cease and desist and impose a fine on the institution concerned. Finally, Massachusetts consumer protection and civil rights statutes applicable to the Bank permit private individual and class action lawsuits and provide for the rescission of consumer transactions, including loans, and the recovery of statutory and punitive damage and attorney’s fees in the case of certain violations of those statutes.
Massachusetts has other statutes or regulations that are similar to the federal provisions discussed below.
Federal Regulations
Capital Requirements. Federal regulations require FDIC insured depository institutions to meet several minimum capital standards: a common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 4.5%, a Tier 1 capital to risk-based assets ratio of 6.0%, a total capital to risk-based assets of 8.0%, and a 4.0% Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio. The definitions of these capital categories and the ratio metrics are set out in federal regulations. In addition to establishing the minimum regulatory capital requirements, the regulations limit capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments to management if the institution does not hold a “capital conservation buffer” consisting of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted asset above the amount necessary to meet its minimum risk-based capital requirements.
In assessing an institution’s capital adequacy, the FDIC takes into consideration not only these numeric factors, but qualitative factors as well, and has the authority to establish higher capital requirements for individual institutions where deemed necessary. As a bank holding company, the Company is also subject to regulatory capital requirements, as described in a subsequent section.
The approval of the FDIC is required for the Bank to pay a dividend to the Company from its surplus account. FDIC approval was required for Bank dividends payments in 2022 and such approval is expected to be required in 2023.
Investment Activities. The Federal Deposit Insurance Act generally limits the types of equity investments an FDIC-insured state-chartered bank, such as the Bank, may make and the kinds of activities in which such a bank may engage, as a principal, to those that are permissible for national banks.
Interstate Banking and Branching. Federal law permits an institution, such as the Bank, to acquire another institution by merger in a state other than Massachusetts unless the other state has opted out. Federal law, as amended by the Dodd-Frank Act, authorizes de novo branching into another state to the extent that the target state allows its state-chartered banks to establish branches within its borders. As of December 31, 2022, the Bank operated branches in New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island, as well as Massachusetts. At its interstate branches, the Bank may conduct any activity authorized under Massachusetts law that is permissible either for an institution chartered in that state (subject to applicable federal restrictions) or a branch in that state of an out-of-state national bank. The New York State Superintendent of Banks, the Vermont Commissioner of Banking and Insurance, the Connecticut Commissioner of Banking and the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation may exercise certain regulatory authority over the Bank’s branches in their respective states.
Prompt Corrective Regulatory Action. Federal law requires that federal bank regulatory authorities take “prompt corrective action” with respect to banks that do not meet minimum capital requirements.
The law establishes three categories of capital deficient institutions: undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized. The FDIC regulations implementing the prompt corrective action law were amended to incorporate the previously discussed increased regulatory capital standards that were effective January 1, 2015. An institution is deemed to be “well capitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, a leverage ratio of 5.0% or greater, and a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 6.5% or greater. An institution is “adequately capitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0% or greater, a leverage ratio of 4.0% or greater, and a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 4.5% or greater. An institution is “undercapitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8.0%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 6.0%, a leverage ratio of less than 4.0%, or a common equity Tier 1 ratio of less than 4.5%. An institution is deemed to be “significantly undercapitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 6.0%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4.0%, a leverage ratio of less than 3.0%, or a common equity Tier 1 ratio of less than 3.0%. An institution is considered to be “critically undercapitalized” if it has a ratio of tangible equity (as defined in the regulations) to total assets that is equal to or less than 2.0%.
“Undercapitalized” banks must adhere to growth, capital distribution (including dividend), and other limitations and are required to submit a capital restoration plan. A bank’s compliance with such plans must be guaranteed by its holding company in an amount equal to the lesser of 5% of the institution’s total assets when deemed “undercapitalized” or the amount needed to comply with regulatory capital requirements. If an “undercapitalized”
bank fails to submit an acceptable plan, it is treated as if it is “significantly undercapitalized.” “Significantly undercapitalized” banks must comply with one or more of a number of additional restrictions, including but not limited to an order by the FDIC to sell sufficient voting stock to become “adequately capitalized,” requirements to reduce assets and 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 holding company. “Critically undercapitalized” institutions must comply with additional sanctions including, subject to a narrow exception, the appointment of a receiver or conservator within 270 days after it obtains such status.
At December 31, 2022, the Bank met the criteria for being considered “well capitalized” as defined in the prompt corrective action regulations.
Transactions with Affiliates and Loans to Insiders. Transactions between depository institutions and their affiliates are governed by Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act. In a holding company context, at a minimum, the parent holding company of an institution and any companies which are controlled by the holding company are affiliates of the institution. Generally, Section 23A limits the extent to which the institution or its subsidiaries may engage in “covered transactions,” such as loans, with any one affiliate to 10% of such institution’s capital stock and surplus. There is also an aggregate limit on all such transactions with all affiliates to 20% of capital stock and surplus. Loans to affiliates and certain other specified transactions must comply with specified collateralization requirements. Section 23B requires that transactions with affiliates be on terms that are no less favorable to the institution or its subsidiary as similar transactions with non-affiliates.
Federal law also restricts an institution with respect to loans to directors, executive officers, and principal stockholders (“insiders”). Loans to insiders and their related interests may not exceed, together with all other outstanding loans to such persons and affiliated entities, the institution’s total capital and surplus. Loans to insiders above specified amounts must receive the prior approval of the Board of Directors. Further, loans to insiders must be made on terms substantially the same as offered in comparable transactions to other persons, except that such insiders may receive preferential loans made under a benefit or compensation program that is widely available to the institution’s employees and does not give preference to the insider over the employees. Federal law places additional limitations on loans to executive officers. Massachusetts law previously had a separate law regarding insider transactions, but that law was amended in 2015 to generally incorporate the federal restrictions.
Insurance of Deposit Accounts. The Bank’s deposit accounts are insured by the Deposit Insurance Fund of the FDIC up to applicable limits. The FDIC insures deposits up to the standard maximum deposit insurance amount (“SMDIA”) of $250,000.
The FDIC charges insured depository institutions premiums to maintain the Deposit Insurance Fund. Under the risk-based assessment system, institutions deemed less risky of failure pay lower assessments. Assessments for institutions of less than $10 billion of assets are based on financial measures and supervisory ratings derived from statistical modeling estimating the probability of an institution’s failure within three years. The assessment range (inclusive of possible adjustments specified by the regulations) for institutions with greater than $10 billion of total assets was 1.5 to 40 basis points effective through December 31, 2022. The FDIC has authority to increase insurance assessments and adopted a final rule in October 2022 to increase initial base deposit insurance assessment rates by two basis points beginning in the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. As a result, effective January 1, 2023, assessment rates for institutions of the Bank’s size will range from 2.5 to 42 basis points.
Insurance of deposits may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe or 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 a regulator. Management does not know of any practice, condition or violation that might lead to termination of FDIC deposit insurance.
The FDIC has authority to increase insurance assessments. A significant increase in insurance premiums would likely have an adverse effect on the operating expenses and results of operations of the Bank. Management cannot predict what insurance assessment rates will be in the future.
Federal Home Loan Bank System. The Bank is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank system, which consists of 12 regional Federal Home Loan Banks that provide a central credit facility primarily for member institutions. The Bank, as a member, is required to acquire and hold shares of capital stock in the FHLBB.
The Federal Home Loan Banks are required to provide funds for certain purposes including contributing funds for affordable housing programs. These requirements, and general financial results, could reduce the amount of dividends that the Federal Home Loan Banks pay to their members and result in the Federal Home Loan Banks imposing a higher rate of interest on advances to their members. Historically, the FHLBB has paid dividends to member banks based on money market rates.
Enforcement
The FDIC has primary federal enforcement responsibility over state-chartered banks that are not members of Federal Reserve System, which includes the Bank. The FDIC has authority to bring enforcement actions against such institutions and their “institution-related parties,” including officers, directors, certain shareholders, and attorneys, appraisers and accountants who knowingly or recklessly participate in wrongful action likely to have an adverse effect on an insured institution. Formal enforcement action may range from the issuance of a capital directive or cease and desist order to removal of officers and/or directors of the institution or receivership or conservatorship in certain circumstances. Potential civil money penalties cover a wide range of violations and actions, and are adjusted annually for inflation. Such penalties currently range up to more than $50 thousand per day or, in extreme cases, as high as $2 million per day.
Holding Company Regulation
General. The Company is subject to examination, regulation, and periodic reporting as a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended. The Company is required to obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board to acquire all, or substantially all, of the assets of any other bank or bank holding company. Prior Federal Reserve Board approval would be required for the Company to acquire direct or indirect ownership or control of any voting securities of any bank or bank holding company if, after such acquisition, it would, directly or indirectly, own or control more than five percent of any class of voting shares of the bank or bank holding company.
A bank holding company is generally prohibited from engaging in non-banking activities, or acquiring direct or indirect control of more than five percent of the voting securities of any company engaged in non-banking activities. The Federal Reserve Board has allowed by regulation some exceptions based on activities closely related to banking including: (i) making or servicing loans; (ii) performing certain data processing services; (iii) providing discount brokerage services; (iv) acting as fiduciary, investment or financial advisor; and (v) acquiring a savings and loan association whose direct and indirect activities are limited to those permitted for bank holding companies.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 authorized a bank holding company that meets specified conditions, including being “well capitalized” and “well managed” as defined in the regulations, to opt to become a “financial holding company” and thereby engage in a broader array of financial activities. Such activities can include insurance and investment banking. The Company has elected to become a financial holding company.
The Company is subject to the Federal Reserve Board’s capital adequacy requirements for bank holding companies. The Dodd-Frank Act required the Federal Reserve Board to promulgate consolidated capital requirements for depository institution holding companies that are no less stringent, both quantitatively and in terms of components of capital, than those applicable to institutions themselves. Consolidated regulatory capital requirements identical to those applicable to the Bank apply also to the Company.
Federal Reserve Board policy requires that a bank holding company serve as a source of financial strength to its subsidiary banks by standing ready to use available resources to provide adequate capital funds to those banks during periods of financial stress or adversity and by maintaining the financial flexibility and capital-raising capacity to obtain additional resources for assisting its subsidiary banks where necessary. The Dodd-Frank Act codified the source of strength doctrine.
The Federal Reserve Board has issued a policy statement regarding the payment of dividends and the repurchase of shares of common stock by bank holding companies. In general, the policy provides that dividends should be paid only out of current earnings and only if the prospective rate of earnings retention by the holding company appears consistent with the organization’s capital needs, asset quality and overall financial condition. Regulatory guidance provides for prior consultation with and nonobjection of the Federal Reserve Board with respect to dividends in certain circumstances, such as where the company’s net income for the past four quarters, net of dividends previously paid over that period, is insufficient to fully fund the dividend or the company’s overall rate of earnings retention is inconsistent with the company’s capital needs and overall financial condition. The Federal Reserve Board guidance also provides for consultation and nonobjection for material increases in the amount of a bank holding company’s common stock dividend. The ability of a holding company to pay dividends may be restricted if a subsidiary bank becomes undercapitalized.
Federal regulations require a bank holding company to give the Federal Reserve Board prior written notice of any repurchase or redemption of then outstanding equity securities if the gross consideration for the repurchase or redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such repurchases or redemptions during the preceding 12 months, is equal to 10% or more of the company’s consolidated net worth. The Federal Reserve Board may disapprove such a purchase or redemption under certain circumstances. There is an exception to this approval requirement for well-capitalized bank holding companies that meet certain other conditions. Federal Reserve guidance provides for regulatory consultation and nonobjection under specified circumstances prior to a holding company redeeming or repurchasing regulatory capital instruments, including common stock, regardless of the applicability of the previously referenced notification requirement. Pursuant to regulatory policies, such circumstances include repurchasing common stock that would result in a net reduction as of the end of the quarter in the amount of such equity instruments outstanding compared with the beginning of the quarter. In these circumstances, Federal Reserve nonobjection is required. The Company obtained such nonobjection for its repurchase program in 2022 and for the repurchase program announced in January 2023.
These regulatory policies could affect the ability of the Company to pay dividends, repurchase shares of its stock, or otherwise engage in capital distributions.
The status of the Company as a registered bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act does not exempt it from certain federal and state laws and regulations applicable to corporations generally, including, without limitation, certain provisions of the federal securities laws.
Acquisition of the Company. Under the Change in Bank Control Act, no person may acquire control of a bank holding company such as the Company unless the Federal Reserve Board has been given 60 days’ prior written notice and has not issued a notice disapproving the proposed acquisition, taking into consideration certain factors, including the financial and managerial resources of the acquirer and the competitive effects of the acquisition. Control, as defined for this purpose, means ownership, control of or power to vote 25% or more of any class of voting stock. Acquisition of more than 10% of any class of a bank holding company’s voting stock constitutes a rebuttable presumption of control under the regulations under certain circumstances including where, is the case with the Company, the issuer has registered securities under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Massachusetts Holding Company Regulation. In addition to the federal holding company regulations, a bank holding company organized or doing business in Massachusetts must comply with requirements under Massachusetts law. Approval of the Massachusetts regulatory authorities is generally required for the Company to acquire 25 percent or more of the voting stock of another depository institution. Similarly, prior regulatory approval would be necessary for any person or company to acquire 25 percent or more of the voting stock of the Company.
Mergers and Acquisitions
The Company and the Bank have authority to engage, and have engaged, in acquisitions of other depository institutions. Such transactions are subject to a variety of conditions including, but not limited to, required stockholder approvals and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. Necessary regulatory approvals include those required by the federal Bank Holding Company Act and/or Bank Merger Act, Massachusetts law and, if the target institution is located in a state other than Massachusetts, the law of that state. When considering merger applications, the federal regulators must evaluate such factors as the financial and managerial resources and future prospects of the parties, the convenience and needs of the communities to be served (including performance of the parties under the Community Reinvestment Act), competitive factors, any risk to the stability of the United States banking or financial system and the effectiveness of the institutions involved in combating money laundering activities. Both the Bank Holding Company Act and the Bank Merger Act provide for a waiting period of 15 to 30 days following approval by the federal banking regulator within which the United States Department of Justice may file objections to the merger under the federal antitrust laws. Massachusetts law requires the Commissioner (or Board of Bank Incorporation in certain cases) to consider such factors as whether competition among banking institutions will be unreasonably affected and whether public convenience and advantage will be promoted (including whether the merger will result in net new benefits).
Other Regulations
Consumer Protection Laws. The Bank is subject to federal and state consumer protection statutes and regulations applicable to depository institutions. These include the Truth-In-Lending Act, governing disclosures of credit terms to consumer borrowers; Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, requiring financial institutions to provide certain information about home mortgage and refinance loans; the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, creed or other prohibited factors in extending credit; the Fair Credit Reporting Act, governing the provision of consumer information to credit reporting agencies and the use of consumer information; the Fair Debt Collection Act, governing the manner in which consumer debts may be collected by collection agencies; and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, governing automatic deposits to and withdrawals from deposit accounts and customers’ rights and liabilities arising from the use of automated teller machines and other electronic banking services. Since the Bank has exceeded $10 billion of consolidated assets, compliance with such federal consumer protection statutes and regulations is examined for and enforced by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau rather than the FDIC.
The Bank also is subject to Massachusetts and federal laws protecting the confidentiality of consumer financial records, and limiting the ability of the institution to share non-public personal information with third parties.
The Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) establishes a requirement for federal banking agencies that, in connection with examinations of depository institutions within their jurisdiction, the agencies evaluate the record of the depository institutions in meeting the credit needs of their local communities, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of those institutions. These factors are also considered in evaluating mergers, acquisitions and applications to open a branch or new facility. Under the CRA, institutions are assigned a rating of “outstanding,” “satisfactory,” “needs to improve,” or “substantial non-compliance.” A less than “satisfactory” rating would result in the suspension of any growth of the Bank through acquisitions or opening de novo branches until the rating is improved. As of the most recent CRA examination by the FDIC, the Bank’s CRA rating was “satisfactory.” On May 5, 2022, the OCC, FRB and FDIC released a notice of proposed rulemaking to strengthen and modernize the CRA regulations and framework.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The Bank is subject to extensive anti-money laundering provisions and requirements, which require the institution to have in place a comprehensive customer identification program and an anti-money laundering program and procedures. These laws and regulations also prohibit depository institutions from engaging in business with foreign shell banks; require depository institutions to have due diligence procedures and, in some cases, enhanced due diligence procedures for foreign correspondent and private banking accounts; and improve information sharing between depository institutions and the U.S. government. The Bank has established policies and procedures intended to comply with these provisions.
Taxation
The Company reports its income on a calendar year basis using the accrual method of accounting. This discussion of tax matters is only a summary and is not a comprehensive description of the tax rules applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries. Further discussion of income taxation is contained in a note to the financial statements. The federal income tax laws apply to the Company in the same manner as to other corporations with some exceptions. The Company may exclude from income 100 percent of dividends received from the Bank and from Berkshire Insurance Group as members of the same affiliated group of corporations. The Company reports income on a calendar year basis to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Massachusetts tax law generally permits special tax treatment for a qualifying limited purpose “securities corporation.” The Bank’s securities corporations all qualify for this treatment, and are taxed at a 1.3% rate on their gross income.
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law on August 16, 2022, among other things, implements a new alternative minimum tax of 15% on corporations with profits in excess of $1 billion, a 1% excise tax on stock repurchases, and several tax incentives to promote clean energy and climate initiatives. These provisions are effective beginning January 1, 2023.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
The risks set forth below, in addition to the other risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, may adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, strategic objectives, and operating results. In addition to the risks set forth below and the other risks described in this annual report, there may be additional risks and uncertainties that are not currently known to the Company or that the Company currently deems to be immaterial that could materially and adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, strategic objectives, or operating results. As a result, past financial performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance, and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results or trends in future periods. Further, to the extent that any of the information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K constitutes forward-looking statements, the risk factors set forth below also are cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company.
The COVID-19 global pandemic affected all aspects of the Company’s business since 2020. The impact of the pandemic is discussed in the "Operating" risk factors below, but it should be understood as affecting the overall risk environment and risk factors of the Company.
Risk Factors Summary
Lending Risks
•Deterioration in the Housing Sector, Commercial Real Estate, and Related Markets May Adversely Affect Business and Financial Results.
•The Company’s Emphasis on Commercial Lending May Expose the Company to Increased Lending Risks, Which Could Hurt Profits.
•The Company is Subject to a Variety of Risks in Connection With Any Sale of Loans it May Conduct.
•The Company is Exposed to Risk of Environmental Liability When It Takes Title to Property.
•New Third Party Lending Relationships and Sourcing Channels May Increase Lending Risk
Operating Risks
•Public Health Emergencies Like the COVID-19 Pandemic May Adversely Affect, the Company’s Business, Financial Condition, Liquidity, and Results of Operations.
•The Company is Subject to Security and Operational Risks Relating to the Use of Technology that Could Damage the Company's Reputation and Business.
•The Company Faces Cybersecurity Risks, Including Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware, Hacking and Identity Theft that Could Result in the Disclosure of Confidential Information or the Creation of Unauthorized Transactions, Which Could Adversely Affect the Company’s Business or Reputation and Create Significant Legal and Financial Exposure.
•Counterparties and Correspondents Expose the Company to Risks.
•The Company’s Business is Reliant on Outside Vendors.
•Tailoring The Bank's Delivery Model to Respond to Customer Preferences in Banking May Negatively Affect Earnings
•Development of New Products and Services May Impose Additional Costs on the Company and May Expose It to Increased Operational Risk.
•The Discontinuation of LIBOR and the Transition to an Alternative Reference Rate Could Adversely Impact the Company’s Business and Results of Operations.
Liquidity Risks
•The Company's Wholesale Funding Sources May Prove Insufficient to Replace Deposits at Maturity and Support Operations and Future Growth.
•The Company's Ability to Service Our Debt, Pay Dividends, and Otherwise Pay Obligations as They Come Due Is Substantially Dependent on Capital Distributions from the Bank, and These Distributions Are Subject to Regulatory Limits and Other Restrictions. The Company’s Stock Repurchase Program is also Dependent on These Distributions.
•The Loss Recorded in 2020 May Have an Adverse Effect on Future Dividend Payments to Common Shareholders.
•Secondary Mortgage Market Conditions Could Have a Material Impact on the Company’s Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Interest Rate Risks
•Market Interest Rate Conditions Could Adversely Affect Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
Securities Market Value Risks
•Declines in the Value of Certain Investment Securities Could Require Write-Downs, Which Would Reduce Earnings.
Regulatory Matters Risks
•Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives May Affect Business Activities and Increase Operating Costs.
•Provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Delaware Law, as Well as State and Federal Banking Regulations, Could Delay or Prevent a Takeover of Us by a Third Party.
Significant Accounting Estimates Risks
•Various Factors May Cause Our Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans to Increase.
•Fair Value Measurements May Be Affected by Inherent Uncertainties
Trading of the Company's Common Stock
•The Trading History of the Company’s Common Stock is Characterized By Low Trading Volume. The Value of Shareholder Investments May be Subject to Sudden Decreases Due to the Volatility of the Price of the Common Stock.
Lending
Deterioration in the Housing Sector, Commercial Real Estate, and Related Markets May Adversely Affect Business and Financial Results.
Real estate lending is a major business activity for the Company. Real estate market conditions affect the value and marketability of real estate collateral, and they also affect the cash flows, liquidity, and net worth of many borrowers whose operations and finances depend on real estate market conditions. We have a geographic concentration of loans in our market areas. Adverse conditions in the Company's market areas could reduce growth rates, affect the ability of our customers to repay their loans and increase loan losses, and generally affect the Company's financial condition and results of operations. Potential increases in interest rates could increase capitalization rates which could adversely affect commercial property appraisals and collateral value. Residential property values may be similarly adversely impacted. Pandemic impacts on the supply and demand of residential properties have caused unusual price appreciation in many markets, which may not be sustained if market conditions normalize.
The Company’s Emphasis on Commercial Lending May Expose the Company to Increased Lending Risks, Which Could Hurt Profits.
The Company emphasizes commercial lending, which generally exposes the Company to a greater risk of nonpayment and loss because repayment of such loans often depends on the successful operations and income stream of the borrowers. Commercial loans are historically more susceptible to delinquency, default, fraud, and loss during economic downturns. Commercial lending involves larger loan sizes and larger relationship exposures, with greater potential impact on profits in the event of adverse loan performance. The majority of the Company’s commercial loans are secured by real estate and subject to the previously discussed real estate risk factors, as well as risks specific to individual properties and property types. Recent expansion of the commercial lending team may expose the Company to new markets and risks if new lenders are not integrated with the Company’s policies, controls, and procedures.
The Company is Subject to a Variety of Risks in Connection With Any Sale of Loans it May Conduct.
The Company routinely sells newly originated residential mortgage loans and SBA guaranteed business loans, and may also sell other loans or loans portfolios. It may make certain representations and warranties to the purchaser concerning the loans sold and the procedures under which those loans have been originated and serviced. If any of these representations and warranties are invalid, the Company may be required to refund premiums, indemnify the purchaser for any related costs or losses, or it may be required to repurchase part or all of the affected loans, which may be impaired. The Company may also be required to repurchase loans as a result of borrower fraud or in the event of early payment default by the borrower on a loan it has sold. The Company’s ability to maintain seller/servicer relationships with government agencies and government backed entities may be jeopardized in the event of the emergence of one or more of the above risks. Demand for the Company’s loans in the secondary markets could also be affected by these risks, which could lead to a reduction in related business activities.
The Company is Exposed to Risk of Environmental Liability When It Takes Title to Property.
In the course of its business, the Company may foreclose on and take title to real estate. As a result, the Company could be subject to environmental liabilities with respect to these properties for property damage, personal injury, investigation and clean-up costs. The costs associated with investigation or remediation activities could be substantial. The Company may be subject to common law claims by third parties based on damages and costs resulting from environmental contamination emanating from the property.
New Third Party Lending Relationships and Sourcing Channels May Increase Lending Risk.
The Company is expanding its lending sourcing channels, including a residential mortgage channel with local correspondents, partnering with fintech online lenders, and expanding its commercial loan sourcing channels. It is also relying more on third party loan servicing. These activities may increase the underwriting risks and loan administration risks in managing its lending activities.
Operating
Public Health Emergencies Such as the COVID-19 Pandemic May Adversely Affect, the Company’s Business, Financial Condition, Liquidity, and Results of Operations.
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the U.S. and global economy; disrupted U.S. and global supply chains and labor markets; created significant volatility and disruption in financial markets; impacted rates and yields on U.S. Treasury securities; resulted in increased credit risk in certain industries; increased demands on capital and liquidity; and affected employment wages, consumer confidence, and inflation. In addition, the pandemic has resulted in temporary closures and curtailment of individual and business activities in our footprint. The pandemic has resulted in increases in the Company's allowance for credit losses and the recognition of impairment of our goodwill. Some of the risks the Company faces from the pandemic include, but are not limited to: the health and availability of our colleagues, the supply of labor, inflationary impacts on operating costs, the financial condition of our clients and the demand for our products and services, changes in interest rates, recognition of credit losses and increases in the allowance for credit losses, impacts if customers draw on their lines of credit or draw down deposits or seek additional loans to help finance their businesses, and a significant deterioration of business conditions in our markets. Sustained adverse effects may also increase our cost of capital, prevent us from satisfying our minimum regulatory capital ratios and other supervisory requirements, or result in downgrades in our credit rating. The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic impacts our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations will
depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including the scope and duration of the pandemic, the continued effectiveness of our business continuity plan, the direct and indirect impact of the pandemic on our customers, colleagues, counterparties and service providers, and actions taken by governmental authorities and other third parties in response to the pandemic.
The length of the pandemic and the effectiveness of the measures being put in place to address it are unknown and we face possible continued impacts on liquidity, operating revenues, and credit performance. To the extent the pandemic adversely affects our business, financial condition, liquidity, or results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The Company is Subject to Security and Operational Risks Relating to the Use of Technology that Could Damage the Company's Reputation and Business.
Security breaches of confidential information in our technology platforms could expose the Company to possible liability and damage its reputation. Any compromise of data security could also deter customers from using the Company's services. The Company relies on industry standard internet security and authentication systems to effect secure transmission of data. These precautions may not protect the Company's security systems from compromises or breaches and could result in damage to its reputation and business. The Company utilizes third party core banking software, in addition to other outsourced data processing. If third party providers encounter difficulties or if the Company has difficulty in communicating and/or transmitting with such third parties, it could significantly affect its ability to adequately process and account for customer transactions, which could significantly affect its business operations. The Company interfaces with electronic payments systems which are subject to security and operational risks. The Company utilizes file encryption in designated internal systems and networks and is subject to certain state and federal regulations regarding how the Company manages data security. The Company's enterprise governance risk and compliance function includes a framework of controls, policies and technologies to monitor and protect information from cyberattacks, mishandling, and loss, together with safeguards related to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. Natural disasters and disaster recovery risks could affect its operating systems, which could affect its reputation. The Company's business continuity program addresses crisis management, business impact, and data and systems recovery. Potential problems with the management of technology security and operational risks may affect regulatory compliance, which could affect operating costs and expansion plans.Implementation of certain new technologies, such as those related to artificial intelligence, automation and algorithms, may have unintended consequences due to their limitations, potential manipulation, or our failure to use them effectively.
The Company Faces Cybersecurity Risks, Including Denial of Service Attacks, Ransomware, Hacking and Identity Theft that Could Result in the Disclosure of Confidential Information or the Creation of Unauthorized Transactions, Which Could Adversely Affect the Company’s Business or Reputation and Create Significant Legal and Financial Exposure.
Increased levels of remote access resulting from more work from home employees may create additional opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities, and employees may be more susceptible to phishing and social engineering attempts due to work responsibilities at home. In addition, technological resources may be strained due to the number of remote users.
The Company’s computer systems and network infrastructure are subject to security risks and could be susceptible to cyber-attacks, such as denial of service attacks, hacking, terrorist activities or identity theft. Financial services institutions and companies engaged in data processing have reported breaches in the security of their websites or other systems, some of which have involved sophisticated and targeted attacks intended to obtain unauthorized access to confidential information, destroy data, steal financial assets, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems, often through the introduction of computer viruses or malware, cyber-attacks and other means. Denial of service attacks have been launched against a number of large financial services institutions. As a growing regional bank, the Company may be subject to similar attacks in the future. Hacking and identity theft risks could cause serious reputational harm and possible financial loss to the Company. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and the Company may not be able to anticipate or prevent all such attacks.
The Company may incur increasing costs in an effort to minimize these risks and could be held liable for any security breach or loss. Despite efforts to ensure the integrity of its systems, the Company will not be able to anticipate all security breaches of these types, and the Company may not be able to implement effective preventive
measures against such security breaches. The techniques used by cyber criminals change frequently and can originate from a wide variety of sources, including outside groups such as external service providers, organized crime affiliates, terrorist organizations or hostile foreign governments. Those parties may also attempt to fraudulently induce employees, customers or other users of the Company’s systems to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to its data or that of its clients or to conduct unauthorized financial transactions.
These risks may increase in the future as the Company continues to increase its mobile-payment and other internet-based product offerings and expands its internal usage of web-based products and applications. A successful penetration or circumvention of system security could cause serious negative consequences to the Company, including significant disruption of operations, misappropriation of confidential information of the Company or that of its customers, or damage to computers or systems of the Company or those of its customers and counterparties. A security breach could result in violations of applicable privacy and other laws, financial loss to the Company or to its customers, loss of confidence in the Company’s security measures, significant litigation exposure, and harm to the Company’s reputation, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Counterparties and Correspondents Expose the Company to Risks.
The Company's use of derivative financial instruments exposes us to financial and contractual risks with counterparties. The Company maintains correspondent bank relationships, purchase loans, manages certain loan participations, engage in securities and funding transactions, and undergo other activities with financial counterparties that are customary to its industry. The Company also utilizes services from major vendors of technology, telecommunications, and other essential operating services. There is financial, reputational, and operational risk in these relationships, which the Company seeks to manage through internal controls and procedures, but there are no assurances that the Company will not experience loss or interruption of its business as a result of unforeseen events with these providers. The Company's mortgage banking operations have exposed us to counterparty transactions including the use of third parties to participate in the management of interest rate risk and mortgage sales and hedging. Financial, reputational, and operational risks are inherent in these counterparty and correspondent relationships. The Company could experience losses if there are failures in the controls or accounting, including those related to derivatives activities or if there are performance failures by any counterparties. The risk of loss is increased when interest rates change suddenly and if the intended hedging objectives are not achieved as a result of market or counterparty behaviors.
The Company’s Business is Reliant on Outside Vendors.
The Company’s business is highly dependent on the use of certain outside vendors for its day-to-day operations. The Company’s operations and reputation are exposed to risk that a vendor may not perform in accordance with established performance standards required in its agreements for any number of reasons including a change in their senior management, their financial condition, their product line or mix and how they support existing customers, or a simple change in their strategic focus. While the Company has comprehensive programs, policies and procedures in place to mitigate risk at all phases of vendor management from selection, to performance monitoring and renewals, the failure of a vendor to perform in accordance with contractual agreements could be disruptive to its business, which could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, strategic objectives, and results of operations.
Development of New Products and Services May Impose Additional Costs on the Company and May Expose It to Increased Operational Risk.
The Company’s financial performance depends, in part, on its ability to develop and market new and innovative services and to adopt or develop new technologies that differentiate its products or provide cost efficiencies, while avoiding increased related expenses. This dependency is exacerbated in the current “FinTech” environment, where financial institutions are investing significantly in evaluating new technologies, such as “Blockchain,” and developing potentially industry-changing new products, services and industry standards. The introduction of new products and services can entail significant time and resources, including regulatory approvals. Substantial risks and uncertainties are associated with the introduction of new products and services, including technical and control requirements that may need to be developed and implemented, rapid technological change in the industry, the Company’s ability to access technical and other information from its clients, the significant and ongoing investments required to bring new products and services to market in a timely manner at competitive prices and the
preparation of marketing, sales and other materials that fully and accurately describe the product or service and its underlying risks. The Company’s failure to manage these risks and uncertainties also exposes it to enhanced risk of operational lapses which may result in the recognition of financial statement liabilities. Regulatory and internal control requirements, capital requirements, competitive alternatives, vendor relationships and shifting market preferences may also determine if such initiatives can be brought to market in a manner that is timely and attractive to the Company’s clients. Products and services relying on internet and mobile technologies may expose the Company to fraud and cybersecurity risks. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new products or services could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business and reputation, as well as on its consolidated results of operations and financial condition.
Tailoring The Bank’s Retail Delivery Model to Respond to Consumer Preferences in Banking May Negatively Affect Earnings.
The Company’s branch network continues to be a very significant source of new business generation, however, consumers continue to migrate much of their routine banking to self-service channels. In recognition of this shift in consumer patterns, we regularly review the branch network, which has resulted in branch consolidation accompanied by the enhancement of the Bank’s capabilities to serve its customers through alternate delivery channels. The benefits of this strategy will depend on our ability to realize expected benefits without experiencing significant customer attrition.
The Discontinuation of LIBOR and the Transition to an Alternative Reference Rate Could Adversely Impact the Company’s Business and Results of Operations.
The interest rates paid on certain of the Company’s floating-rate funding, hedging transactions and products, such as floating-rate loans and mortgages, are indexed to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). The use of LIBOR on new contracts was discontinued on December 31, 2021, and LIBOR will cease publication after June 30, 2023.
Regulators and various financial industry groups have sponsored or formed committees (e.g., the Federal Reserve-sponsored Alternative Reference Rates Committee) to, among other things, facilitate the identification of an alternative benchmark index to replace LIBOR, and publish consultations on recommended practices for transitioning away from LIBOR, including (i) the utilization of recommended fallback language for LIBOR-linked financial instruments, and (ii) development of alternative pricing methodologies for recommended alternative benchmarks such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). SOFR is a measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight, collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities, and is based on directly observable U.S. Treasury-based repurchase transactions. The March 2022 enactment of the Adjustable Interest Rate (LIBOR) Act and the Federal Reserve’s proposed implementing regulations established SOFR as the benchmark rate that will automatically apply to agreements that rely on LIBOR and do not have an alternative contractual fallback benchmark rate. The selected SOFR-based replacement benchmark rates may also apply automatically to contracts with fallback provisions that authorize a particular person to determine the replacement benchmark. The Company adopted SOFR as its preferred benchmark as an alternative to LIBOR for use in new contracts beginning on January 1, 2022.
At this time, it is still not possible to predict whether these recommendations and proposals will be broadly accepted in the market, whether they will continue to evolve, and what the effect of their implementation may be on the markets for floating-rate financial instruments. The discontinuation of LIBOR could result in disputes with customers or other counterparties, changes to the Company’s risk exposures (for example, if the anticipated discontinuation of LIBOR adversely affects the availability or cost of floating-rate funding and, therefore, the Company’s exposure to fluctuations in interest rates), or otherwise result in losses on a product or having to pay more or receive less on securities that the Company has issued or owns. A substantial portion of the Company’s on- and off-balance sheet financial instruments are indexed to LIBOR, including interest rate swap agreements and other contracts used for hedging and trading account purposes, loans to commercial customers and consumers (including mortgage loans and other loans), and long-term borrowings. In addition, such uncertainty could result in pricing volatility and increased capital requirements, loss of market share in certain products, adverse tax or accounting impacts, and compliance, legal and operational costs and risks.
Interest Rate Risks
Market Interest Rate Conditions Could Adversely Affect Results of Operations and Financial Condition
Net interest income is the Company's largest source of income. Changes in interest rates can affect the amount of interest we receive on loans and investments and the amount of interest we pay on deposits and borrowings, which may affect our net interest margins and other elements of net income. The Company’s interest rate sensitivity is discussed in more detail in Item 7A of this report and is the primary market risk to its condition and operations.
Changes in interest rates can also affect the demand for the Company’s products and services, supply conditions in the U.S. financial and capital markets, loan prepayments, the Company’s ability to originate real estate loans, the value of its assets, its ability to realize gains from the sale of assets, and loan delinquencies and defaults, all of which ultimately affect earnings. Changes in interest rates may also affect the market value of the Company’s investment securities portfolio, which may affect the level and adequate of its regulatory capital.
During 2022, in response to accelerated inflation, the Federal Reserve implemented monetary tightening policies, resulting in significantly increased interest rates. The Federal Reserve has signaled that further tightening is anticipated. If the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings increase at a faster rate than the interest rates received on loans and other investments, our net interest income, and therefore earnings, could be adversely affected. In a rising rate environment, demand for loans may decrease and loans with adjustable interest rates are more likely to experience a higher rate of default. Additionally, changes in interest rates also affect the fair value of the securities portfolio. Generally, the value of securities moves inversely with changes in interest rates.
Earnings could also be adversely affected if the interest rates received on loans and other investments fall more quickly than the interest rates paid on deposits and other borrowings. In addition, in a falling rate environment or the recent pandemic-related environment where the Federal Reserve held the federal reference rate near 0.00%, loans may be prepaid sooner than we expect, which could result in a delay between when we receive the prepayment and when we are able to redeploy the funds into new interest-earning assets and in a decrease in the amount of interest income we are able to earn on those assets.
Any substantial, unexpected or prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Also, our interest rate risk modeling techniques and assumptions likely may not fully predict or capture the impact of actual interest rate changes on our balance sheet.
Liquidity
The Company's Wholesale Funding Sources May Prove Insufficient to Replace Deposits at Maturity and Support Operations and Future Growth.
The Company must maintain sufficient funds to respond to the needs of depositors and borrowers. As a part of its liquidity management, the Company uses a number of funding sources in addition to deposit growth and cash flows from loans and investments. These sources include Federal Home Loan Bank advances, proceeds from the sale of loans, and liquidity resources at the holding company. The Company uses brokered deposits both to support ongoing growth and to provide enhanced deposit insurance to support large dollar commercial relationships. The Company's financial flexibility will be severely constrained if the Company is unable to maintain access to wholesale funding or if adequate financing is not available to accommodate future growth at acceptable costs. Turbulence in the capital and credit markets may adversely affect liquidity and financial condition and the willingness of certain counterparties and customers to do business with the Company.
The Company's Ability to Service Our Debt, Pay Dividends, and Otherwise Pay Obligations as They Come Due Is Substantially Dependent on Capital Distributions from the Bank, and These Distributions Are Subject to Regulatory Limits and Other Restrictions. The Company’s Stock Repurchase Program is also Dependent on These Distributions.
A substantial source of holding company income is the receipt of dividends from the Bank, from which the Company services debt, pay obligations, and pay shareholder dividends. The availability of dividends from the Bank is limited by various statutes and regulations. It is possible, depending upon the financial condition of the Bank and other factors, that the applicable regulatory authorities could assert that payment of dividends or other types of payments are an unsafe or unsound practice. If the Bank is unable to pay dividends, the Company may not
be able to service debt, pay debt obligations, or pay dividends on its common stock. The Company may also be unable to repurchase common stock under its Stock Repurchase Program.
Secondary Mortgage Market Conditions Could Have a Material Impact on the Company’s Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
In addition to being affected by interest rates, the secondary mortgage markets are also subject to investor demand for residential mortgage loans and increased investor yield requirements for these loans. These conditions may fluctuate or worsen in the future. As a result, a prolonged period of secondary market illiquidity may reduce the Company’s loan production volumes and operating results.
Secondary markets are significantly affected by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae (collectively, the “Agencies”) for loan purchases that meet their conforming loan requirements. These agencies could limit purchases of conforming loans due to capital constraints, a change in the criteria for conforming loans or other factors. Proposals to reform mortgage finance could affect the role of the Agencies and the market for conforming loans which comprise the majority of the Company’s mortgage lending and related originations income.
Securities Market Values
Declines in the Value of Certain Investment Securities Could Require Write-Downs, Which Would Reduce Earnings.
Declines in the value of investment securities due to market conditions and/or issuer impairment could result in losses that can reduce capital and earnings. Such declines can result from changes in interest rates and inflation. The Company’s investment in equity securities and non-investment grade debt securities present heightened credit and price risks. Under new accounting standards, equity gains and losses are recorded to current period operating results. The Company has an investment in the stock of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston ("FHLBB") which could result in write-down in the event of impairment.
Regulatory Matters
Legislative and Regulatory Initiatives May Affect Business Activities and Increase Operating Costs.
New federal or state laws and regulations could affect lending, funding practices, capital, and liquidity standards. New laws, regulations, and other regulatory changes may also increase compliance costs and affect business and operations. Moreover, the FDIC sets the cost of FDIC insurance premiums, which can affect profitability.
Regulatory capital requirements and their impact on the Company may change. The Company may need to raise additional capital in the future to support operations and continued growth. The Company's ability to raise capital, if needed, will depend on its condition and performance, and on market conditions.
New laws, regulations, and other regulatory changes, along with negative developments in the financial industry and the domestic and international credit markets, may significantly affect the markets in which the Company does business, the markets for and value of its loans and investments, and ongoing operations, costs and profitability. For more information, see “Regulation and Supervision” in Item 1 of this report.
With total assets over $10 billion, the Company and the Bank are subject to closer supervision by their primary regulators and, as to compliance with consumer protection laws and regulations, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Company and the Bank are subject to capital stress testing expectations which require significant resources and infrastructure. If the Company’s compliance with the enhanced supervision and requirements is insufficient, there can be significant negative consequences for its operations, profitability, and ability to further pursue its strategic growth plan.
Provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Delaware Law, as Well as State and Federal Banking Regulations, Could Delay or Prevent a Takeover of Us by a Third Party.
Provisions in the Company's certificate of incorporation and bylaws, the corporate law of the State of Delaware, and state and federal regulations could delay, defer or prevent a third party from acquiring us, despite the possible benefit stockholders, or otherwise adversely affect the price of its common stock. These provisions include: limitations on voting rights of beneficial owners of more than 10 percent of common stock; supermajority voting requirements for certain business combinations; the election of directors to terms of one year; and advance notice
requirements for nominations for election to the Company's Board of Directors and for proposing matters that stockholders may act on at stockholder meetings. In addition, the Company is subject to Delaware laws, including one that prohibits engaging in a business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years from the date the person became an interested stockholder unless certain conditions are met. These provisions may discourage potential takeover attempts, discourage bids for the Company's common stock at a premium over market price or adversely affect the market price of, and the voting and other rights of the holders of, its common stock. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for stockholders to elect directors other than the candidates nominated by the Board.
Significant Accounting Estimates
Various Factors May Cause our Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans to Increase.
The Company has an allowance for current expected credit losses on loans maintained through a provision for credit losses charged to expense. This represents our estimate of current expected credit losses based on an evaluation of risks within the portfolio of loans. The level of the allowance represents management’s estimate of current expected credit losses over the contractual life of the existing loan portfolio. The determination of the appropriate level of the allowance inherently involves a degree of subjectivity and requires that we make significant estimates of current credit risks and current trends and reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, all of which may undergo frequent and material changes. Changes in economic and other conditions affecting borrowers, including inflation and interest rates, along with new information regarding existing loans other factors, may indicate the need for a future increase in the allowance.
Fair Value Measurements May Be Affected by Inherent Uncertainties
The Company uses fair value measurements to determine fair value disclosures and to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities, such as interest rate swaps, impaired loans, securities available for sale, and derivatives. Additionally, from time to time, the Company may be required to record certain assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis, such as certain impaired loans held for investment and capitalized servicing rights. Whenever there is no readily available market data, management uses its best estimate and assumptions in determining fair value, but these estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. As a result, if other assumptions had been used, our recorded earnings or disclosures could have been materially different from those reflected in these financial statements.
Trading of the Company's Common Stock
The Trading History of the Company’s Common Stock is Characterized By Low Trading Volume. The Value of Shareholder Investments May be Subject to Sudden Decreases Due to the Volatility of the Price of the Common Stock.
The level of interest and trading in the Company’s stock depends on many factors beyond the Company's control. The market price of the Company's common stock may be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed in other risk factors and the following: actual or anticipated fluctuations in operating results; changes in interest rates and inflation; changes in the legal or regulatory environment; press releases, announcements or publicity relating to the Company or its competitors or relating to trends in its industry; changes in expectations as to future financial performance, including financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts and investors; future sales of its common stock; changes in economic conditions in the marketplace, general conditions in the U.S. economy, financial markets or the banking industry; and other developments. These factors may adversely affect the trading price of the Company's common stock, regardless of actual operating performance, and could prevent stockholders from selling their common stock at a desirable price.
In the past, stockholders have brought securities class action litigation against a company following periods of volatility in the market price of their securities. The Company could be the target of similar litigation in the future, which could result in substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
The Company's headquarters are located at 60 State Street in leased property in Boston, MA. The Bank's headquarters are located in owned and leased facilities located in Pittsfield, MA. The Company also owns or leases other facilities within its primary market areas: Greater Boston (including Worcester, MA); Pioneer Valley (Springfield area), Massachusetts; Berkshire County, Massachusetts; Southern Vermont; the Capital Region (Albany area), New York; Central New York; Central and Eastern Connecticut; and Southern Rhode Island. As of December 31, 2022 the Company had 100 full-service financial centers in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The Company also has regional locations which are full-service commercial offices located in Boston, MA.; Pittsfield, MA.; Springfield, MA.; Albany, N.Y.; East Syracuse, N.Y.; Hartford, CT.; Willimantic, CT. Worcester, MA.; Burlington, MA, Providence RI, and New Haven, CT. The Bank's 44 Business Capital lending division is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.
The Company has begun introducing MyTeller automated remote teller stations at new offices and targeted existing offices. The Bank has made its workplace more flexible as certain designated functions are approved for telecommuting arrangements. As a result of its efficiency initiatives, the Bank has been in the process of identifying and reducing real estate utilized for its operations.
Due to the pandemic, the Company adapted its infrastructure and protocols to accommodate the shift of back office operations out of the office and continues to support this expanded capability and flexibility in pursuit of its strategies and human capital management.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
As of December 31, 2022, neither the Company nor the Bank was involved in any pending legal proceedings believed by management to be material to the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. Periodically, there have been various claims and lawsuits involving the Bank, such as claims to enforce liens, condemnation proceedings on properties in which the Bank holds security interests, claims involving the making and servicing of real property loans, and other issues incident to the Bank’s business. A summary of certain legal matters involving unsettled litigation or pertaining to pending transactions are as follows:
On February 4, 2020, the Bank filed a complaint in the New York State Supreme Court for the County of Albany against Pioneer Bank (“Pioneer”) seeking damages of approximately $16.0 million. The complaint alleges that Pioneer is liable to the Bank for a credit loss of approximately $16.0 million suffered by the Bank in the third quarter of 2019 as a result of Pioneer’s breach of loan participation agreements in which it served as the lead bank, as well as constructive fraud, fraudulent concealment and/or negligent misrepresentation. Pioneer has filed a motion to dismiss aspects of the Bank’s complaint, which motion was allowed in part by the court to dismiss the Bank’s negligent misrepresentation claim, and denied in part by the court to allow all other claims by the Bank to proceed. Discovery is now underway in this action. The Company wrote down the underlying credit loss in its entirety in the third quarter of 2019, but recognized a partial recovery of $1.7 million early in the second quarter of 2020. The Company has not accrued for any additional anticipated recovery at this time.
On or about August 10, 2020, a former employee of the Bank’s subsidiary First Choice Loan Services Inc. (“FCLS”) filed a complaint in the Court of Common Pleas, Bucks County Pennsylvania against FCLS and two of its former senior corporate officers generally alleging wrongful termination as a result of purported whistleblower retaliation and other violations of New Jersey state employment law. The complaint also purports to name the Bank and the Company as additional defendants, even though neither entity ever employed, paid wages to or contracted with the plaintiff. On November 16, 2020, the plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint reiterating the same claims against the same defendants. The Company's liability insurer has provided outside litigation counsel to defend the Company and the Bank in this matter, as well as FCLS and its former senior corporate officers. On December 7, 2020, defense counsel filed Preliminary Objections on behalf of the Company, the Bank, FCLS and FCLS’s former senior corporate officers denying the plaintiff’s claims and seeking dismissal of the case and an order that the plaintiff’s claims must proceed through arbitration in accordance with contractual obligations set forth in plaintiff’s previous employment agreement with FCLS. On June 30, 2021, the court dismissed the plaintiff’s complaint without prejudice in support of FCLS’s petition to compel arbitration. The parties have mutually agreed on an arbitrator to hear the case and are preparing for arbitration proceedings that are expected to occur in the second half of 2023. Discovery is currently ongoing among the parties.

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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 SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
The common shares of the Company trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “BHLB”.
The Company had approximately 3,806 holders of record of common stock at February 24, 2023.
Dividends
The Company intends to pay regular cash dividends to common shareholders; however, there is no assurance as to future dividends because they are dependent on the Company’s future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, and regulatory environment. Dividends from the Bank have been a source of cash used by the Company to pay its dividends, and these dividends from the Bank are dependent on the Bank’s future earnings, capital requirements, and financial condition. Dividends from the Bank are currently subject to approval by the Massachusetts Division of Banks and the FDIC. Further information about dividend restrictions is disclosed in Note 18 - Shareholders’ Equity and Earnings per Common Share of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities
The Company occasionally issues unregistered shares of common stock to vendors or as consideration in contracts for the purchase of assets, services, or operations. During 2022 and 2021, there were no shares transferred.
Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchases
On January 19, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program pursuant to which the Company is authorized to repurchase shares of Company common stock at a total cost of up to $140 million through December 31, 2022. This program expired at year-end 2022.
On January 25, 2023, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program pursuant to which the Company is authorized to repurchase shares of Company common stock at a total cost of up to $50 million through December 31, 2023.
Period Total number of
shares purchased Average price
paid per share Total number of shares
purchased as part of
publicly announced
plans or programs Maximum number of
shares that may yet
be purchased under
the plans or programs
October 1-31, 2022 - $ - - 1,178,244
November 1-30, 2022 280,000 30.40 280,000 898,244
December 1-31, 2022 380,500 30.13 380,500 -
Total 660,500 $ 30.24 660,500 -
Common Stock Performance Graph
The performance graph compares the Company’s cumulative shareholder return on its common stock over the last five years to the cumulative return of the NYSE Composite Index and the KBW NASDAQ Regional Banking Index. Total shareholder return is measured by dividing total dividends (assuming dividend reinvestment) for the measurement period plus share price change for a period by the share price at the beginning of the measurement period. The Company’s cumulative shareholder return over a five-year period is based on an initial investment of $100 on December 31, 2017. The performance graph represents past performance and should not be considered to be an indication of future performance.
Information used on the graph and table was obtained from a third party provider, a source believed to be reliable, but the Company is not responsible for any errors or omissions in such information.
Period Ending
Index 12/31/17 12/31/18 12/31/19 12/31/20 12/31/21 12/31/22
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. 100.00 75.44 84.82 51.87 87.72 94.00
NYSE Composite Index 100.00 91.05 114.28 122.26 147.54 133.75
KBW NASDAQ Regional Banking Index 100.00 82.50 102.15 93.25 127.42 118.59
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 6. RESERVED

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
The following summary data is based in part on the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes, and other schedules appearing elsewhere in this Form 10-K. Historical data is also based in part on, and should be read in conjunction with, prior filings with the SEC.
At or For the Years Ended December 31,
(In thousands, except per share data) 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Per Common Share Data:
Net earnings/(loss), diluted - continuing operations $ 2.02 $ 2.39 $ (10.21) $ 2.05 $ 2.36
Net (loss)/earnings, diluted - discontinued operations - - (0.39) (0.08) (0.07)
Net earnings/(loss), diluted $ 2.02 $ 2.39 $ (10.60) $ 1.97 $ 2.29
Total book value per common share 21.51 24.30 23.37 34.65 33.30
Dividends 0.54 0.48 0.72 0.92 0.88
Common stock price:
High 31.78 29.16 33.04 33.72 44.25
Low 23.62 16.35 8.55 26.02 25.77
Close 29.90 28.43 17.12 32.88 26.97
Performance Ratios: (1)
Return on assets 0.82 % 0.98 % (4.15) % 0.75 % 0.90 %
Return on equity 7.76 10.18 (37.50) 5.75 6.84
Return on tangible common equity 8.26 10.80 (48.60) 9.36 11.41
Net interest margin, fully taxable equivalent (FTE) (2) 3.26 2.60 2.72 3.17 3.40
Fee income/Net interest and fee income 15.66 22.49 18.10 23.86 23.36
Growth Ratios:
Total commercial loans 12.99 % (12.09) % (4.58) % 9.19 % 6.17 %
Total loans 22.11 (15.54) (14.95) 5.08 8.96
Total deposits 2.57 (1.44) (1.16) 15.07 2.66
Earnings per share, (compared to prior year) (15.48) 122.55 (638.07) (13.97) 64.75
Selected Financial Data:
Total assets $ 11,662,864 $ 11,554,913 $ 12,838,013 $ 13,215,970 $ 12,212,231
Total earning assets 10,913,069 10,899,109 12,089,939 11,916,007 11,140,307
Securities 2,033,436 2,548,590 2,223,417 1,769,878 1,918,604
Total loans 8,335,309 6,825,847 8,081,519 9,502,428 9,043,253
Allowance for credit losses (96,270) (106,094) (127,302) (63,575) (61,469)
Total intangible assets 24,483 26,619 34,819 599,377 551,743
Total deposits 10,327,269 10,068,953 10,215,808 10,335,977 8,982,381
Total borrowings 125,509 110,844 571,637 827,550 1,517,816
Total shareholders’ equity 954,062 1,182,435 1,187,773 1,758,564 1,552,918
At or For the Years Ended December 31,
2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Selected Operating Data:
Total interest and dividend income $ 387,257 $ 329,065 $ 409,782 $ 509,513 $ 465,894
Total interest expense 42,660 37,899 93,000 144,255 109,694
Net interest income 344,597 291,166 316,782 365,258 356,200
Fee income 63,995 84,462 69,990 76,824 74,026
All other non-interest income/(loss) 4,942 58,786 (3,683) 7,178 298
Total net revenue 413,534 434,414 383,089 449,260 430,524
Provision for credit losses 11,000 (500) 75,878 35,419 25,451
Total non-interest expense 288,716 285,893 840,239 289,857 266,893
Income/(loss) from continuing operations before income taxes 113,818 149,021 (533,028) 123,984 138,180
Income tax expense/(benefit) from continuing operations 21,285 30,357 (19,853) 22,463 28,961
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations 92,533 118,664 (513,175) 101,521 109,219
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations before income taxes - - (26,855) (5,539) (4,767)
Income tax (benefit)/expense from discontinued operations - - (7,013) (1,468) (1,313)
Net (loss)/income from discontinued operations - - (19,842) (4,071) (3,454)
Net income/(loss) $ 92,533 $ 118,664 $ (533,017) $ 97,450 $ 105,765
Basic earnings/(loss) per common share:
Continuing operations $ 2.03 $ 2.41 $ (10.21) $ 2.06 $ 2.38
Discontinued operations - - (0.39) (0.08) (0.08)
Total basic earnings/(loss) per share $ 2.03 $ 2.41 $ (10.60) $ 1.98 $ 2.30
Diluted earnings/(loss) per common share:
Continuing operations $ 2.02 $ 2.39 $ (10.21) $ 2.05 $ 2.36
Discontinued operations - - (0.39) (0.08) (0.07)
Total diluted earnings/(loss) per share $ 2.02 $ 2.39 $ (10.60) $ 1.97 $ 2.29
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic 45,564 49,240 50,270 49,263 46,024
Weighted average common shares outstanding - diluted 45,914 49,554 50,270 49,421 46,231
Dividends per preferred share $ - $ - $ 1.20 $ 1.84 $ 1.76
Dividends per common share $ 0.54 $ 0.48 $ 0.72 $ 0.92 $ 0.88
Asset Quality and Condition Ratios: (3)
Net loans charged-off/average loans 0.27 % 0.29 % 0.41 % 0.35 % 0.18 %
Allowance for credit losses/total loans 1.15 1.55 1.58 0.67 0.68
Loans/deposits 81 68 79 92 101
Capital Ratios:
Tier 1 capital to average assets - Company 10.18 % 10.49 % 9.38 % 9.33 % 9.04 %
Total capital to risk-weighted assets - Company 14.60 17.32 16.10 13.73 12.99
Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets - Company 12.60 15.30 14.06 12.30 11.57
Shareholders’ equity/total assets 8.18 10.23 9.25 13.31 12.73
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(1) All performance ratios are annualized and are based on average balance sheet amounts, where applicable.
(2) Fully taxable equivalent considers the impact of tax advantaged investment securities and loans.
(3) For periods prior to 2020, generally accepted accounting principles require that loans acquired in a business combination be recorded at fair value, whereas loans from business activities are recorded at cost. The fair value of loans acquired in a business combination includes expected credit losses, and there is no loan loss allowance recorded for these loans at the time of acquisition. Accordingly, the ratio of the loan loss allowance to total loans is reduced as a result of the existence of such loans, and this measure is not directly comparable to prior periods. Similarly, net loan charge-offs are normally reduced for loans acquired in a business combination since these loans are recorded net of expected credit losses. Therefore, the ratio of net loan charge-offs to average loans is reduced as a result of the existence of such loans, and this measure is not directly comparable to prior periods. Other institutions may have loans acquired in a business combination, and therefore there may be no direct comparability of these ratios between and among other institutions.
Average Balances, Interest and Average Yields/Cost
The following table presents an analysis of average rates and yields on a fully taxable equivalent basis for the years presented. Tax exempt interest revenue is shown on a tax-equivalent basis for proper comparison.
Item 7 - Table 3 - Average Balance, Interest and Average Yields / Costs
2022 2021 2020
(Dollars in millions) Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate
Assets
Loans: (1)(2)
Commercial real estate $ 3,836.2 $ 167.7 4.37 % $ 3,600.2 $ 124.4 3.46 % $ 3,958.6 $ 151.5 3.83 %
Commercial and industrial loans 1,435.3 74.7 5.20 1,527.6 71.8 4.70 2,049.4 87.7 4.28
Residential loans 1,784.2 63.3 3.55 1,560.4 58.4 3.75 2,324.3 87.8 3.78
Consumer loans 556.8 32.1 5.77 569.1 22.0 3.87 828.1 31.3 3.78
Total loans 7,612.5 337.8 4.44 7,257.3 276.6 3.81 9,160.4 358.3 3.91
Investment securities (2)(3) 2,489.7 51.2 2.06 2,283.6 49.4 2.16 1,845.2 54.6 2.96
Short-term investments and loans held for sale (4) 569.1 4.9 0.86 1,619.4 2.3 0.58 767.2 4.4 0.64
Mid-Atlantic region loans held for sale - - - 179.5 7.1 3.97 25.2 0.4 1.07
Total interest-earning assets 10,671.3 393.9 3.69 11,339.8 335.4 2.60 11,798.0 417.7 3.55
Intangible assets 26.8 32.0 316.1
Other non-interest earning assets (4) 648.5 684.1 747.1
Total assets $ 11,346.6 $ 12,055.9 $ 12,861.2
Liabilities and shareholders' equity
Deposits:
NOW and other $ 1,416.7 $ 6.1 0.43 % $ 1,340.2 $ 1.0 0.07 % $ 1,216.6 $ 3.5 0.29 %
Money market 2,809.1 13.8 0.49 2,749.7 5.3 0.19 2,713.6 15.3 0.56
Savings 1,114.8 0.4 0.03 1,067.7 0.5 0.05 914.1 0.9 0.10
Certificates of deposit 1,541.7 13.1 0.85 1,978.9 18.6 0.94 3,102.9 52.5 1.69
Total interest-bearing deposits 6,882.3 33.4 0.49 7,136.5 25.4 0.36 7,947.2 72.2 0.91
Borrowings and notes (5) 176.1 9.2 5.24 320.2 10.7 3.34 841.6 20.7 2.46
Mid-Atlantic region interest-bearing deposits - - - 335.1 1.8 0.54 45.0 0.1 0.80
Total interest-bearing liabilities 7,058.4 42.6 0.60 7,791.8 37.9 0.49 8,833.8 93.0 1.06
Non-interest-bearing demand deposits 2,914.9 2,817.4 2,324.6
Other non-interest-bearing liabilities (4) 180.1 280.9 281.4
Total liabilities 10,153.4 10,890.1 11,439.8
Total shareholders' equity 1,193.2 1,165.8 1,421.4
Total liabilities and equity $ 11,346.6 $ 12,055.9 $ 12,861.2
Net interest income $ 351.3 $ 297.5 $ 324.7
2022 2021 2020
(Dollars in millions) Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate Average
Balance Interest Average
Yield/
Rate
Net interest spread 3.09 % 2.12 % 2.49 %
Net interest margin (6) 3.26 2.60 2.72
Cost of funds 0.43 0.35 0.84
Cost of deposits 0.34 0.26 0.71
Interest-earning assets/interest-bearing liabilities 151.19 149.67 133.95
Supplementary data
Total non-maturity deposits $ 8,255.5 $ 7,975.0 $ 7,168.9
Total deposits 9,797.2 9,954.0 10,271.8
Fully taxable equivalent adjustment 6.6 6.3 6.4
____________________________________
Notes:
(1) The average balances of loans include nonaccrual loans, and deferred fees and costs. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, deferred fees related to PPP loans totaled $0.1 million and 0.2 million, respectively.
(2) The yield on tax-exempt loans and securities is computed on a fully tax-equivalent basis using a tax rate of 27%.
(3) The average balance of investment securities is based on amortized cost.
(4) Includes discontinued operations.
(5) The average balances of borrowings and notes include the capital lease obligation presented under other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet.
(6) Purchase accounting accretion totaled $2.0 million, $6.7 million, and $9.9 million for the years-ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, respectively. The effect of purchase accounting accretion on the net interest margin was an increase in all years, which is shown sequentially as follows beginning with the most recent year and ending with the earliest year: 0.02%, 0.09%, and 0.12%.
Rate/Volume Analysis
The following table presents the effects of rate and volume changes on the fully taxable equivalent net interest income. Tax exempt interest revenue is shown on a tax-equivalent basis for proper comparison. For each category of interest-earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, information is provided with respect to changes attributable to (1) changes in rate (change in rate multiplied by prior year volume), (2) changes in volume (change in volume multiplied by prior year rate), and (3) changes in volume/rate (change in rate multiplied by change in volume) have been allocated proportionately based on the absolute value of the change due to the rate and the change due to volume. There are no out-of-period adjustments included in the rate/volume analysis in the following table.
Item 7 - Table 4 - Rate Volume Analysis
2022 Compared with 2021 2021 Compared with 2020
(Decrease) Increase Due to (Decrease) Increase Due to
(In thousands) Rate Volume Net Rate Volume Net
Interest income:
Commercial real estate $ 34,681 $ 8,582 $ 43,263 $ (14,027) $ (13,071) $ (27,098)
Commercial and industrial loans 7,397 (4,501) 2,896 7,962 (23,913) (15,951)
Residential loans (3,179) 8,061 4,882 (762) (28,622) (29,384)
Consumer loans 10,572 (482) 10,090 704 (10,014) (9,310)
Total loans 49,471 11,660 61,131 (6,123) (75,620) (81,743)
Investment securities (2,468) 4,316 1,848 (16,598) 11,341 (5,257)
Short-term investments and loans held for sale (1)
4,968 (2,335) 2,633 (5,508) 2,980 (2,528)
Mid-Atlantic region loans held for sale - (7,120) (7,120) (1,480) 8,600 7,120
Total interest income $ 51,971 $ 6,521 $ 58,492 $ (29,709) $ (52,699) $ (82,408)
Interest expense:
NOW accounts $ 5,053 $ 62 $ 5,115 $ (2,832) $ 327 $ (2,505)
Money market accounts 8,402 116 8,518 (10,259) 201 (10,058)
Savings accounts (204) 23 (181) (536) 137 (399)
Certificates of deposit (1,593) (3,839) (5,432) (18,740) (15,233) (33,973)
Total deposits 11,658 (3,638) 8,020 (32,367) (14,568) (46,935)
Borrowings 4,568 (6,010) (1,442) 5,691 (15,702) (10,011)
Mid-Atlantic region interest-bearing deposits - (1,820) (1,820) 814 1,006 1,820
Total interest expense $ 16,226 $ (11,468) $ 4,758 $ (25,862) $ (29,264) $ (55,126)
Change in net interest income $ 35,745 $ 17,989 $ 53,734 $ (3,847) $ (23,435) $ (27,282)
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
This document contains certain non-GAAP financial measures in addition to results presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”). These non-GAAP measures are intended to provide the reader with additional supplemental perspectives on operating results, performance trends, and financial condition. Non-GAAP financial measures are not a substitute for GAAP measures; they should be read and used in conjunction with the Company’s GAAP financial information. A reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures is provided below. In all cases, it should be understood that non-GAAP measures do not depict amounts that accrue directly to the benefit of shareholders. An item which management excludes when computing non-GAAP adjusted earnings can be of substantial importance to the Company’s results for any particular quarter or year. The Company’s non-GAAP adjusted earnings information set forth is not necessarily comparable to non-GAAP information which may be presented by other companies. Each non-GAAP measure used by the Company in this report as supplemental financial data should be considered in conjunction with the Company’s GAAP financial information.
The Company utilizes the non-GAAP measure of adjusted earnings in evaluating operating trends, including components for operating revenue and expense. These measures exclude amounts which the Company views as unrelated to its normalized operations. These items primarily include securities gains/losses, merger costs, restructuring costs, goodwill impairment, and discontinued operations.
In 2022, the restructuring expense adjustment primarily related to the termination of leasehold interests and the write-down of related right of use assets and leasehold improvements in conjunction with branch consolidations and real estate reductions.
In 2021, the Company recorded a third quarter net gain of $52 million on the sale of the operations of the insurance subsidiary and the Mid-Atlantic branch operations. Expense adjustments in the first quarter 2021 were primarily related to branch consolidations. Third quarter 2021 adjustments included Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings prepayment costs. They also included other restructuring charges for efficiency initiatives in operations areas including write-downs on real estate moved to held for sale and severance related to staff reductions. The fourth quarter 2021 revenue adjustment was primarily related to trailing revenue on a previously reported sale, and the expense adjustment was due primarily to branch restructuring costs.
Discontinued operations are the Company’s national mortgage banking operations for which the Company completed the wind down of operations in 2020. Merger costs consist primarily of severance/benefit related expenses, contract termination costs, systems conversion costs, variable compensation expenses, and professional fees. There were no merger costs in 2020. Restructuring costs generally consist of costs and losses associated with the disposition of assets and liabilities and lease terminations, including costs related to branch sales. Restructuring costs also include severance and consulting expenses related to the Company’s strategic review. They also include costs related to the consolidation of branches. Restructuring expense and other for 2020 primarily related to executive separation expense as a result of the CEO transition.
The Company calculates certain profitability measures based on its adjusted revenue, expenses, and earnings. The Company also calculates adjusted earnings per share based on its measure of adjusted earnings. The Company views these amounts as important to understanding its operating trends, particularly due to the impact of accounting standards related to merger and acquisition activity. Analysts also rely on these measures in estimating and evaluating the Company’s performance. Management also believes that the computation of non-GAAP adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings per share may facilitate the comparison of the Company to other companies in the financial services industry.
Due to the anticipated earnings volatility resulting from loan loss provisions reflecting changes in estimates of uncertain future economic conditions under the new CECL accounting standard, many users of bank financial statements are focusing on Pre-Provision Net Revenue (“PPNR”). This is a measure of revenue less expenses, and is calculated before the loan loss provision and income tax expense. This measure gives clearer visibility of the operations of the company during the periods presented in the income statements, without the impact of period-end estimates of future uncertain events. This measure also enhances comparisons of operations across different banks, which might have significantly different period-end estimates of uncertain future economic conditions that affect the loan loss provision. Consistent with its previous practices measuring results on an adjusted basis before the impacts
of acquisitions, divestitures, and other designated items, the Company has introduced the measure of Adjusted Pre-Provision Net Revenue (“Adjusted PPNR”) which measures PPNR excluding adjustments for items not viewed as related to ongoing operations. This measure is now integral to the Company’s analysis of its operations, and is not viewed as a substitute for GAAP measures of net income. Analysts also use this measure in assessing the Company’s operations and in making comparisons across banks. The Company and analysts also measure Adjusted PPNR/Assets in order to utilize the PPNR measure in assessing its comparative operating profitability. This measure primarily relies on the measures of adjusted revenue and adjusted expense already used in the Company’s calculation of its efficiency ratio.
The Company also adjusts certain equity related measures to exclude intangible assets due to the importance of these measures to the investment community.
The following table summarizes the reconciliation of non-GAAP items recorded for the time periods indicated:
At or For the Years Ended
(Dollars in thousands) December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020
GAAP Net income/(loss) $ 92,533 $ 118,664 $ (533,017)
Non-GAAP measures
Adj: Loss on securities, net 2,031 787 7,520
Adj: Goodwill impairment - - 553,762
Adj: Net gains on sale of business operations - (52,942) (1,240)
Adj: Acquisition, restructuring, conversion, and other related expenses (1) 8,909 5,781 5,839
Adj: Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes - - 26,855
Adj: Income taxes (2,940) 11,696 (29,342)
Net non-operating charges 8,000 (34,678) 563,394
Total adjusted net income (non-GAAP) $ 100,533 $ 83,986 $ 30,377
GAAP Total revenue from continuing operations $ 413,534 $ 434,414 $ 383,089
Adj: Loss on securities, net 2,031 787 7,520
Adj: Net gains on sale of business operations - (52,942) (1,240)
Total adjusted operating revenue (non-GAAP) $ 415,565 $ 382,259 $ 389,369
GAAP Total non-interest expense from continuing operations $ 288,716 $ 285,893 $ 840,239
Less: Total non-operating expense (see above) (8,909) (5,781) (5,839)
Less: Goodwill impairment - - (553,762)
Adjusted operating non-interest expense (non-GAAP) $ 279,807 $ 280,112 $ 280,638
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) from continuing operations $ 124,818 $ 148,521 $ (457,150)
Adjusted pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue (PPNR) 135,758 102,147 108,731
(in millions, except per share data)
Total average assets $ 11,347 $ 12,056 $ 12,861
Total average shareholders' equity 1,193 1,166 1,421
Total average tangible shareholders equity 1,166 1,134 1,105
Total average tangible common shareholders equity 1,166 1,134 1,088
Total tangible shareholders’ equity, period-end 930 1,153 1,153
Total tangible common shareholders’ equity, period-end 930 1,153 1,153
Total tangible assets, period-end 11,638 11,525 12,803
Total common shares outstanding, period-end (thousands) 44,361 48,667 50,833
Average diluted shares outstanding (thousands)
45,914 49,554 50,308
Earnings/(loss) per share, diluted $ 2.02 $ 2.39 $ (10.60)
Plus: Net adjustments per share, diluted 0.17 (0.70) 11.20
Adjusted earnings per share, diluted 2.19 1.69 0.60
Book value per common share, period-end 21.51 24.30 23.37
Tangible book value per common share, period-end 20.95 23.69 22.68
Total shareholders' equity/total assets 8.18 10.23 9.25
Total tangible shareholders' equity/total tangible assets 7.99 10.00 9.01
At or For the Years Ended
(Dollars in thousands) December 31, 2022 December 31, 2021 December 31, 2020
Performance Ratios
GAAP return on assets 0.82 % 0.98 % (4.15) %
Adjusted return on assets 0.89 0.70 0.24
GAAP return on equity 7.76 10.18 (37.46)
Adjusted return on equity 8.43 7.20 2.14
Adjusted return on tangible common equity 8.94 7.74 3.18
Efficiency ratio (2)
64.31 69.96 68.53
Supplementary Data (in thousands)
Tax benefit on tax-credit investments $ 4,880 $ 4,372 $ 4,699
Non-interest income charge on tax-credit investments (3,508) (3,445) (3,645)
Net income on tax-credit investments 1,372 928 1,054
Intangible amortization 5,134 5,200 6,181
Fully taxable equivalent income adjustment 6,644 6,344 6,402
____________________________________
(1)Acquisition, restructuring, conversion, and other related expenses included no merger and acquisition expenses for the years -ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
(2)Efficiency ratio is computed by dividing total core tangible non-interest expense by the sum of total net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis and total core non-interest income adjusted to include tax credit benefit of tax shelter investments. The Company uses this non-GAAP measure to provide important information regarding its operational efficiency.
GENERAL
This discussion is intended to assist readers in understanding the financial condition and results of operations of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (“Berkshire” or the “Company"), the changes in key items in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements (“financial statements”) from year to year, and the primary reasons for those changes.
The objectives of this section are:
•To provide a narrative explanation of the Company’s financial statements that enables investors to see the company through the eyes of management;
•To enhance the financial disclosure and provide the context within which financial information should be analyzed; and
•To provide information about the quality of, and potential future variability of, the Company’s earnings and cash flow.
This discussion includes the following sections:
•Summary
•Comparison of Financial Condition at December 31, 2022 and 2021
•Comparison of Operating Results for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
•Liquidity and Cash Flows
•Capital Resources
•Application of Critical Accounting Policies
•Enterprise Risk Management
•LIBOR Transition
•Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) and Commitment to Social Responsibility
The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements and the notes thereto appearing in Item 8 of this document. In the following discussion, income statement comparisons are against the previous year and balance sheet comparisons are against the previous fiscal year-end, unless otherwise noted. Operating results discussed herein are not necessarily indicative of the results for the year 2023 or any future period. In management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, certain
reclassifications have been made to make prior periods comparable. Tax-equivalent adjustments are the result of increasing income from tax-advantaged loans and securities by an amount equal to the taxes that would be paid if the income were fully taxable based on a 27% marginal rate (including state income taxes net of federal benefit). In the discussion, unless otherwise specified, references to earnings per share and "EPS" refer to diluted earnings per common share.
Berkshire is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Boston and the holding company for Berkshire Bank (“the Bank”) Established in 1846, the Bank operates as a commercial bank under a Massachusetts trust company charter.
SUMMARY
The Company’s vision is to be a high performing, leading socially responsible community bank in New England and beyond. It offers a wide range of banking, investment, and financial services through its lines of business that include Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Consumer Lending, Wealth Management, Private Banking, and its 44 Business Capital national SBA lending division. Berkshire’s vision is to empower the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when, and how it's needed through a committed focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact.
Berkshire is committed to unleashing the financial potential of all its stakeholders by leveraging its more than 175 years of expertise, leading performance on environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters and best-in-class fintech partnerships. Its differentiated DigiTouchSM approach, a powerful combination of personal service, including its MyBanker program, fused with the convenience of user-centric technology, targets high customer satisfaction and a frictionless experience.
Berkshire continued to drive forward its performance and make meaningful progress towards its Berkshire’s Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST) goals in 2022. The Company increased its operating profitability during the year. Fourth quarter revenue and earnings per share reached a fourth quarter record. Due to $52 million in gains recorded on the sale of operations in the third quarter of 2021, total full year net profit decreased year-over-year by 22% to $93 million ($2.02 per share) in 2022 from $119 million ($2.39 per share) in 2021.
The Company uses the non-GAAP measure of adjusted earnings to assess its performance. This measure excludes items not viewed as related to ongoing operations. These items were presented and reconciled to GAAP measures in a previous section of this Item 7. The major exclusions were sale gains in 2021 and branch consolidation costs in both years. Adjusted earnings increased year-over-year by 20% to $101 million in 2022 from $84 million in 2021. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 30% to $2.19 from $1.69 and also reflected the benefit of share repurchases during both years.
The improvement in operating earnings was driven by positive operating leverage resulting from an 18% increase in net interest income and disciplined expense management. Net interest income benefited from the increase in interest rates and from 22% loan growth in the environment of favorable credit conditions during the year. Loan growth exceeded 10% in most major loan categories. Approximately 55% of total loan growth was recorded in residential mortgages, as the Company reinvested excess liquidity into higher yielding loans in conjunction with the expansion of the residential mortgage function serving the Company’s markets.
At year-end 2022, the Company arrived at the midpoint of its three year BEST strategic transformation plan. Fourth quarter 2022 results achieved the objective of moving into the target range of the plan for several key measures. A summary of the Company’s progress against these key targets is shown below.
The Company’s BEST plan includes a focus on improving Berkshire’s capital structure. In June 2022, the Company issued a $100 million Sustainability Bond, a subordinated debt issuance which replaced at a lower rate of interest a $75 million bond which was called and repaid. The Company intends to use an amount equal to the net proceeds to finance or refinance new or existing social and environmental projects consistent with its Sustainable Financing Framework, which was established at midyear. In conjunction with this issuance, the Company received an inaugural investment grade long-term issuer rating of "Baa3", with a Positive rating outlook, from Moody’s Investors Service.
During 2022, the Company repurchased $125 million of common stock, representing 9% of shares outstanding at the start of the year. After year-end 2022, the Company announced a $50 million share repurchase program for 2023, representing approximately 4% of year-end 2022 outstanding shares. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company increased its quarterly common shareholder dividend by 50% to $0.18 per share from $0.12 per share. Total shareholder distributions from dividends and stock repurchases equaled $149 million in 2022, or 16% of year-end 2021 total equity. The Company remains strongly capitalized, with a 12.4% Common Equity Tier 1 Capital ratio at year-end 2022.
The improving credit environment in 2022 was reflected in the reduction in the ratio of the allowance for expected credit losses on loans to total loans; this ratio decreased to 1.15% at year-end 2022 from 1.55% at year-end 2021. This included the release of reserves related to the pandemic as expected elevated losses did not emerge due in part to the ongoing benefit from federal economic support measures. Net loan charge-offs measured 0.27% of average loans in 2022, compared to 0.29% in 2021. The ratio of total delinquent and nonaccrual loans measured a ten year low of 0.60% of loans at year-end 2022.
Inflation remained historically high throughout 2022, leading the Federal Reserve Bank to initiate a series of interest rate increases during the year, along with taking steps towards quantitative tightening. The three month U.S. Treasury rate increased by 436 basis points to 4.42% from 0.06% during the year. The increases were concentrated in the third quarter, with the target Federal Funds rate increasing by 300 basis points from mid-June to the beginning of November. The ten year Treasury rate increased during the year by 236 basis points to 3.88% from 1.52%. The
Company’s interest rate sensitivity at the start of the year was modeled to be positively sensitive to increases in interest rates, which contributed to the growth in net interest income during the year.
The risk of recession has increased due to ongoing inflation, the higher interest rate environment, and the gradual reduction of excess liquidity in the economy. The Company views its markets as comparatively less sensitive to national trends in the economy and is pursuing strategies to continue to grow and improve operating profitability. The Company plans to roll out its new digital and mobile banking services in 2023. Its goal is that its DigiTouchSM customer engagement strategy and corporate responsibility profile will allow it to differentiate and grow profitably and responsibly in the anticipated environment where deposit costs and competition may further pressure funding costs. Optimization of digital platforms and reductions of excess premises are targeted to contribute additional efficiencies.
In October 2022, Chief Financial Officer Subhadeep Basu resigned, and Chief Accounting Officer Brett Brbovic was named Interim Chief Financial Officer. In January 2023, the Company named David Rosato as Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer, effective February 6, 2023. Mr. Rosato was most recently Chief Financial Officer of Peoples United Financial, Inc., which was acquired by M&T Bank Corporation in 2022. Also in January 2023, the Company named James Brown as Senior Executive Vice President/Head of Commercial Banking and Philip Jurgeleit as Executive Vice President/Chief Credit Officer, filling vacancies in these positions resulting from retirements in the second half of 2022. Messrs. Brown and Jurgeleit have decades of related experience in the Company’s markets, including Boston Private Bank and Trust Company for Mr. Brown and Santander Bank for Mr. Jurgeleit.
Berkshire remains positively positioned to continue forward with its BEST program financial objectives while also enhancing its social and environmental performance. The Company was named one of America’s Most Trustworthy Companies by Newsweek, listed in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQIA+ equality by the Human Rights Campaign and honored as the Sustainable Business of the Year in the bank category by the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts. Additionally, Berkshire accelerated further ahead of its BEST ESG performance goal, moving into an aggregated 17th percentile performance in an index of leading ESG ratings and ranked in the top 1% of U.S. banks in Bloomberg throughout the year. The Company continues to differentiate itself through its high performance on ESG matters and commitment to its communities.
COMPARISON OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AT DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND DECEMBER 31, 2021
Summary: Total assets were little changed in 2022, measuring $11.7 billion at year-end. Excess liquidity was reinvested into loan growth. A $0.9 billion decrease in cash and equivalents and a $0.5 billion decrease in investment securities were mostly offset by a $1.5 billion increase in loans. Total deposits increased by $0.3 billion, and the ratio of loans to deposits increased to 81% from 68% during the year. Most measures of asset quality remained strong and improving. Shareholders’ equity decreased by $228 million primarily due to an other comprehensive loss from unrealized bond losses in the environment of rising interest rates. Shareholder distributions in the form of dividends and stock repurchases reflected the Company’s plan to reduce excess capital through loan growth and shareholder distributions. The Common Equity Tier 1 Capital ratio remained strong at 12.4% at year-end. Year-end 2022 book value per share measured $21.51 and the non-GAAP measure of tangible book value per share measured $20.95. These measures were reduced by approximately $3.93 per share as a result of the after-tax unrealized bond loss.
Investments: Short-term investments decreased by $978 million, or 64%, to $540 million, or 5% of period-end assets, as excess liquid funds were reinvested into loans in the rising rate market.
The portfolio of investment securities decreased by $515 million, or 20%, to $2.03 billion, measuring 17% of period-end assets, compared to 22% at the start of the year. The Company allowed net run-off of investment securities to provide funds for loan growth. The net runoff tempered the Company’ exposure to unrealized bond losses in the rising interest rate environment. This helped to offset the impact of a lengthening of securities average lives due to slower prepayments of the mortgage related securities which constitute the bulk of the portfolio. Excluding short-term treasury securities, net monthly run-off from proceeds of maturities, amortization, and prepayments of investment securities was approximately $20 million per month based on conditions at year-end 2022.
The portfolio is high quality, and has an average debt securities life of 6.9 years at period-end, which was increased from 4.6 years at the start of the year due primarily to slowing prepayment speeds of mortgage related instruments resulting from the significant increase in interest rates. The investment portfolio yield was 2.20% in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to 2.04% in the fourth quarter of 2021. The investment portfolio is viewed as a significant source of liquidity for the Bank, as 93% of the $1.4 billion available for sale bond portfolio consists of Agency mortgage related products and Treasury notes.
The portfolio of available for sale investment securities had an unrealized loss of $238 million, or 14.3% of cost at year-end 2022, compared to an unrealized loss of $4 million, or 0.2% of cost, at year-end 2021, due to the impact of rising interest rates during 2022. The unrealized loss is a component of other comprehensive income but has no impact on bank regulatory capital. If portions of this loss were recognized through sale, this would reduce regulatory capital. The Company monitors the impact of the unrealized loss on the book value of capital and it views its position as within the range of peers in the current environment. Based on year-end 2022 conditions, the unrealized loss is expected to accrete into book value as the bond portfolio seasons through its 6.9 year average life with the expectation that the securities return to a par value at maturity.
Total Loans. Total loans increased by $1.51 billion, or 22%, to $8.34 billion in 2022. Growth was concentrated in residential real estate loans, which increased by $823 million, or 55%, to $2.31 billion. Commercial loans increased by $634 million, or 13%, to $5.52 billion. In addition to improved customer demand and expansion of the Company's lending teams, loan growth in 2022 was impacted by slower prepayment rates due to the rising rate environment during the year.
Berkshire has expanded its residential mortgage lending function to be more in line with its strategic positioning in its markets and in order to reinvest excess liquidity that had accumulated from loan run-off in earlier periods. The majority of originations were produced by an expanded team of in-house mortgage originators. The Company has also been developing third party mortgage channels, including flow originations from correspondents in its markets. This expansion produced high mortgage growth in 2022 despite the market contraction resulting from rising interest rates. Most production shifted towards jumbo 7/1 adjustable-rate mortgages that were held for investment. The Company has also expanded its secondary marketing capabilities with a goal of increasing the volume of conforming mortgages originated for sale in future periods. The Company’s goal is to build customer relationships from this portfolio. The mortgage loan yield decreased to 3.56% in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to 3.82% in the fourth quarter of 2021, reflecting shifts in the product mix. Due to the lag in application and processing pipelines, the portfolio yield began to increase in the latter part of the year from the flow of higher rate new originations.
Commercial loan growth in 2022 resulted from the expansion of the commercial team, together with solid credit demand and supportive economic and credit conditions. Commercial loans had declined in earlier periods and reached a growth inflection point in the fourth quarter of 2021, with growth in all four quarters of 2022. For the year, major areas of growth were in commercial multifamily loans, non-owner occupied commercial real estate, and asset-based lending commercial and industrial balances. These real estate loans were spread across most of the major categories or property types. The Company measures its commercial real estate loans in accordance with regulatory monitoring guidelines and definitions. Total commercial real estate measured 259% of regulatory capital at year-end 2022 and construction loans measured 26% of regulatory capital.
Through loan selection, the Company shifted commercial real estate loan production towards credits with lower loan-to-value ratios during the year to reduce impacts of potential future recessionary conditions on property valuations. The Company manages commercial real estate loan concentrations within limits by property type. Due to potential shifts in workforce patterns, commercial office loans are subject to heightened monitoring. Excluding construction loans and medical and educational properties, the commercial office portfolio totaled approximately $548 million at year-end 2022, consisting primarily of suburban properties. There were no office property loans delinquent at that date.
Inflation has contributed to an increase in commercial borrowing demand, while the related increase in interest rates has raised borrowing costs, potentially restraining demand. The gathering impact of higher rates is expected to dampen economic conditions, resulting in potentially slower portfolio growth in future periods. Due primarily to commercial loans tied to short term indices, such as LIBOR or Prime, the commercial loan yield increased by 2.06% to 5.78% in the fourth quarter of 2022 from 3.72% in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Company’s
underwriting includes an analysis of sensitivity to higher interest rates for most of its variable rate loans. Many of the larger variable rate commercial loans are backed by interest rate swaps which have the impact of fixing the interest cost to the borrower, thereby reducing the credit risk of higher interest rates.
After midyear, the Company announced that it would cease originating new loans in its Firestone Financial specialty lending; operation and allow the portfolio to run-off. This was a strategic decision in the context of Berkshire’s BEST plan to focus on core markets and products. The Firestone portfolio stood at $133 million at period-end and continues to have strong credit performance in line with its long history.
Consumer loans increased by $53 million, or 12%, to $501 million in 2022. Growth was driven by consumer unsecured loans originated through the Company’s partnership with the fintech Upstart. This portfolio totaled $140 million at period-end, and most of these loans were originated during the first half of the year and were generally subject to the Company’s prime underwriting standards. In July 2022 the Company announced that, due to the prevailing economic uncertainty, it was ceasing new originations through this partnership. Credit performance of this portfolio has exceeded the Company’s expectations. The yield on the consumer portfolio increased to 7.00% in the fourth quarter of 2022 from 3.96% in the fourth quarter of 2021 due to both the higher yield on Upstart loans and the increase in the Prime rate which is the index rate for most home equity loans.
Overall loan yields increased from the fourth quarter of 2021 due mainly to increases in market interest rates, primarily in relation to loans repricing within three months. The Company measures its loan beta, which is the ratio of the change in loan yields to a market index. Compared to the average federal funds target rate, the beta for the total loan portfolio measured 51% comparing the fourth quarter of 2022 to the fourth quarter of 2021. Comparing the most recent quarter to the linked quarter, the loan beta was 42%. The magnitude and consistency of these betas primarily reflects the large volume of loans contractually repricing based on Prime. LIBOR, or SOFR based indices.
At year-end 2022, 45% of total loans were scheduled to mature or reprice within three months. contributing to the modeled asset sensitivity of the Company’s interest rate risk profile at that date. This is down from 50% at year-end 2021.
Asset Quality and Credit Loss Allowance: Most major asset quality metrics remained solid as of year-end 2022, with many metrics at better levels than pre-pandemic. Total delinquent and non-accruing loans measured 0.60% of total loans at year-end, the lowest in more than a decade. Non-accruing loans measured 0.37% of total loans, compared to 0.52% at year-end 2021. Annualized net loan charge-offs measured 0.27% of average loans in 2022, compared to 0.29% in 2021. Charge-offs were concentrated in the second half of the year in one commercial and industrial credit which filed for bankruptcy in the fourth quarter. The $7 million remaining carrying balance of this loan was the largest component of year-end non-accruing commercial and industrial loans. Non-accruing loans declined in other major loan categories.
At period-end, accruing troubled debt restructurings totaled $12 million and accruing loans over 90 days delinquent totaled $7 million. Total criticized loans decreased to 2.3% of loans from 3.5% of loans at the start of the year, including classified loans which decreased to 1.4% of loans from 2.1% of loans. Classified loans include accruing substandard loans, which are regarded as potential problem loans and which declined to 1.1% of loans from 1.6% during the year.
The allowance for credit losses on loans decreased to $96 million at year-end 2022 from $106 million at year-end 2021. The ratio of the allowance to total loans decreased to 1.15% from 1.55%. This decline was primarily due to a reduction in the expected losses from economic and social disruptions related to COVID-19 conditions, as well as the general improvement in asset quality measures. The year-end allowance was based on a baseline economic forecast of ongoing economic growth but included a qualitative assessment of risks related to market and inflation conditions and future possible recession conditions. The allowance covers all current expected credit losses for all loans. In relation to outstanding loans, the allowance for all categories of loans decreased except for consumer loans due to the addition of the Upstart loans. The expected average lives of most categories of loans increased during the year, reflecting the strong portfolio growth and slower expected prepayment speeds.
Deposits and Borrowings: Total deposits increased by $258 million, or 3%, to $10.3 billion during 2022. Excluding the $474 million increase in payroll deposits and the $107 million decrease in brokered deposits, total deposits decreased by $109 million, or 1%, due primarily to a $156 million, or 5%, decrease in non-interest bearing
demand deposit balances. The payroll deposits fluctuate daily, and totaled $1.48 billion at year-end, most of which was in money market deposit balances at year-end.
Deposit activity included the impact of increased customer spending rates as well as market competition from higher yielding investment instruments in the rising interest rate environment. The Company increased its promotions of time and money market accounts tied to demand deposit accounts.
The fourth quarter cost of deposits increased year-over-year by 0.50% to 0.69% by from 0.19%, including a 0.36% increase over the third quarter of 2022. The cost of interest-bearing deposits increased by 0.70% to 0.98% from 0.28% due primarily to a 1.00% increase in the cost of money market deposits to 1.16% in the fourth quarter of 2022 from 0.16% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The Company measures its deposit beta, which is the ratio of the change in deposit costs to a market index. Compared to the average federal funds target rate, the deposit beta measured 25% for the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the linked quarter. The deposit beta measured 0.14% for the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, which was the last full quarter before the Federal Reserve Bank began raising interest rates. The Company anticipates that the deposit beta will continue to increase into a possible range of 30-40% by the end of the interest rate cycle, depending in part on shifts in balances from lower cost accounts to higher cost accounts.
The Company’s wholesale funds consist of brokered deposits and borrowings. Wholesale funds decreased by $93 million, or 27%, to $246 million, or 2% of assets, from $340 million, or 3% of assets, in order to reduce the balance of higher cost funds.
On June 30, 2022, Berkshire completed the sale at par of $100 million in subordinated notes bearing interest at a fixed rate of 5.5% for the first five years. The notes will then reset quarterly to a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate which is expected to be the Three-Month Term SOFR, plus 249 basis points. The notes have a ten year final maturity and generally may be called at par after five years. Berkshire is the first public U.S. community bank holding company with under $150 billion in total assets to issue a Sustainability Bond. The Company intends to use an amount equal to the net proceeds of its Sustainability Bond issuance to finance or refinance new or existing social and environmental projects consistent with its Sustainable Financing Framework. Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company, and the global leader in high-quality ESG research, ratings, and data, has independently verified that Berkshire’s Sustainable Financing Framework "is credible and impactful and in alignment with” International Capital Market Association (ICMA) guidelines and principles.
On September 28, 2022, the Company prepaid the balance of its existing $75 million in subordinated debt bearing interest at 6.875% which became callable for the first time on that date since the original issuance ten years ago.
Derivative Financial Instruments: The notional amount of derivative financial instruments totaled $4.52 billion at year-end 2022, compared to $3.71 billion at year-end 2021. The increase was primarily due to $800 million in interest rate swaps and collars on commercial loans recorded as cash flow hedges in the second half of the year. This was in response to the increased sensitivity to a downward interest rate shock following the rapid rise in market interest rates during the year. The fair value of derivative financial instruments was a liability of $43 million at year-end 2022, compared to an asset of $43 million at year-end 2021, due to the impact of changes in interest rates on the value of outstanding commercial loan interest rate swaps.
Shareholders' Equity: Total shareholders’ equity decreased by $228 million, or 19% to $954 million in 2022. This decrease was primarily due to a $178 million net other comprehensive loss resulting mostly from the previously discussed unrealized loss on debt securities available for sale as a result of the increase in market interest rates. Additionally, the Company repurchased $125 million in common shares in 2022, representing approximately 9% of shares outstanding at year-end 2021.
The unrealized securities losses are not counted against regulatory equity. As a result, the decrease in regulatory capital was more modest and reflected shareholder distributions through stock repurchases and dividends. Including the impact of the loan growth, the Common Equity Tier 1 Capital remained relatively strong, decreasing to 12.4% from 15.0 at the start of the year. Similarly, the risk-based capital ratio remained comparatively strong at 14.6% compared to 17.3% at the start of the year.
Across the banking industry, the unrealized losses on available for sale investment securities have led to significant compression of book value and the non-GAAP financial measure of tangible book value. The Company’s
book value per share decreased by $2.79 to $21.51 and period-end equity/assets decreased from 10.2% to 8.2%. Tangible book value per share decreased by $2.74 to $20.95, and the period-end ratio of tangible common equity/tangible assets decreased from 10.0% to 8.0%. The 2022 comprehensive loss on bonds represented approximately $3.93 per share of the decreases in the above per share book value metrics.
During the first nine months of 2022, the Company continued the quarterly shareholder dividend at $0.12 per share level it was reduced to as a result of the pandemic beginning in the third quarter of 2020. On November 4, 2022, the Company announced that it had increased its quarterly dividend to shareholders by 50% to $0.18 per share. This reflected growth in earnings since the announcement of the BEST strategic transformation plan in May 2021. The $0.18 dividend represented a yield of approximately 2.6% based on Berkshire’s closing share price of $27.44 on November 3, 2022 and was equivalent to a 29% payout compared to third quarter 2022 adjusted earnings.
Total shareholder distributions through stock repurchases and dividends measured $149 million in 2022. In January 2023, the Company announced a new 2023 stock repurchase program totaling $50 million, which was equivalent to approximately 4% of outstanding shares based on the share price at the time of the announcement.
COMPARISON OF OPERATING RESULTS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022 AND 2021
Summary: Berkshire reported net income of $93 million, or $2.02 per share in 2022, compared to net income of $119 million, or $2.39 per share in 2021. In 2021, the Company recorded a pre-tax gain of $53 million on the sale of its Mid-Atlantic branch operations and its insurance and other operations. The Company uses the non-GAAP measure of adjusted income to assess its performance, with component measures of adjusted revenue and adjusted expense. These measures exclude items not viewed as related to ongoing operations, including the 2021 sale gains and consolidation expenses in both years.
Adjusted income increased in 2022 by 20% to $101 million compared to $84 million in 2021. This reflected a 9% increase in adjusted revenue and flat adjusted non-interest expense. Adjusted income per share increased by 30% in 2022 to $2.19 from $1.69 in 2021. This reflected the further benefit of stock repurchases in both years.
The 2022 return on equity measured 7.76% and the non-GAAP measure of adjusted return on tangible common equity measured 8.94%. Reflecting the improvement during the year, these measures reached 10.06% and 9.83% respectively in the final quarter of the year. The 2022 return on assets measured 0.82% and the non-GAAP measure of adjusted return on assets measured 0.89%. For the final quarter, these measures increased to 1.08% and 1.00% respectively.
The measure of Pre-tax Pre-provision Net Revenue (“PPNR”) totaled $125 million in 2022, and the non-GAAP measure of adjusted PPNR totaled $136 million. For the final quarter, these measures totaled $48 million and $45 million, respectively.
Revenue: Total net revenue decreased by 5% year-over-year due to the impact of the $53 million in sale gains in 2021. The non-GAAP measure of adjusted revenue excludes these gains and other gains and losses. Adjusted revenue increased by 9% due to an 18% increase in net interest income which was partially offset by a 22% decrease in non-interest income excluding gains and losses. Adjusted revenue comparisons between the two years were impacted by the sale of insurance operations and mid-Atlantic branch operations, which contributed to 2021 operating revenues for nine months before their sale.
Net Interest Income: Net interest income increased year-over-year by $53 million, or 18%. The net interest margin increased by 25%, increasing by 66 basis points to 3.26% from 2.60%. The margin rose to 3.84% in the final quarter of the year. While average earning assets decreased year-over-year by 6%, the Company benefited from the $355 million, or 5% increase in average loans. The increase in the net interest margin reflected both from the benefit of higher interest rates, as well as the reinvestment of funds from short term investments into loans.
Per the early discussion of financial condition, the 2022 cumulative fourth quarter loan beta was 42%, while the deposit beta was 14%. This difference contributed substantially to the net interest income generated as the average target federal funds rate increased by 359 basis points to 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to 0.25% in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The shift from low yielding short-term investments into higher yielding loans also contributed to the increase in net interest income during the year. Additionally, the shift from some investment securities into loans further supported the increase in net interest income.
The Company’s models anticipate that the full cycle deposit beta will be in the 30-40% range. The Company anticipates that the increase in deposit costs may cause a reduction in the net interest margin in future periods based on the interest rate outlook at year-end 2022. The Company’s models indicate that the Company had modest positive interest rate sensitivity at year-end 2022, as discussed in Item 7A on market risk. At year-end 2022, market expectations anticipated further increases in short-term interest rates in 2023.
Non-Interest Income: Total fee income decreased year-over year by $20 million, or 24%. All major categories of fee income decreased except for deposit related fees, which increased by $2 million, or 7%. Insurance fees decreased by $7 million due to the sale of insurance operations in 2021. Loan fees decreased by $13 million, or 38%, primarily due to an $8 million decrease in SBA originations related revenues reflecting changes in the structure of the program and market spreads. Berkshire remained among the top 20 bank originators of SBA 7-A
guaranteed loans in the U.S. Additionally, loan servicing fee revenue decreased by $2 million due to an outsourcing initiative in 2022. Mortgage banking fees decreased by $2 million, or 89%, as most mortgage originations were designated held for investment.
Provision for Credit Losses on Loans: The loan loss provision was an expense of $11 million in 2022 compared to a benefit of $500,000 in 2021. In both years, provision expense benefited from a release of reserves for expected pandemic related credit losses which did not emerge, including the impact of government support measures. The year-over-year increase also reflected the resumption of loan growth in 2022 compared to loan contraction in 2021. The Company has steadily reduced the coverage of its allowance for credit losses on loans based on improvements in asset quality and credit loss expectations. The balance of the allowance for credit losses on loans decreased to $96 million at year-end 2022 compared to $106 million at year-end 2021.
Non-Interest Expense: Comparisons of non-interest expense year-over-year were impacted by the sale of insurance and branch operations at the end of the third quarter of 2021 and the reinvestment in frontline bankers and technology. Comparisons are also affected by consolidation costs recorded in both years, primarily for branch consolidations, along with premises and operations initiatives.
Total non-interest expense increased year-over-year by $3 million, or 1%. Adjusted non-interest expense was flat. Restructuring and other non-operating expenses totaled $9 million in 2022 and $6 million in 2021. The Company consolidated six branch offices in 2022 and 16 branch offices in 2021. Including the 8 branches related to the mid-Atlantic branch operations which were sold, total branches decreased by 30 offices over the last two years to 100 branches at year-end 2022 compared to 130 branches at the beginning of 2021.
Occupancy related expenses decreased year-over-year by $4 million, or 10%. Technology related expenses increased by $2 million, or 5%. Professional expense decreased year-over-year by $4 million, or 24%, due primarily to elevated charges in the first quarter of 2021. Total full-time equivalent staff measured 1,310 positions at period-end, compared to 1,319 positions at the end of 2021.
Reflecting the improved net interest margin and strong expense control, as well as the exit from less efficient operations, the efficiency ratio improved to 64.3% in 2022 from 70.0% in 2021. This ratio improved to 58.3% in the final quarter of the year due to the cumulative impact of improvements during the year.
Income Tax Expense: Income taxes are discussed in a note to the financial statements; this note is important to an understanding of the results of operations.
The Company recorded a 19% effective tax rate in 2022 compared to a 20% effective tax rate in 2021. Including both the federal and state benefits, the 2022 effective tax rate benefited by 4.5% from tax exemptions on investment securities and other tax-advantaged investments. Including both the federal and state benefits, the effective tax rate was also reduced by 3.4% related to the Company’s tax credit investment projects. These projects provided $0.03 per share in net income benefit in 2022 and $0.02 per share in 2021, net of amortization charges recorded to non-interest income. The Company actively pursues tax credit investment projects to provide financial support to community development projects as part of its overall banking services while also generating an appropriate return on the Bank’s investment. In recent years these projects have included historic rehabilitation, low-income housing, new markets and renewable energy generation investments.
Total Comprehensive Income: Total comprehensive income includes net income together with other comprehensive income, which primarily consists of unrealized gains/losses on debt securities available for sale, after tax. Total comprehensive income was a loss of $85 million in 2022 compared to income of $85 million in 2021. The loss in 2022 results from the unrealized bond losses in 2022 due to the rise in interest rates during the year.
LIQUIDITY AND CASH FLOWS
Short-Term Liquidity: In 2022, loan growth was the primary use of cash, which was mainly sourced from short-term investments and investment securities. The ratio of cash and cash equivalents to total assets decreased to 6% from 14% over this period in accordance with the Company’s plan to invest excess liquidity into higher yielding loans. Investment securities and wholesale funding are ongoing potential sources of cash to supplement deposit growth to support targeted loan growth.
At year-end 2022, the Bank had $2.1 billion in total borrowing availability with the FHLBB and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. This availability is collateralized with investment securities and loans to the extent utilized.
The Company continues to view itself as having sufficient liquidity with a high quality securities portfolio and well-positioned wholesale funding sources. The relative stability of deposit balances and costs was also viewed as positive in 2022 as an indicator of core funding in the Company’s markets. The ratio of loans to deposits measured 81% at period-end, compared to 68% at the start of the year. A number of metrics are utilized in establishing optimal and minimal liquidity targets and the Company is generally well positioned across these metrics.
In the environment prevailing at the end of 2022, some banks have reported deposit outflows as funds are withdrawn to reinvest in other higher yielding financial instruments, and also as excess pandemic related liquidity from federal support programs is spent down. The rising rate environment potentially constrains industry deposit demand growth. Additionally, the rising rates have contributed to the extension of the investment portfolio average life and the unrealized bond losses are a potential constraint on some options for the use of investments to support overall liquidity. The unrealized losses would affect regulatory capital if they were realized through the sale of the related securities, which could then impact the management of capital. The excess liquidity which has been widespread throughout the financial system during the pandemic may constrain funding sources if system wide liquidity is reduced. The Company is monitoring various scenarios as it continues to pursue organic growth and market share gains in the context of its BEST strategic plan.
The Company maintains a contingency funding plan based on its assessment of the liquidity stress environment. Primary liquidity data is reported on daily, and thirty-day stress analytics are maintained on an updated basis. A one year forward liquidity stress test evaluates stress across a variety of stress scenarios, including severe adverse loan loss scenarios. The Company has defined strategic options which allow it to materially meet funding needs in all stress scenarios.
Long-Term Liquidity: Over the long term, the Company targets to generate organic deposit growth that will fund organic loan growth. Operating earnings are expected to fund routine cash operating costs, shareholder distributions, and capital expenditures. As a depository institution, the Bank maintains a high-quality securities portfolio as a source of liquidity to service unexpected customer demand for loan advances or deposit withdrawals. The Company and Bank have investment grade debt ratings from Moody’s Investors Services and the KBRA bond rating firm. The Company also is active in secondary markets for residential mortgages and SBA guaranteed loans, which support its organic growth without relying on internal liquidity and capital resources. The Company is monitoring for potential shifts in deposit sources as customer usage of traditional banking channels is also impacted by the spread of fintech alternatives. The Company’s strategy is to actively partner with fintechs to pursue a strong position in the evolving financial marketplace, while evolving its own technology to support these partnerships. The Company is also monitoring potential shifts in deposit demand as it is being impacted by higher interest rates and inflation, and potentials impacts of an economic slowdown and lower customer liquidity.
Parent Company Liquidity: Total cash held by the holding company was $90 million at year-end 2022. The Company targets to use cash at the holding company together with dividends from the Bank to fund holding company cash uses including modest operating expenditures, debt service, purchases of investments, shareholder dividends, and stock repurchases. The holding company generally expects to maintain cash on hand equivalent to normal cash uses, including common stock dividends, for at least a one year period. Bank dividends to the holding company presently require approval by the FDIC and the Massachusetts Division of Banks. The holding company’s goal is to maintain access to private and public credit markets to provide access to additional liquidity sources depending on conditions.
CAPITAL RESOURCES
Please see the “Shareholders’ Equity” section of the Comparison of Financial Condition for a discussion of shareholders’ equity together with the note on Shareholders' Equity in the consolidated financial statements.
The Company’s BEST plan includes the optimization of capital, including reducing excess capital through organic growth and capital returns to shareholders. The operation of this plan was evidenced in 2022 by loan growth and shareholder distributions, including a 50% increase in the shareholder dividend in the final quarter of the year. Capital optimization was also supported through the subordinated debt issuance, reducing the coupon compared to the existing debt which was later prepaid. In conjunction with this issuance, the Company received an inaugural investment grade bond rating from Moody’s and executed a landmark Sustainability Bond placement which expands capital market access for socially responsible investments.
The Company views its regulatory capital measures as providing it with an ample cushion of excess capital in relation to its operating condition, risk profile, and strategic plans, and compared to peers. The Company’s priorities for uses of its capital are based on maintaining strong capital, supporting organic growth and its BEST strategic plan, paying a dividend yield that in the long run is competitive and targets a 30-40% payout ratio, and distributing excess capital to shareholders through stock repurchases, with a goal of achieving an efficient level and composition of capital.
The Company repurchased approximately 5% of its shares in 2021 and an additional 9% in 2022. After year-end 2022, the Company announced a 2023 share repurchase program for approximately 4% of its outstanding shares. In large measure, these repurchases represented a return of capital that became excess as a result of the reduction of certain business activities and loans, including targeted runoff of selected portfolios.
The unrealized available for sale securities losses reduce the book value of equity. These losses are expected to accrete back into equity as the securities season to maturity. These losses are not deducted from regulatory capital which is the primary focus of the Company’s capital management. The measure of tangible book value is a focus of bank investors, together with the ratio of tangible equity to tangible assets and the measure of tangible book value per share. The non-GAAP measure of tangible equity to tangible assets decreased to 8.0% from 10.0% during 2022, and tangible book value per share decreased by 12% to $20.95 from $23.69. The Company is monitoring its tangible book value related metrics and it believes that its condition at period-end was within a general range for peers at that date.
The Company’s long-term goal is to maintain an efficient capital structure and to provide a return in excess of the cost of its common equity capital. The Company’s tier 2 capital includes a $100 million subordinated note. The Company maintains a universal shelf registration statement for capital securities with the SEC. The Company and Bank are investment grade rated by Moody's Investors Service and by the KBRA bond rating service. The Company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the Company views itself as having good access to current capital markets.
The Company performs capital stress testing at least annually and has a goal to remain qualifying for the “well capitalized” designation in the severely stressed scenario. The Company views its current stressed capital position as sound and conforming to its objectives.
In acting as a source of strength for the Bank, the Company relies on capital distributions from the Bank in order to provide operating and capital service for the Company, which in turn can access national financial markets to provide financial support to the Bank. Capital distributions from the Bank to the parent company presently require approval by the FDIC and the Massachusetts Division of Banking. Increased distributions from the Company to shareholders require notice to and nonobjection from the Federal Reserve Bank. In 2022, the Bank paid $108 million in dividends to the parent company.
APPLICATION OF CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Company’s significant accounting policies and modifications to significant accounting policies made during the year are described in Note 1 to the financial statements. The preparation of the financial statements is in accordance with GAAP and general practices applicable to the financial services industry. This preparation requires management to make estimates, assumptions, and judgements that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The judgment and assumptions made are based upon historical experience, future forecasts, or other factors that management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates, assumptions, and judgements.
Not all significant accounting policies require management to make difficult, subjective or complex judgments. Certain estimates inherently have a greater reliance on the use of assumptions and judgments and, as such, have a greater possibility of producing results that could be materially different than originally reported. The following significant accounting policies are considered most critical in that they are important to the Company’s financial condition and results, and they require management’s subjective and complex judgment as a result of the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Both of these most critical accounting policies were significant in determining income and financial condition based on events in 2022.
Allowance for Credit Losses for Loans
The allowance for credit losses for loans (“ACLL”) represents management’s estimate of expected credit losses over the expected contractual life of our loan portfolio. Determining the appropriateness of the ACLL is complex and requires judgment by management about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Subsequent evaluations of the then-existing loan portfolio, in light of the factors then prevailing, may result in significant changes in the ACLL in those future periods.
The appropriateness of the ACLL could change significantly because current economic conditions and forecasts can change and future events are inherently difficult to predict. It is difficult to estimate how potential changes in any one economic factor or input might affect the overall allowance because a wide variety of factors and inputs are considered in estimating the allowance and changes in those factors and inputs considered may not occur at the same rate and may not be consistent across all product types. Additionally, changes in factors and inputs may be directionally inconsistent, such that improvement in one factor may offset deterioration in others. One of the most significant judgments used in determining the allowance for credit losses is the macroeconomic forecast provided by a third party. Changes in the macroeconomic forecast, especially for the national unemployment rate, could significantly impact the calculated estimated credit losses.
While management utilizes its best judgment and information available, the ultimate adequacy of our ACLL is dependent upon a variety of factors beyond our control, including the performance of our portfolios, the economy, and changes in interest rates. For detailed information on the ACLL see Note 1- Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 6 - Loans and Allowance for Credit Losses.
Fair Value Measurements
The Company uses fair value measurements to determine fair value disclosures and to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities, such as interest rate swaps, impaired loans, securities available for sale, and derivatives. Our fair values are based on the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Additionally, from time to time, the Company may be required to record certain assets at fair value on a non-recurring basis, such as certain impaired loans held for investment and capitalized servicing rights. These non-recurring fair value adjustments typically involve write-downs of individual assets due to application of lower-of-cost or market accounting or other accounting standards.
Management has established and documented a process for determining fair value. The use of observable inputs is maximized and the use of unobservable inputs is minimized when developing fair value measurements. Whenever there is no readily available market data, management uses its best estimate and assumptions in determining fair value, but these estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. As a result, if other assumptions had been used, our recorded earnings or disclosures could have been materially different from those reflected in these financial statements. For detailed information on our use of fair value measurements and our
related valuation methodologies, see Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 21 - Fair Value Measurements for more information.
ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT
Other sections of this report on Form 10-K include discussion of market risk and risk factors. Risk management is overseen by the Company’s Chief Risk Officer, who reports directly to the CEO. This position oversees risk management policy, credit, compliance, and information security. Enterprise risk assessments are brought to the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management Committee, and then are reported to the Board’s Risk Management, Capital & Compliance Committee.
The Company includes recessionary/inflationary risk overlays on all of the material business risks to capture the uncertainties of the economic environment. The Company has also developed recession toolkits and playbooks that outline mitigating factors and actions that strive to minimize losses under such scenarios. Both of these items are addressed throughout the assessments and dashboards provided to the above Committees.
The high level corporate risk assessment focuses on the following material business risks: credit risk, interest rate risk, price risk, liquidity risk, operational risk, compliance risk, strategic risk, and reputation risk, with the credit risk category having the highest weighting. For all material business risks, residual risk was viewed as medium/low to medium due to mitigating controls functioning in the Company. In 2022, price risk increased in relation to the corporate appetite due to the impact of higher interest rates on the behavior and value of various interest sensitive instruments and operations. Residual price risk was viewed as medium including the impact of mitigating factors and management actions in the risk management environment.
LIBOR TRANSITION
The Company’s use of LIBOR based instruments and the industry-wide transition program away from LIBOR are discussed in Item 1 (“Business”) and Item 1 - A (“Risk Factors”) of this report. The Company has in excess of $5 billion in notional balances of LIBOR based instruments related primarily to its commercial banking operations. These include loans index on LIBOR, as well as interest rate swap contracts including customer, dealer, and risk participation agreements.
The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) presently intends to continue publishing most LIBOR indices through June 2023 for use with legacy instruments contracted in 2021 or before. The Company continues to execute plans to transition instruments associated with LIBOR to alternative reference rates. The Company has approved the use of Term SOFR as the lead base case index to replace LIBOR for pricing of new contracts starting in 2022, with Daily Simple SOFR as an alternate. The Company continues to monitor market adoption of alternate index rates as information becomes available or as requested by customers or other counterparties.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company had approximately $1.9 billion in LIBOR based commercial loans, including $1.8 billion maturing after the LIBOR cessation date at midyear 2023. The Company is focused on converting the majority of these loans to one month term SOFR, working with customers, counsel, and its core loan servicing provider. The Company had converted $333 million in outstanding loans through year-end 2022.
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE (ESG) & COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
BERKSHIRE’S APPROACH
Since its founding in 1846, Berkshire continues to be a purpose-driven, values-guided, community-centered bank working to achieve its vision of becoming a high-performing leading socially responsible community bank. Berkshire empowers the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when, and how it's needed through an uncompromising focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact. It provides a wide range of accessible, affordable, safe, responsible and sustainable financial solutions through its consumer banking, commercial banking and wealth management divisions.
Berkshire believes where you bank matters, and that simple decision can have an outsized impact on your community. That’s why ESG factors are central to the company’s vision, mission, business practices, and Berkshire’s Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST). This better approach to banking with ESG at its core helps manage risk and unlock new business opportunities to create an ecosystem of positive impact and value, which in turn drives Berkshire’s commercial performance, creating capacity to invest more in its business, employees, customers, shareholders and communities.
BEST COMMUNITY COMEBACK
Berkshire launched the BEST Community Comeback in late 2021, a transformational commitment to empower its stakeholders’ financial potential. The plan focuses on four areas critical to the long-term vibrancy and success of its communities: fueling small businesses; community financing and philanthropy; financial access and empowerment; and funding environmental sustainability. Through this far-reaching initiative, Berkshire aims to help create more businesses and jobs, help more families achieve the dream of owning a home, and aid communities in becoming more environmentally efficient and eco-friendly. Berkshire has made steady progress towards achieving its goal of deploying $5 billion to support its communities by the end of 2024. As of year-end, Berkshire has deployed more than $1 billion in low-moderate income neighborhoods, over $300 million to support low-carbon projects and has transitioned its own electricity supply to 99% renewable since launching the program.
CENTER FOR WOMEN, WELLNESS & WEALTH
Berkshire launched the Center for Women, Wellness, and Wealth (CWWW) to provide women with tools to help create a future enriched with financial stability and wellness. The Center, through partnerships with community organizations, specialized experts and thought leaders, offers events on wellness and financial planning, philanthropic coaching and development support, and complimentary portfolio reviews through Berkshire Bank Wealth Management. Ultimately the Center is working to strengthen women’s financial lives by empowering active participation in financial decision making and addressing the longevity risk that women face through a transformative approach to wealth management which centers on balance, stability, growth and overall wellness.
SUSTAINABLE FINANCE & IMPACT INVESTMENTS
Berkshire became the first public U.S. community bank holding company with under $150 billion in assets to issue a Sustainability Bond with a $100 million issuance in 2022. The Company intends to use an amount equal to the net proceeds to finance or refinance new or existing social and environmental projects consistent with its Sustainable Financing Framework including renewable electricity generation; green buildings; renewable energy technology, storage and manufacturing; energy efficiency in commercial, residential and public buildings; affordable housing; workforce housing; and financial inclusion and access activities. The framework was independently verified by Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company, for its impact and alignment with the International Capital Market Association's (ICMA) Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, Green Bond Principles 2021 and Social Bond Principles 2021. Berkshire intends to publish a report in 2023 describing the amount of net proceeds allocated to each eligible project category, descriptions of specific projects financed, unallocated balances and, where feasible, qualitative and quantitative measures of the expected environmental or social impact.
Beyond the issuance of its sustainability bond, Berkshire looks for innovative ways to advance its ESG positioning and its strategic business priorities through sustainable finance and impact investing. As a result, Berkshire makes targeted impact investments in Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) and other strategically aligned assets that are within risk appetite and drive a competitive rate of return. The Company also has a strong tax-credit business whereby it makes targeted investments in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), historic tax credits (HTC) and solar tax credits to further Berkshire’s ESG goals and strengthen its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) performance. These investments help bring to life important economic development, revitalization and renewable energy projects while providing an appropriate return to the bank consistent with its capital and tax strategies.
ESG INTEGRATION, OVERSIGHT & REPORTING
ESG factors are integral to Berkshire’s business practices, risk management program, competitive positioning and its ability to deliver on its Berkshire’s Exciting Strategic Transformation (BEST) program and realize its vision of becoming a high-performing, leading socially responsible community bank. Berkshire was one of the first banks in the country to establish a dedicated committee of its Board of Directors to oversee ESG matters and are a leader among community banks in integrating ESG standards into its business strategy and operations.
The Company maintains a strong foundation of governance systems, including:
•Board level oversight of ESG, Sustainability, Climate Change, Diversity and Culture
•Corporate Responsibility & Culture Committee of its Board of Directors
•Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee
•Diversity Equity & Inclusion Committee
•Responsible & Sustainable Business Policy
•Lending, credit, deposit and investment policies which incorporate ESG exclusions and due diligence requirements
•Senior managers for ESG and Diversity along with active involvement from business unit leaders and front lines in managing ESG externalities and risks
This approach strengthens risk management practices consistent with the company’s enterprise risk management program and allows Berkshire to capitalize on business opportunities consistent with its strategy.
Berkshire regularly engages directly with its stakeholders to share information about the progress it’s made in its ESG performance, including through its Corporate Responsibility website, corporate annual report, and proxy statement. Additionally, Berkshire’s annual Corporate Responsibility/ESG Report, which is aligned with Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (“SASB”) and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) disclosure standards, details the Company's ESG efforts and programs.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change manifesting in the form of both physical or transition risks could adversely, either directly or indirectly, affect Berkshire’s operations, businesses, customers, communities, and its stakeholders. As the transition to a low-carbon economy accelerates, new policy emerges, and market dynamics shift, Berkshire expects that its efforts to manage its environmental footprint, mitigate the risks associated with climate change, and support the transition will allow it to strengthen its positioning as a high performing, leading socially responsible community bank. The Company continues to evolve its practices to reflect its community bank mission as well as the size, scope, and complexity of its operations.
Berkshire is actively managing climate related risks and opportunities at the board, management and employee levels. The Company’s Board of Directors Corporate Responsibility & Culture Committee provides oversight on sustainability and climate change. Management and the board evaluate climate related risks and opportunities and incorporate the results of risk assessments and discussions into strategic planning, product development, programming and relevant risk mitigating measures. All business risks are also integrated into our Enterprise Risk Management program and discussed by other applicable Board Committees including the Risk Management, Capital & Compliance Committee. Both Committees report into the full board. Beyond board level oversight of climate matters, Berkshire maintains an Environmental, Social and Governance committee comprised of senior executives throughout the Company. Berkshire also completes an annual climate change risk assessment to evaluate the bank’s operations and lending activities for potential exposure to transition and physical risks.
The results of the risk assessment guide Berkshire’s forward climate management and environmental sustainability strategies to ensure its actively managing the risks and opportunities. The physical risks of climate change over short, medium and long-term horizons include weather-related events, such as flooding and tornados, and longer-term shifts in climate patterns, such as extreme heat, rising sea levels and more severe droughts. Such events could disrupt Berkshire’s operations, impact customers, or third parties on which Berkshire relies, including through direct damage to physical assets and indirect impacts from supply chain disruption and market volatility. This could impact borrowers’ ability to repay obligations, devalue physical assets resulting in uncertain residual values and affect third-parties ability to deliver on service expectations.
Transition risks over short, medium and long-term horizons can include changes in consumer preferences, additional regulatory requirements or policy such as taxes, and use of new technologies. Such developments could increase Berkshire, its customers and third-parties operating costs, reduce demand for services from select customer segments and impact current strategies. Reputation and customer relationships could be damaged as a result of Berkshire’s practices related to climate change mitigation as well as through its or its customers direct or indirect involvement with industries or projects with heighten climate related risks. Over the long-term, transition risks could also manifest in potential credit impacts affecting borrowers’ ability to repay obligations. Collectively these physical and transition risks are managed through ongoing monitoring, existing industry exclusions, due diligence processes, policies, insurance requirements, business continuity planning, target setting and product development.
As Berkshire looks to further strengthen its management of climate related risks and opportunities, it expects to continue to formalize its climate risk management program and set formal targets to reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, in addition to its existing sustainable finance and renewable electricity goals. As the Company moves further along in its climate journey, it expects to continue to enhance its disclosures, programs, mitigating controls and initiatives to minimize risk, reduce its emissions as well as capitalize on the many business opportunities arising from the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Further details on Berkshire’s Climate Change governance, risk management, strategy, metrics & targets and next steps can be found in its most recent Corporate Responsibility Report.
RATINGS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION
We’re proud to be recognized for our performance with local, regional, national, and international awards as well as leading third party ESG ratings* including:
•Top 17% aggregated ESG rating, achieving one of five major BEST goals
•MSCI ESG- A
•ISS ESG Quality Score - Environment: 3, Social: 1, Governance: 2
•Bloomberg ESG Disclosure- 62.81
•Sustainalytics Rated
•Communitas Award for Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility
•Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts Sustainable Business of the Year - Bank
•Boston Business Journal Top Charitable Contributor
•America’s Most Trustworthy Companies - Newsweek
•Forbes America’s Best Midsize Employers
•Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
•Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ equality- 100% Score
*As of December 31, 2022

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
MANAGEMENT OF INTEREST RATE RISK AND MARKET RISK ANALYSIS
Qualitative Aspects of Market Risk. The Company seeks to provide sustainable net interest income (NII) under varying economic conditions, while protecting the economic value of assets and liabilities from adverse effects of changes in market interest rates. While a number of market factors affect the level of NII and the economic value of our assets and liabilities, changes in interest rates is the most significant aspect of our market risk. Berkshire’s general objective is to maintain a neutral or asset sensitive interest rate risk profile, as measured by the sensitivity of net interest income to market interest rate changes.
The Company maintains a regular cadence for review and oversight of its asset-liability policies and interest rate risk positioning with oversight from senior management and the Board of Directors. The manner and extent of the movement of interest rates is an uncertainty that could have a positive or negative impact on the Company’s earnings. The Company manages its interest rate risk by analyzing the sensitivity and mix of its assets and liabilities, including derivative financial instruments. The Company also uses secondary markets, brokerages, and counterparties to accommodate customer demand for long-term fixed rate loans and to provide it with flexibility in managing its balance sheet positions.
Quantitative Aspects of Market Risk. The Company quantifies its NII sensitivity using an earnings simulation model that compares a baseline view of NII over 12 and 24 month horizons, based on a static view of the balance sheet and market interest rates, to a wide range of parallel and non-parallel rate shocks and ramps. In addition, the Company analyzes net income at risk and equity at risk from interest rate changes through discounted cash flow analysis. The baseline view includes the projected future impacts of previous interest rate changes that are projected based on contractual and behavioral assumptions.
The chart below shows an analysis of scenarios where there is a parallel shock to interest rates and the impacts are measured for the first year and second year after the shock. Modeled assets and liabilities are assumed to reprice at respective repricing or maturity dates. Pricing caps and floors are included in the results, where applicable. The Company uses prepayment expectations set forth by market sources as well as Company generated data where applicable. Generally, cash flows from loans and securities are assumed to be reinvested to maintain a static balance sheet. Other assumptions about balance sheet mix are generally held constant. There were no material changes to the way that the Company measures market risk in 2022. The Company has changed its summary presentation of interest rate sensitivity from an analysis of ramped changes to interest rate shocks in order to better focus on the dynamics and uncertainties of the current markets.
CHANGE IN NET INTEREST INCOME
Parallel Interest Rate Shock - Basis Points
1-12 Months 13-24 Months
% Change % Change
At December 31, 2022
+200 1.8 % 6.1 %
+100 0.8 2.9
-100 (1.6) (4.3)
-200 (5.2) (10.8)
At December 31, 2021
+200 13.1 16.1
+100 5.6 6.5
-100 (0.1) (1.2)
-200 NA NA
The Company was significantly asset sensitive at year-end 2021, which benefited the Company in the 2022 environment of rising interest rates. This environment also contributed to growing sensitivity during the year to negative earnings impacts in the unexpected situation of interest rate decreases, as asset yields increased while deposit costs remained well-controlled. Over the course of the year, the Company increased the duration of assets with the growth of the mortgage portfolio, and in the second half of the year the Company employed hedging strategies with interest rate swaps and collars. As a result, year-end 2022 interest rate sensitivity was much closer to neutral, while remaining modestly asset sensitive, in line with the market expectation of further interest rate increases in 2023. Changes to first year modeled net interest income were under 2% in modeled scenarios of 100 basis point shocks in both up and down scenarios. This sensitivity was also under 2% for a 200 basis point upward shock, compared to the modeled 13.1% sensitivity at the start of the year. At year-end 2022, a down 200 basis point shock scenario was added to the model due to the increase in interest rates during the year. The change to first year modeled net interest income was down 5.2% under this scenario.
The Company also models net interest income sensitivity to interest rate ramps over a twelve month period. In all cases, these sensitivities were modestly lower than those modeled for interest rate shocks of the same magnitude. At year-end 2022, the modeled year one sensitivity to a +100 basis point interest rate ramp was 0.6% and the year two sensitivity was 2.6%. The Company also models sensitivity to yield curve twists, and sensitivity remained positive in most scenarios for widening and narrowing of the yield curve.
While the sensitivity of net interest income is the primary driver of the sensitivity of net income, the latter is more sensitive than the former since it is net of expenses. In the case of the first year of a 100 basis point scenario, the modeled shock sensitivity of net income is 1.7% in an upward shock and -3.3% in a downward shock.
Economic value of equity sensitivity to changes in market rates at year-end 2022 was neutral for a 200 basis point upward shock and was -5.4% for a similar downward shock.
A critical component of modeling is the assumption of deposit interest rate sensitivity (deposit “beta”). The Company expects the total deposits beta through the duration of an interest rate cycle to be in the area of 30-40%, which includes an assumption that non-interest bearing deposit balances remain unchanged for modeling purposes. The actual cost of deposits in 2022 has been less sensitive than the Company’s traditional modeling assumptions due to the rapid increase in interest rates and high liquidity in the economy in the unusual conditions prevailing in 2022.
Modeled interest rate sensitivity depends on other material assumptions. Market risk exposure is affected by the level and shape of the yield curve in markets for financial instruments including U.S. Treasury obligations, forward interest rate derivatives, the U.S. prime interest rate, and LIBOR related rates. Also, the economic impact on customer and market behaviors of the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain and may cause actual events to differ from assumptions. The behavior of markets under the historically unusual conditions currently prevailing may be different from modeling assumptions, and the Company continues to monitor the markets and the assumptions in its model.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
ITEM 8. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The Consolidated Financial Statements and supplementary data required by this item are presented elsewhere in this report beginning on page, in the order shown below:
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID 173)
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income/(Loss) for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

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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
The Company’s management, including the Company’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures,” as such term is defined in Rule 13a and 15(d) -15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”) as of December 31, 2021. Based upon their evaluation, the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer concluded that, as of that date, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective for the purpose of ensuring that the information required to be disclosed in the reports that the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”): (1) is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms; and (2) is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
The Company evaluated changes in its internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that occurred during the last fiscal quarter. The Company determined that there were no changes that materially affected, or were reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting and the independent registered public accounting firm’s report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting are contained in “Item 8 - Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
For information concerning the directors of the Company, the information contained under the sections captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One-Year Term” in Berkshire’s Proxy Statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“Proxy Statement”) is incorporated by reference. The following table sets forth certain information regarding the executive officers of the Company.
Name Age Position
Nitin J. Mhatre 52 President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; Chief Executive Officer - Berkshire Bank; Director of Berkshire Hills Bancorp and Berkshire Bank
Sean A. Gray 46 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer; President - Berkshire Bank
David Rosato 61 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Lucia “Lucy” Bellomia 57 Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Retail Banking
James Brown 57 Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial Banking
Jennifer M. Carmichael 46 Executive Vice President, Chief Internal Audit Officer
Jacqueline Courtwright 59 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Culture Officer
Ashlee Flores 38 Executive Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer
Philip Jurgeleit 53 Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer
Gregory D. Lindenmuth 55 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer
Wm. Gordon Prescott 61 Senior Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Sumant Pustake 38 Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation & Strategy Officer
Ellen Steinfeld 61 Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Consumer Lending & Payments
Jason T. White 47 Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer - Berkshire Bank
The executive officers are elected annually and hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified or until they are removed or replaced.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Nitin J. Mhatre. Age 52. Mr. Mhatre was appointed to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank in January 2021. He was also appointed as a Director of the Company and the Bank. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Mhatre was Executive Vice President, Community Banking, at Webster Bank, where he led consumer and business banking businesses. Before joining Webster in 2009, Mr. Mhatre spent 13 years at Citi Group in various leadership roles across consumer-related businesses globally.
Sean A. Gray. Age 46. Mr. Gray was appointed to the role of Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer; President of the Bank in November 2018. He was previously Senior Executive Vice President of the Company and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank since 2015. Mr. Gray joined the Company in retail banking in 2007 and attained the position of Executive Vice President, Retail Banking. Previously, he was Vice President and Consumer Market Manager at Bank of America, in Waltham, Massachusetts.
David Rosato. Age 61. Mr. Rosato joined the Company in February 2023 as Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. He spent the last 15 years with People’s United Financial, Inc., eight of which as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining People’s United, Mr. Rosato worked at Webster Financial Corporation, including serving as its Treasurer, and M&T Bank Corporation. Mr. Rosato is a former board member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston.
Lucia “Lucy” Bellomia. Age 57. Ms. Bellomia is Senior Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Banking. She oversees the retail branch network, branch training, the MyBanker program, Call Center, Branch Operations, Retail Sales and Service Delivery. Prior to joining Berkshire in September 2021, she served as the Executive SVP, PM, Community Banking, Northeast Region, for Bank of America. She previously held positions at the Police and Fire Credit Union in Philadelphia, Santander Bank, PNC Bank, Sun National Bank, and Pioneer Savings and Loans.
James Brown. Age 57. Mr. Brown joined the Company in January 2023 as Senior Executive Vice President, Commercial Banking. Mr. Brown is responsible for all aspects of commercial banking operations, including the middle-market, business banking and asset based lending teams. Previously, he spent more than 20 years at Boston Private Bank & Trust Company in multiple senior executive roles including Co-President, EVP, Head of Commercial Banking and Credit Administration, and Chief Lending Officer. He served with Silicon Valley Bank as Head of Specialty Commercial within the Private Bank, following the acquisition of Boston Private in 2021
Jennifer M. Carmichael. Age 46. Ms. Carmichael was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Internal Audit Officer of Berkshire Bank in November 2020. She reports to the Audit Committee of the Board and administratively to the CEO. Ms. Carmichael previously served as Senior Vice President and Audit Manager. She joined the Bank in 2016 from Accume Partners where she served as Senior Audit Manager to several clients in the New York and New England regions, including Berkshire.
Jacqueline Courtwright. Age 59. Ms. Courtwright is Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources and has served as Culture Officer since September 2020. She had been appointed as Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer in July 2019. Prior to joining Berkshire in 2012, Ms. Courtwright was VP, Human Resources Business Partner at Citizen Bank and also held senior human resource roles during her 20 years at KeyBank.
Ashlee Flores. Age 38. Ms. Flores was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer in September 2022. She oversees all aspects of the compliance risk management program, including compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, Community Reinvestment Act, consumer protection laws and regulations, as well as the Security and Fraud Investigations functions. Ms. Flores previously served as SVP, Compliance, where she oversaw Berkshire Bank's compliance program. Prior to joining Berkshire Bank, Ms. Flores was a compliance officer at Hampden Bank in Springfield, MA where she managed the compliance and audit program.
Philip Jurgeleit. Age 53. Mr. Jurgeleit joined the Company in January 2023 as Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer. He oversees all aspects of the company's credit underwriting, policy, and approval processes. Mr. Jurgeleit most recently served as SVP and Senior Director of Credit Risk at Santander Bank where he was responsible for all aspects of credit risk management including credit approval, asset quality, underwriting guidelines, and credit policies for the Middle Market, Mid-Corporate, Asset Based Lending, and Healthcare/Not-for-Profit business units. He also held senior leadership roles at Citizens Bank, Webster Bank and Bank of America.
Gregory D. Lindenmuth. Age 55. Mr. Lindenmuth is Senior Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Officer of the Bank, a position he was promoted to in October 2018. Mr. Lindenmuth joined Berkshire in 2016 from the FDIC where he was employed for 24 years and held multiple positions including Senior Risk Examiner for the Division of Risk Management Supervision and Acting Regional Manager for the Division of Insurance and Research. With the FDIC, Mr. Lindenmuth was also a Capital Markets, Mortgage Banking, and Fraud Specialist.
Wm. Gordon Prescott, Age 61. Mr. Prescott is Senior Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, a position he was promoted to in October 2018. Mr. Prescott joined Berkshire in 2008 as VP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Mr. Prescott has 30 plus years of experience in the legal profession, including extensive experience as in-house corporate counsel, most recently with KB Toys Inc. prior to joining the Bank.
Sumant Pustake. Age 38_. Mr. Pustake was promoted to Executive Vice President in February 2023 and has served as Chief Transformation and Strategy Officer since June 2021. Mr. Pustake previously oversaw Berkshire's corporate development efforts, where he served as the development leader and helped define and realize Berkshire’s vision and growth strategy. Prior to joining Berkshire Bank, he served as Vice President, Head of Corporate Credit for Commerce Bank and Trust at the time of its acquisition by Berkshire in 2017.
Ellen Steinfeld, Age 61. Ms. Steinfeld is Senior Executive Vice President and Head of Consumer Lending & Payments. She is responsible for Mortgage Banking sales and operations, Home Equity, Consumer Lending and Payments. Prior to joining Berkshire in September 2021, she was President of Innovative Lending Strategic Solutions LLC. Before her consulting role, she was Managing Director and US Consumer Lending Executive for TIAA-CREF, where she managed Mortgage Lending, Small Business Lending, Consumer Lending. She has also held management positions at Hudson City Savings, Citizens Bank, RBC Wealth Management, and E*TRADE Financial. (Note: Ms. Steinfeld’s stock ownership reports to the SEC are filed under her legal name of Ellen Tulchiner).
Jason T. White, Age 47. Mr. White is Senior Executive Vice President and was named Chief Information Officer of Berkshire Bank in November 2020. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer since May 2019 when he joined the Bank following the acquisition of Savings Institute Bank & Trust, where he served as Chief Information Officer and Information Security Officer.
Reference is made to the cover page of this report and to the section captioned “Additional Information - Other Information Relating to Directors and Executive Officers - Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports” in the Proxy Statement for information regarding compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act. For information concerning the audit committee and the audit committee financial expert, reference is made to the section captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One-Year Term", "Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for One Year Term - Corporate Governance - Committees of the Board of Directors”, and “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One Year Term - Board Committees and Responsibilities" in the Proxy Statement.
For information concerning the Company’s code of ethics, the information contained under the section captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One Year Term - Corporate Governance - Code of Business Conduct and Anonymous Reporting Line Policy” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
A copy of the Company’s code of ethics is available to stockholders on the Company’s website at:
berkshirebank.com under the Investor Relations tab.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
For information regarding executive compensation, the sections captioned “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One-Year Term”, “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors of a One Year Term - Corporate Governance - Committees of the Board of Directors”, and “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One Year Term - Board Committees and Responsibilities” in the Proxy Statement are incorporated herein by reference.
For information regarding the Compensation Committee Report, the section captioned “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” in the Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
(a)Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the section captioned “Additional Information - Stock Ownership” in the Proxy Statement.
(b)Security Ownership of Management
Information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the section captioned “Additional Information - Stock Ownership” in the Proxy Statement.
(c)Changes in Control
Management of Berkshire knows of no arrangements, including any pledge by any person of securities of Berkshire, the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of the registrant.
(d)Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table sets forth information, as of December 31, 2022, about Company common stock that may be issued upon exercise of options under stock-based benefit plans maintained by the Company, as well as the number of securities available for issuance under equity compensation plans:
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 the first column)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
49,200 $ 25.62 1,500,355
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
- - -
Total 49,200 $ 25.62 1,500,355

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the sections captioned “Additional Information - Other Information Relating to Directors and Executive Officers - Transactions with Related Persons" and “Additional Information - Other Information Relating to Directors and Executive Officers - Procedures Governing Related Persons Transactions” in the Proxy Statement. Information regarding director independence is incorporated herein by reference to the section “Proposal 1 - Election of Directors for a One Year Term” in the Proxy Statement.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The information required by this item is incorporated herein by reference to the section captioned “Proposal 3 - Ratification of the Appointment of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Proxy Statement.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) [1] Consolidated Financial Statements
•Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
•Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2022 and 2021
•Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
•Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss)/Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
•Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
•Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020
•Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
The Consolidated Financial Statements required to be filed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K are included in Part II, Item 8 hereof.
[2] Financial Statement Schedules
All financial statement schedules are omitted because the required information is either included or is not applicable.
[3] Exhibits
3.1 Amended Certificate of Incorporation of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (1)
3.2 Amended and Restated Bylaws of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (2)
3.4 Certificate of Designations of the Series B Non-Voting Preferred Stock (3)
4.1 Form of Common Stock Certificate of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (1)
4.2 Note Subscription Agreement by and among Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. and certain subscribers dated September 20, 2012 (5)
4.3 Description of Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. Securities (6)
10.1 Three-Year Employment Agreement by and among Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc., Berkshire Bank and Nitin J. Mhatre (7)
10.2 Berkshire Bank Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement entered into with Nitin J. Mhatre (8)
10.3 Amended and Restated Three Year Change in Control Agreement by and among Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc., Berkshire Bank and Sean A. Gray (9)
10.4 Supplemental Executive Retirement Agreement between Berkshire Bank and Sean A. Gray (10)
10.5 Three Year Executive Change in Control Agreement by and among Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. Berkshire Bank and George F. Bacigalupo (11)
10.6 Berkshire Bank Enhanced Change in Control Severance Plan (Gregory D. Lindenmuth and Brett Brbovic) (12)
10.7 Form of Split Dollar Agreement entered into with Sean A. Gray (13)
10.8 Berkshire Bank Executive Long-Term Care Insurance Plan (14)
10.9 Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan (15)
10.10 Senior Executive Short Term Incentive Plan (16)
10.11 Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (17)
10.12 Transition Agreement and Release of Claims entered into with Subhadeep Basu (18)
10.13 Transition Agreement entered into with Deborah Stephenson (19)
21.0 Subsidiary Information
23.1 Consent of Crowe LLP
31.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
31.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.1 Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
32.2 Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101 Interactive data files pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T: (i) the Consolidated Statements of Condition, (ii) the Consolidated Statements of Income, (iii) the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, (iv) the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity, (v) the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and (vi) the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements tagged as blocks of text and in detail
(1) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to Form 10-Q as filed on August 9, 2018
(2) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 8-K as filed on June 26, 2017.
(3) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to Form S-1, Registration Statement and amendments thereto, initially filed on March 10, 2000, Registration No. 333-32146.
(4) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 8-K as filed on October 16, 2017.
(5) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 8-K as filed on September 26, 2012.
(6) Incorporated herein by reference from Exhibit 4.3 to the Form 10-K as filed on February 28, 2020.
(7) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit to the Form 8-K as filed on January 26, 2021.
(8) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit to the Form 8-K as filed on April 2, 2021.
(9) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 10-K as filed on March 16, 2011.
(10) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 8-K as filed on February 22, 2019.
(11) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 10-K as filed on March 17, 2014.
(12) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 10-K as filed on February 28, 2020.
(13) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit to the Form 8-K as filed on January 19, 2011.
(14) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 8-K as filed on January 23, 2015.
(15) Incorporated herein by reference from the Appendix to the Proxy Statement as filed on April 6, 2018.
(16) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibits to the Form 10-Q as filed on May 10, 2019.
(17) Incorporated herein by reference from the Appendix to the Proxy Statement as filed on April 8, 2022.
(18) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit to the Form 8-K as filed on October 13, 2022.
(19) Incorporated herein by reference from the Exhibit to the Form 8-K as filed on September 12, 2022.