Note 2 - Use of Estimates

Preparing financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period, as well as the disclosures provided. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates associated with the allowance for loan losses, fair values of foreclosed real estate, loan servicing rights, investment securities, deferred tax assets, goodwill, and the status of contingencies are particularly susceptible to material change in the near term.

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was reported in China, and, in March 2020, the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 has adversely impacted a broad range of industries in which the Bancorp’s customers operate and could impair their ability to fulfill their financial obligations to the Bancorp. The spread of the outbreak has caused significant disruptions in the U.S. economy and has disrupted banking and other financial activity in the areas in which the Bancorp operates.

Currently, the Bancorp does not expect COVID-19 to affect its ability to account for the assets on its balance sheet in a timely manner; however, this could change in future periods. While certain valuation assumptions and judgments will change to account for pandemic-related circumstances such as widening credit spreads, the Bancorp does not anticipate significant changes in methodology used to determine the fair value of assets measured in accordance with GAAP.

The Bancorp is working with customers directly affected by COVID-19 in a discliplined manner.  The Bancorp is prepared to offer short-term assistance in accordance with regulatory guidelines for those customers specifically facing financial hardships due to the pandemic.  As a result of the current economic environment caused by the COVID-19 virus, the Bancorp is engaging in more frequent communication with borrowers to better understand their situation and the challenges faced, allowing it to respond proactively as needs and issues arise. Should economic conditions worsen, the Bancorp could experience further increases in its required allowance for loan loss and record additional provision for loan loss expense. It is possible that the Bancorp’s asset quality measures could worsen at future measurement periods if the effects of COVID-19 are prolonged.

In addition, COVID-19 could cause a further and sustained decline in the Bancorp’s stock price or the occurrence of what management would deem to be a triggering event that could, under certain circumstances, cause us to perform goodwill and intangible asset impairment tests and result in an impairment charge being recorded for that period. In the event that the Bancorp concludes that all or a portion of its goodwill or intangible assets are impaired, a non-cash charge for the amount of such impairment would be recorded to earnings. Such a charge would have no impact on tangible capital or regulatory capital. Details on goodwill impairment testing can be found in Note 7, Intangibles and Acquisition Related Accounting.