GERMAN AMERICAN BANCORP INC

The federal banking regulators regularly issue new guidance and standards, and update existing guidance and standards, regarding cybersecurity intended to enhance cyber risk management among financial institutions. Financial institutions are expected to comply with such guidance and standards and to accordingly develop appropriate security controls and risk management processes. If we fail to observe such regulatory guidance or standards, we could be subject to various regulatory sanctions, including financial penalties. In 2023, the SEC issued a final rule that requires disclosure of material cybersecurity incidents, as well as cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance. Under this rule, banking organizations that are SEC registrants must generally disclose information about a material cybersecurity incident within four business days of determining it is material with periodic updates as to the status of the incident in subsequent filings as necessary.

Under a final rule adopted by federal banking regulators in 2021, banking organizations are required to notify their primary banking regulator within 36 hours of determining that a “computer-security incident” has materially disrupted or degraded, or is reasonably likely to materially disrupt or degrade, the banking organization’s (i) ability to carry out banking operations or deliver banking products and services to a material portion of its customer base, (ii) businesses and operations that would result in material loss, or (iii) operations that would impact the financial stability of the United States.

State regulators have also been increasingly active in implementing privacy and cybersecurity standards and regulations. Recently, several states have adopted regulations requiring certain financial institutions to implement cybersecurity programs and many states, including Indiana, have also recently implemented or modified their data breach notification, information security and data privacy requirements. We expect this trend of state-level activity in those areas to continue and are continually monitoring developments in the states in which our customers are located.

See Item 1A. Risk Factors for a further discussion of risks related to cybersecurity and Item 1C. Cybersecurity for a further discussion of risk management strategies and governance processes related to cybersecurity.

Future Legislation and Regulation

The U.S. Congress may enact legislation from time to time that affects the regulation of the financial services industry, and state legislatures may enact legislation from time to time affecting the regulation of financial institutions chartered by or operating in those states. Federal and state regulatory agencies also periodically propose and adopt changes to their regulations or change the manner in which existing regulations are applied. The substance or impact of pending or future legislation or regulation, or the application thereof, cannot be predicted, although any change could impact the regulatory structure under which we or our competitors operate and may significantly increase costs, impede the efficiency of internal business processes, require an increase in regulatory capital, require modifications to our business strategy, and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities in an efficient manner. It could also affect our competitors differently than us, including in a manner that would make them more competitive. A change in statutes, regulations or regulatory policies applicable to the Company or any of its subsidiaries could have a material, adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Impact of Presidential and Congressional Elections on Recent Rulemaking

Control of the White House and the U.S. Congress shifted to the Republican Party in January 2025 following the November 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections. As a result, there has been much discussion about significant reductions in financial services regulation, potentially including amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act and other federal banking laws, and structural changes to the CFPB. In addition, changes in the leadership of the FDIC and CFPB have also been announced by the new Administration. However, the impact of such changes on the regulatory, enforcement and supervisory priorities are uncertain at this time.

Internet Address; Internet Availability of SEC Reports

The Company’s Internet address is www.germanamerican.com.

The Company makes available, free of charge through the Investor Relations - Financial Information section of its Internet website, the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, its current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC.

Forward-Looking Statements and Associated Risks

The Company from time to time in its oral and written communications makes statements relating to its expectations regarding the future. These types of statements are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can include statements about the Company’s net interest income or net interest margin; adequacy of the Company’s capital under regulatory requirements and of its allowance for loan losses, and the quality of the Company’s loans, investment securities and other assets; simulations of changes in interest rates; litigation results; dividend policy; acquisitions or mergers; estimated cost savings, plans and objectives for future operations; and expectations about the Company’s financial and business performance and other business matters as well as economic and market conditions and trends. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report, including statements regarding our financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of our management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this Report, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “can”, “may”, “will”, “might” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors.

Actual results may differ materially and adversely from the expectations of the Company that are expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. The discussions in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” and in Item 7 of this Form 10-K, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” list some of the factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Those risks, and other risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement, include but are not limited to:

•changes in interest rates and the timing and magnitude of any such changes;

•unfavorable economic conditions, including a prolonged period of inflation, and the resulting adverse impact on, among other things, credit quality;

•the soundness of other financial institutions and general investor sentiment regarding the stability of financial institutions;

•changes in our liquidity position;

•the impacts of epidemics, pandemics or other infectious disease outbreaks;

•changes in competitive conditions;

•the introduction, withdrawal, success and timing of asset/liability management strategies or of mergers and acquisitions and other business initiatives and strategies;

•changes in customer borrowing, repayment, investment and deposit practices;

•changes in fiscal, monetary and tax policies;

•changes in financial and capital markets;

•capital management activities, including possible future sales of new securities, or possible repurchases or redemptions by the Company of outstanding debt or equity securities;

•risks of expansion through acquisitions and mergers, including the possibility that the anticipated cost savings and strategic gains, are not realized when expected or at all as a result of unexpected credit quality problems of the acquired loans or other assets, unexpected attrition of the customer base or employee base of the acquired institution or branches, and difficulties in integration of the acquired operations;

•factors driving impairment charges on investments;

•the impact, extent and timing of technological changes;

•potential cyber-attacks, information security breaches and other criminal activities;

•litigation liabilities, including related costs, expenses, settlements and judgments, or the outcome of matters before regulatory agencies, whether pending or commencing in the future;

•actions of the FRB;

•the potential for increases to, and volatility in, the balance of our allowance for credit losses and related provision expense due to the current expected credit loss (CECL) standard;

•changes in accounting principles and interpretations;

•potential increases of federal deposit insurance premium expense, and possible future special assessments of FDIC premiums, either industry wide or specific to the Company’s banking subsidiary;

•actions of the regulatory authorities under the Dodd-Frank Act and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and other possible legislative and regulatory actions and reforms;

•impacts resulting from possible amendments or revisions to the Dodd-Frank Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder, or to CFPB rules and regulations; and

•the continued availability of earnings and excess capital sufficient for the lawful and prudent declaration and payment of cash dividends.

Such statements reflect our views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. It is intended that these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.