MEDALLION FINANCIAL CORP

We, Medallion Financial Corp., or the Company, are a specialty finance company organized as a Delaware corporation. Our strategic focus is growing our consumer finance and commercial lending businesses. Our total assets were $2.6 billion as of December 31, 2023 and $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2022.

We conduct our business through various wholly-owned subsidiaries, including:

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Medallion Bank, or the Bank, a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, insured industrial bank that originates consumer loans, raises deposits and conducts other banking activities;

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Medallion Capital, Inc., or Medallion Capital, a Small Business Investment Company, or SBIC, which conducts a mezzanine financing business;

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Medallion Funding LLC, or Medallion Funding, an SBIC, historically our primary taxi medallion lending company; and

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Freshstart Venture Capital Corp., or Freshstart, which historically originated and serviced taxi medallion and commercial loans and was an SBIC through 2023.

Our Market

We provide loans to individuals and small to mid-size businesses, through our subsidiaries, under four operating segments:

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loans that finance consumer purchases of recreational vehicles, boats, and other consumer recreational equipment;

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loans that finance consumer home improvements;

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loans that finance commercial businesses; and

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historically, loans that finance taxi medallions.

The following table shows our loans receivable as of December 31, 2023.

(1)

Strategic partnership loans are held in our non-operating segment.

Recreation Lending

Recreation lending is a growth-oriented business focused on originating prime and non-prime recreation loans, comprising 60% of our loans receivable as of December 31, 2023. The segment is a significant source of income, accounting for 67% of our interest income for the year ended December 31, 2023. All of our recreation loans are serviced by a third-party loan servicer that we have used since the business’s inception.

We maintain relationships with approximately 3,200 dealers and financial service providers, or FSPs, not all of which are active at any one time. FSPs are entities that provide finance and insurance, or F&I, services to small dealers that do not have the desire or ability to provide F&I services themselves. The ability of FSPs to aggregate the financing and relationship management for many small dealers makes them valuable to us. We receive approximately half of our loan volume from dealers and the other half from FSPs. Our top ten dealer and FSP relationships were responsible for 43% of recreation lending’s new loan originations for the year ended December 31, 2023. The percentage of new loan originations by the top ten dealer and FSP relationships is a measure of concentration, which management uses to determine whether to undertake diversification efforts, and which provides investors with information about origination concentration.

The recreation loan portfolio consists of thousands of geographically distributed loans with an average loan size of approximately $20,000 as of December 31, 2023. The loans are fixed rate with an average term at origination of 12.9 years. The weighted average maturity of our loans outstanding is 10.0 years. The size, geographic dispersion, source and collateral variety of the loans reduces risk to the Company. As of December 31, 2023, recreation loans were primarily secured by recreational vehicles, or RVs, which make up 54% of the portfolio, and boat loans, which make up 19% of the portfolio. Recreation loans are made to borrowers residing nationwide, with the highest concentrations in Texas and Florida, at 15% and 10% of loans outstanding as of December 31, 2023 with no other states at or above 10%. As of December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the weighted average FICO scores, measured at origination, of our recreation loans outstanding were 683, 671, and 668. The weighted average FICO scores at the time of origination for the loans funded in the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 were 686, 676, and 684.

Home Improvement Lending

Working directly with contractors and FSPs, we offer flexible customer financing for window, siding, and roof replacement, swimming pool installations, and other home improvement projects. Our core product is a standard installment loan, which features affordable monthly payments and competitive interest rates for prime credit customers at no cost to the contractor. We also offer a variety of promotional loan options to help contractors close a challenging sale. Promotional loan options include same-as-cash, no interest, and deferred payment features, which allow borrowers to reduce the total cost of financing or start repayments when it is most convenient. Home improvement loans comprised 34% of our loans receivable as of December 31, 2023.

Home improvement lending operates in a manner similar to recreation lending, with a few key differences. We currently maintain a smaller number of relationships, with approximately 800 contractors and FSPs. Management monitors the number of contractors and FSPs and their relative contributions as a means of assessing market share and segment growth. Most of our home improvement-financed sales take place in the borrower’s home instead of a store, with the contractor presenting the borrower with a bid that includes a financing option.

A large proportion of our home improvement-financed sales are facilitated by contractor salespeople with limited financing backgrounds rather than by contractor employees who provide F&I services. The result is contractor demand for financing services that facilitate an in-home transaction (e.g., digital tools, including mobile applications for phone or tablet, support for E-SIGN compliant electronic signatures, and extended operating hours), and additional resources for the salesperson throughout the financing process. Our top ten contractors and FSP relationships were responsible for 57% of home improvement lending’s new loan originations for the year ended December 31, 2023. The percentage of new loan originations by the top ten contractor and FSP relationships is a measure of concentration, which management uses to determine whether to undertake diversification efforts, and which provides investors with information about origination concentration.

We offer home improvement loans with only fixed rates, with an average term at origination of 13.6 years. The weighted average maturity of our loans outstanding is 12.3 years as of December 31, 2023. The average size of the loans in our home improvement portfolio at December 31, 2023 was approximately $20,000. The geographic dispersion of the home improvement loan portfolio supplements credit quality in reducing risk to the Company. As of December 31, 2023, home improvement loans were concentrated in roofs, swimming pools, and windows at 41%, 20%, and 13%. Home improvement loans are made to borrowers residing nationwide, with the highest concentrations in Texas and Florida both at 10% of loans outstanding as of December 31, 2023, and with no other states at or above 10%. As of December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the weighted average FICO scores, measured at origination, of our home improvement loans outstanding were 764, 753, and 754. The weighted average FICO scores at the time of origination for the loans funded in the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 were 771, 758, and 759.

Commercial Lending

We originate both senior and subordinated loans nationwide to businesses to finance either the purchase of the equipment and related assets necessary to open a new business or the purchase or improvement of an existing business. From the inception of the commercial loan business, we have originated more than $1.0 billion in commercial loans. Commercial loans of $114.8 million comprised 5% of our loans receivable as of December 31, 2023.

We have worked to increase our commercial loan activity, primarily because of the attractive higher yielding nature of most of this business. We focus our marketing efforts on the manufacturing, professional, scientific, and technical services, with California, and Minnesota each representing 27% and 12% of the segment portfolio, and no other states having a concentration greater than 10%. These commercial loans are primarily secured by a second position on all assets of the businesses and generally range in amount from $2.5 million to $6.0 million at origination. As a component of most of the transactions, a portion of the investment is an equity or partnership stake, and occasionally, we also receive warrants to purchase an equity interest in the borrowers or some other form of success fee or profit participation. We seek to expand our commercial loan activities by developing a more diverse borrower base with a wider geographic area of coverage, and by expanding the targeted industries.

Commercial loans are generally secured by equipment, accounts receivable, real estate, or other assets, and have interest rates averaging 437 basis points over the prevailing prime rate at the end of 2023, compared to 473 basis points over the prime rate at the end of 2022.

Taxi Medallion Lending

Taxi medallion loans of $3.7 million comprised less than 1% of our loans receivable as of December 31, 2023. Taxi medallion loans collateralized by taxi medallions in the New York City metropolitan area and related assets comprised 100% of the taxi medallion loan portfolio as of December 31, 2023.

Our taxi medallion loans are secured by the taxi medallion and enhanced with personal guarantees of the owners, shareholders or equity members. When a borrower defaults on a loan, we have the ability to restructure the underlying loan or repossess the taxi medallion collateralizing that loan and sell it in the market or through a foreclosure auction and pursue the personal guarantees, all of which we have done. We have recorded an allowance for credit losses against the loans to mitigate potential future losses, and since 2020, the entire portfolio has remained on nonaccrual. Consistent with our established policy, once loans become 120 days past due, they are charged off down to collateral value and transferred to loan collateral in process of foreclosure. Taxi medallion loan collateral in process of foreclosure was $10.0 million as of December 31, 2023, with 100% located in the New York City metropolitan area.

New York City Market. A New York City taxi medallion is the only permitted license to operate a taxi and accept street hails in New York City. As reported by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, or TLC, taxi medallions sold for a wide variety of prices during 2023 supporting our estimated value of $79,500, net of liquidation costs, as of December 31, 2023.

A prospective taxi medallion owner must qualify under the taxi medallion ownership standards set and enforced by the TLC. These standards prohibit individuals with criminal records from owning taxi medallions, require that the funds used to purchase taxi medallions be derived from legitimate sources, and mandate that taxi vehicles and meters meet TLC specifications. In addition, before the TLC will approve a taxi medallion transfer, the TLC requires a letter from the seller’s insurer stating that there are no outstanding claims for personal injuries in excess of insurance coverage. After the transfer is approved, the owner’s taxi is subject to quarterly TLC inspections.

Strategic Partnerships

In 2019, the Bank launched a strategic partnership program to provide lending and other services to financial technology, or fintech, companies to offer loans and other financial services to customers. The Bank entered into an initial partnership in 2020 and began issuing its first loans. The associated activities are currently limited to originating loans or other receivables facilitated by our strategic partners and selling those loans or receivables to our strategic partners or other third parties without recourse within a specified time after origination, such as three business days. Revenues are currently derived primarily from contracted program fees paid to us by our strategic partners and interest income earned while the loans or receivables remain on our books, offset by any transaction fees paid by us to our strategic partners for their role in processing loan applications. We originated $118.3 million and $49.5 million of strategic partnership loans for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. We held $0.6 million of strategic partnership loans as of both December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Our Strategy

Our core philosophy has been to identify markets that are profitable and where we can obtain defensible market positions. The key elements of our strategy to grow our consumer lending (recreation and home improvement) and commercial lending businesses and increase their profitability include:

Capitalize on relationships with brokers and dealers. We are committed to establishing, building, and maintaining relationships with our brokers and dealers. Our marketing efforts are focused on building relationships in the consumer markets as we work directly with dealerships, contractors and FSPs to offer quality financing for their customers, including those with past credit challenges. We believe that relationships with dealers and brokers provide us with, in addition to loan origination opportunities, significant benefits, including an additional layer of due diligence and additional monitoring capabilities. We have assembled a management team that has developed an extensive network of dealer and broker relationships in our target markets over the last 50 years. We believe that our management team’s relationships with these dealers and brokers have provided and will continue to provide us with loan origination opportunities. In 2023, all of our consumer loans were generated by brokers, dealers, contractors, and FSPs.

Focus on niche industries and our expertise in these niche fields. We specialize in providing consumer loans for the purchase of RVs, boats, and other consumer recreational equipment, and to finance home improvements through contractors and suppliers in the home improvement sector. We believe our focus on these niche areas provides us with an opportunity to realize favorable returns.

Employ disciplined underwriting policies and maintain rigorous portfolio monitoring. We have an extensive loan underwriting and monitoring process. We conduct a thorough analysis of each potential loan and its prospects, competitive position, financial performance, and industry dynamics. We stress the importance of credit and risk analysis in our underwriting process. We believe that our continued adherence to this disciplined process will permit us to continue to generate a stable, diversified and increasing revenue stream of current income from our earning assets to enable us to make distributions to our stockholders.

Leverage the skills of our experienced management team. The members of our management team have broad investment backgrounds, with prior experience in banking and non-bank consumer and commercial lending, at specialty finance companies, middle market commercial banks, and other financial services companies. We believe that the experience and contacts of our management team will continue to allow us to effectively implement the key aspects of our business strategy.

Seek strategic acquisitions. In addition to increasing market share in existing lending markets and identifying new niches, we seek to acquire other financing businesses and related portfolios, and specialty finance companies that make secured loans to small businesses and consumers which have experienced historically low credit losses similar to our own. Since our initial public offering in May 1996, we have acquired eight specialty finance companies, five loan portfolios, and three taxi rooftop advertising companies.

Expand our strategic partnership program. We launched an initial fintech partnership during 2020. These activities include originating loans or other receivables marketed by our partners and selling those loans or receivables to our partners or others, within a specified time after origination, such as three business days. Revenues are derived primarily from contracted program fees paid to us by our partners, and interest income earned while the loans or receivables are on our books, offset by transaction fees paid to our partners for processing loan applications. Our partners are non-banks offering loans and other financial services to their customers. We continue to evaluate and launch additional partnerships.

Loan Characteristics

Consumer Loans. Consumer loans generally require equal monthly payments covering accrued interest and amortization of principal over a negotiated term, generally around eleven to fourteen years. Interest rates offered are fixed. Borrowers may prepay consumer loans without any prepayment penalty. In general, the Bank has established relationships with dealers, FSPs, and contractors, which are the sources for consumer loan volumes. The loans are made up of recreation loans and home improvement loans which were 64% and 36% of total consumer loans at December 31, 2023.

Our recreation loans are secured primarily by RVs, boats and other consumer recreational equipment with a small proportion of loans secured by other collateral such as autos, motorcycles and boat motors. These loans, which together make up our largest and most profitable loan portfolio, have a weighted average yield of 13.07% at December 31, 2023. Our home improvement loans are secured by the personal property installed on real property, and the security interest for some of these loans is perfected with a UCC fixture filing. As of December 31, 2023, these loans had a weighted average yield of 8.86%.

Commercial Loans. We have typically originated commercial loans in principal amounts generally ranging from $2.5 million to $6.0 million, and occasionally have originated loans under or in excess of those amounts. These loans are generally retained and typically have maturities ranging from three to ten years and require monthly payments ranging from full amortization over the loan term to fully deferred interest and principal at maturity, with multiple payment options in between. All loans may be prepaid, and in the first five years, a prepayment fee may be owed to us. The term of, and interest rate charged on, certain of our outstanding loans are subject to the regulations of the Small Business Administration, or the SBA. Under SBA regulations, the maximum rate of interest permitted on loans originated by us is 19%; however, terms and interest rates are subject to market competition for all loans.

Taxi Medallion Loans. Our taxi medallion loan portfolio consists of mostly fixed-rate loans, collateralized by first security interests in taxi medallions and related assets. We estimate that the weighted average loan-to-value ratio of all of the taxi medallion loans was 183% as of December 31, 2023, compared to 339% as of December 31, 2022. These ratios do not factor in the reserve on these loans of $1.5 million and $9.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 and also do not include loan collateral in process of foreclosure, held at the lower of amortized cost or collateral value. In addition, we have recourse against the vast majority of the owners of the taxi medallions and related assets through personal guarantees. Other than in connection with dispositions of existing taxi medallion assets, Medallion Financial Corp. has not originated a new taxi medallion loan since 2015, and the Bank has not originated a new taxi medallion loan since 2014.

Marketing, Origination, and Loan Approval Process

Each loan application is individually reviewed through analysis of several factors, including loan-to-value ratios, the borrower’s credit history, public records, personal interviews, trade references, personal inspection of the premises, and approval from the TLC, SBA, or other regulatory body, if applicable. Each commercial and taxi medallion loan applicant is required to provide personal or corporate tax returns, premises leases, and/or property deeds.

The Company’s senior management establishes loan origination criteria. Loans that conform to such criteria may be processed by a loan officer with the proper credit authority, and non-conforming loans (other than those by the Bank) must be approved by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, President, and/or the Chief Credit Officer and the Investment Oversight Committee of the Company’s board of directors. Loan criteria for loans originated with the Bank is established by the Bank’s board of directors and senior management. The Bank’s policies identify specific approval authorities for its recreation and home improvement loans. Policy exceptions are reported to the Bank’s board of directors. Consumer loans are primarily sourced through relationships with RV and boat dealers, and home improvement contractors throughout our market area. Commercial loans are generally sourced through a network of private equity sponsors who we have long-standing relationships with, and are also referred by contacts with banks.

Sources of Funds

Management determines our funding sources, based upon an analysis of the respective financial and other costs and burdens associated with funding sources. We also fund our lending operations through debt offerings and private placements, fixed-rate, senior secured notes, long-term subordinated debentures issued to the SBA, as well as preferred equity securities at our subsidiaries. In the past, we have utilized credit facilities with banks, as well as equity and debt offerings, to fund our lending operations. Our funding strategy and interest rate risk management strategy is to have the proper structuring of debt to minimize both rate and maturity risk, while maximizing returns with the lowest cost of funding over an intermediate period of time. Since the inception of the Bank, substantially all of the Bank’s borrowings have been provided by FDIC insured brokered certificates of deposit.

The table below summarizes our sources of available funds and amounts outstanding under credit facilities, exclusive of deferred financing costs of $8.5 million, and their weighted average interest rates at December 31, 2023. See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements for additional information.

(1)

Includes $110.0 million at the Bank and $8.9 million at SBIC subsidiaries.

We fund our fixed-rate loans with fixed rate brokered or listing service certificates of deposit, fixed rate private notes, fixed-rate SBA debentures and borrowings, and to a lesser extent variable rate borrowings. The mismatch between maturities and interest-rate sensitivities of these balance sheet items results in interest rate risk. We seek to manage our exposure to increases in market rates of interest to an acceptable level by incurring fixed-rate debt.

Nevertheless, we accept varying degrees of interest rate risk depending on market conditions. For additional discussion of our funding sources and asset liability management strategy, see Asset/Liability Management on page 53.

Competition

Banks, credit unions, and finance companies, some of which are SBICs, compete with us in originating consumer and commercial loans. Many of these competitors have greater resources than we have, and certain competitors are subject to less restrictive regulations than we are. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to identify and complete the financing transactions that will permit us to compete successfully.

Human Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2023, we employed 169 persons: 128 at Medallion Bank, 33 at our parent company, and 8 at Medallion Capital. This compares to 158 persons at the end of 2022: 119 at Medallion Bank, 33 at our parent company, and 6 at Medallion Capital.

We are committed to hiring inclusively, fostering an inclusive culture, and ensuring equitable pay for employees. We value diversity among all of our employees. Equal employment opportunity is a fundamental principle at the Company, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications. We prohibit and do not tolerate any discrimination against employees, applicants, interns or any other covered persons, and we ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, age, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), marital status, familial status, veteran status, genetic information or any other protected characteristic as established by applicable federal, state or local law.

We incentivize our employees through a combination of competitive salary, equity compensation and other benefits. We provide most employees with incentive bonuses in the form of cash and equity. Employee equity ownership helps us attract, retain, motivate and reward employees, while aligning employee compensation with our stockholders’ interests by linking realizable pay with stock performance.

Our Compensation Committee reviews management’s recommendations and advises management and the Board of Directors on broad compensation policies such as salary ranges, annual incentive bonuses, long-term incentive plans, including equity-based compensation programs, and other benefit and perquisite programs.

We have a 401(k) Investment Plan and other generally available benefit programs like health insurance, paid and unpaid leaves, life insurance, disability coverage, accident insurance and critical illness insurance; we believe that the availability of these benefit programs generally enhance employee productivity and loyalty to the Company. We believe it is important for our employees at the Bank to provide service to the communities in which they live and encourage them to take time, including prearranged work time, to participate in activities of local civic organizations, charitable or nonprofit organizations or educational institutions. We value employee development and training and are committed to identifying and developing the talents of our next-generation leaders. Our employee benefits also help protect the health, well-being and financial security of our employees.

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

Exemption from the 1940 Act

In order to maintain our status as a non-investment company, we operate so as to fall outside the definition of an “investment company” or within an applicable exception. We expect to continue to fall within the exception from the definition of an “investment company” provided under Section 3(c)(6) of the 1940 Act as a company primarily engaged, directly or through majority-owned subsidiaries, in the business of, among other things, (i) banking, (ii) purchasing and otherwise acquiring notes, drafts, acceptances, open accounts receivable, and other obligations representing part or all of the sales price of merchandise, insurance and services, and (iii) making loans to manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers of, and to prospective purchasers of, specified merchandise, insurance, and services. We monitor our continued compliance with this exception and were compliant as of December 31, 2023.

Regulation of Medallion Bank as an Industrial Bank

In May 2002, we formed the Bank, which received approval from the FDIC for federal deposit insurance in October 2003. The Bank is subject to extensive federal and state banking laws, regulations, and policies that are intended primarily for the protection of depositors, the Deposit Insurance Fund, and the banking system as a whole, not for the protection of our other creditors and stockholders.

Under the banking charter, the Bank is authorized to make consumer and commercial loans and may accept all FDIC-insured deposits other than demand deposits (checking accounts). As a state-charted non-member bank with FDIC-insured deposits, the Bank is examined, supervised and regulated by the FDIC and the Utah Department of Financial Institutions, or the Utah DFI. The statutes enforced by, and regulations and policies of, these agencies affect almost all aspects of its business, including by prescribing permissible types of loans and investments, the amount of required capital, the permissible scope of its activities and various other requirements. If the Bank’s regulators were to determine that we have violated banking laws and regulations, including by engaging in unsafe and unsound practices, the Bank could be subject to enforcement and other regulatory actions, which could have an adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

Capital Standards

The Bank is subject to risk-based and leverage-based capital ratio requirements under the U.S. Basel III capital rules adopted by the federal banking regulators.

Under the risk-based capital standards, the Bank’s assets, exposures and certain off-balance sheet items are assigned to broad risk categories, each with designated weights, and the resulting capital ratios represent capital as a percentage of total risk-weighted assets. The minimum capital ratios applicable to us are as follows:

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CET1 Risk-Based Capital Ratio, equal to the ratio of Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1), capital to risk-weighted assets. CET1 capital primarily includes common shareholders’ equity subject to certain regulatory adjustments and deductions, including with respect to goodwill, intangible assets, certain deferred tax assets and accumulated other comprehensive income. The minimum CET1 risk-based capital ratio requirement is 4.5%.

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Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Ratio, equal to the ratio of Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets. Tier 1 capital primarily consists of CET1 capital and perpetual preferred stock. The minimum Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio requirement is 6%.

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Total Risk-Based Capital Ratio, equal to the ratio of total capital, including CET1 capital, additional Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 capital, to risk-weighted assets. The Bank’s Tier 2 capital primarily includes allowance for credit losses up to 1.25% of the Bank’s risk-weighted assets. The minimum total risk-based capital ratio requirement is 8%.

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Tier 1 Leverage Ratio, equal to the ratio of Tier 1 capital to quarterly average assets (net of goodwill, certain other intangible assets and certain other deductions). The minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio requirement is 4%.

The prompt corrective action framework, which generally applies to FDIC-insured depository institutions, including the Bank, also includes capital requirements the Bank must satisfy to, among other things, be able to accept brokered deposits without limitations. See “Prompt Corrective Action” and “Brokered Deposits” below.

In addition to meeting the minimum capital requirements, under the U.S. Basel III capital rules, the Bank must also maintain the required capital conservation buffer of 2.5% to avoid becoming subject to restrictions on capital distributions (including dividends on the Bank’s preferred stock) and certain discretionary bonus payments to management. The capital conservation buffer is calculated as a ratio of CET1 capital to risk-weighted assets, and it effectively increases the required minimum risk-based capital ratios.

The table below shows the capital requirements the Bank is required to maintain:

For purposes of calculating the denominator of the three risk-based capital ratios, the assets of covered banking organizations are given risk weights that, under the U.S. Basel III capital rules, range from 0% to 1,250%, depending on the nature of the asset. Most of the Bank’s loans are assigned a 100% risk weight, with loans that are 90 days or more past due or on nonaccrual assigned a 150% risk weight. In addition, direct obligations of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (U.S. Treasury), or obligations unconditionally guaranteed by the U.S. government have a 0% risk weight, while general obligation claims on states or other political subdivisions of the United States are assigned a 20% risk weight, except for municipal or state revenue bonds, which have a 50% risk weight.

The U.S. Basel III capital rules provide for limited recognition in CET1 capital, and deduction from CET1 capital above certain thresholds, of three categories of assets: (i) deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences that cannot be realized through net operating loss carrybacks (net of related valuation allowances and of deferred tax liabilities), (ii) mortgage servicing assets (net of associated deferred tax liabilities) and (iii) investments in more than 10% of the issued and outstanding common stock of unconsolidated financial institutions (net of associated deferred tax liabilities). The federal banking regulators have adopted a rule that is designed to simplify the capital treatment of those categories of assets for banking organizations, such as the Bank, which are not subject to the advanced approaches in the U.S. Basel III capital rules.

In December 2017, the Basel Committee published standards that it described as the finalization of the Basel III post-crisis regulatory reforms. Among other things, these standards revise the Basel Committee’s standardized approach for credit risk and provide a new standardized approach for operational risk capital. In July 2023, the U.S. federal bank regulatory agencies proposed a rule implementing the Basel Committee's finalization of the post-crisis regulatory capital reforms. The proposed rule would apply to large banks and banks with significant trading activity. Capital requirements would not change for community banks, which includes the Bank.

Federal banking regulators published a final rule, effective in April 2019, permitting banking organizations to phase in any adverse day-one regulatory capital effects of the adoption of ASU 2016-13 (referred to as the current expected credit loss model, or CECL), over a period of three years. The Bank formally adopted CECL on January 1, 2023. For additional information on ASU 2016-13, see “Note 1. Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the annual audited financial statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, or EGRRCPA, required the federal banking regulators to adopt regulations to implement an exemption from the U.S. Basel III capital rules for smaller banking organizations, including the Bank, which maintain a “Community Bank Leverage Ratio” of at least 8% to 10%. Specifically, the EGRRCPA provides that if any depository institution or depository institution holding company with less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets maintains tangible equity in excess of this leverage ratio, as implemented by the federal banking regulators, it would be deemed to be in compliance with (i) the leverage and risk-based capital requirements promulgated by the federal banking agencies; (ii) in the case of a depository institution, the capital ratio requirements to be considered “well-capitalized” under the federal banking agencies’ “prompt corrective action” regime; and (iii) “any other capital or leverage requirements” to which the depository institution or holding company is subject, unless the appropriate federal banking agency determines otherwise based on the particular institution’s risk profile.

The FDIC has adopted a rule, implementing the Community Bank Leverage Ratio. Under the rule, the Community Bank Leverage Ratio is the same as the Tier 1 Leverage Ratio under the Basel III capital rules and a qualifying small banking organization, such as the Bank, that has less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets and meets certain risk-based criteria can choose to apply the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework if its Community Bank Leverage Ratio is greater than 9%. The Bank has not elected and currently does not expect to elect to apply the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework but will continue to assess the framework and may choose to apply it in the future.

As a condition to receipt of FDIC insurance, the Bank entered into a capital maintenance agreement with the FDIC, or the 2003 Capital Maintenance Agreement, requiring it to maintain a 15% leverage ratio (Tier 1 capital to average assets) and an adequate allowance for credit losses and restricting the amount of taxi medallion loans that the Bank may finance to three times the Bank’s Tier 1 capital.

Prompt Corrective Action

The Bank is subject to FDIC regulations which apply to every FDIC-insured depository institution, setting out a system of mandatory and discretionary supervisory actions that generally become more severe as the capital levels of an individual institution decline. Pursuant to provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or FDIA, and related regulations with respect to prompt corrective action, the federal banking regulators must take “prompt corrective action” with respect to FDIC-insured depository institutions that do not meet minimum capital requirements. The FDIA sets forth the following five capital categories: “well-capitalized,” “adequately capitalized,” “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized” and “critically undercapitalized.” An insured depository institution’s capital category depends upon how its capital levels compare with various relevant capital measures and certain other factors that are established by regulation.

If a bank meets the quantitative thresholds for well-capitalized status provided above and is not subject to any written agreement, order or directive from the appropriate regulatory agency to meet and maintain a specific capital level, it will qualify as well-capitalized. Failure to be well-capitalized or to meet minimum capital requirements could result in certain mandatory and possible additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a material adverse effect on the Bank’s operations or financial condition. See “Brokered Deposits” below for additional information. Failure to be well-capitalized or to meet minimum capital requirements could also result in restrictions on the Bank’s ability to pay dividends or otherwise distribute capital or to receive regulatory approval of applications. Pursuant to the 2003 Capital Maintenance Agreement, the Bank has agreed that the Bank’s capital levels will at all times meet or exceed the levels required for the Bank to be considered well-capitalized under FDIC rules.

Brokered Deposits

The Bank uses “brokered deposits” to fund a substantial portion of the Bank’s activities. Under the FDIA and related regulations, FDIC-insured institutions such as the Bank may only accept brokered deposits without FDIC permission if they meet specified capital standards and are not subject to any written agreement, order or directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level, and are subject to restrictions with respect to the interest they may pay on deposits unless they are well-capitalized. In particular, the FDIA and the FDIC’s regulations prohibit an insured depository institution from accepting brokered deposits unless it is well-capitalized or is adequately capitalized and receives a waiver from the FDIC.

Under FDIC regulations governing brokered deposits and interest rate restrictions. A bank that is “adequately capitalized” and accepts brokered deposits under a waiver from the FDIC may not pay an interest rate, at the time any such deposit is accepted, in excess of (i) 75 basis points over certain national rates described in the FDIC’s regulations or (ii) 90% of the highest interest rate paid on a particular deposit product in the bank’s local market area, if the bank provides notice to the FDIC and evidence of such local rate. There are no such restrictions under the FDIC on a bank that is well-capitalized.

Pursuant to the 2003 Capital Maintenance Agreement, the Bank has agreed that our capital levels will at all times meet or exceed the level required for the Bank to be considered well-capitalized under FDIC rules. If the Bank was no longer able to accept or renew brokered deposits as a result of failing to meet the requisite capital standards or as a result of being subject to a written agreement, order or directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level, there would be a material adverse effect on the Bank’s business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations.

Deposit Insurance

The Bank’s deposits have the benefit of FDIC insurance up to the applicable limits. The FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund, or DIF, is funded by assessments on insured depository institutions, such as us. The Bank’s assessment (subject to adjustment by the FDIC) is currently based on the Bank’s average total consolidated assets less the Bank’s average tangible equity during the assessment period, the Bank’s supervisory ratings, and specified forward-looking financial measures used to calculate the assessment rate.

In October 2022, the FDIC adopted a rule applicable to all FDIC-insured banks that increased initial base deposit insurance assessment rates by 2 basis points, beginning with the first quarterly assessment period of 2023. The FDIC, as required under the FDIA, established a plan in September 2020 to restore the DIF reserve ratio to meet or exceed the statutory minimum of 1.35 percent within eight years. The increased assessment is intended to improve the likelihood that the DIF reserve ratio would reach the required minimum by the statutory deadline of September 30, 2028.

In November 2023, the FDIC adopted a final rule providing for the recovery, by special assessment, of losses to the FDIC deposit insurance fund as a result of the FDIC’s use of the systemic risk exception following the closures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. In addition, the FDIC must recover, by special assessment, losses to the FDIC deposit insurance fund as a result of the FDIC’s use of the systemic risk exception to the least cost resolution test under the FDIA. The special assessment will be collected on the basis of insured depository institution’s uninsured deposits, adjusted to exclude the first $5 billion of uninsured deposits, and will therefore not be applicable to us.

Payment of Dividends

The power of the board of directors of an insured depository institution to declare a cash dividend or other distribution with respect to capital is subject to statutory and regulatory restrictions that limit the amount available for such distribution, depending upon earnings, financial condition and cash needs of the institution, as well as general business conditions. Insured depository institutions are also prohibited from paying management fees to any controlling persons or, with certain limited exceptions, making capital distributions, including dividends, if after such transaction the institution would be less than adequately capitalized.

Under Utah law, the Bank may only declare dividends to the Bank’s shareholders out of the Bank’s net profits, after providing for all expenses, losses, interest and taxes accrued or due. Further, the Bank is required to transfer to a surplus fund at least 10% of the Bank’s net profits before dividends for the period covered by the dividend until the surplus fund reaches 100% of the Bank’s capital stock. Any amount paid from the Bank’s net earnings into a fund for the retirement of outstanding debt capital instruments or preferred stock for the period covered by the dividend will be considered an addition to the Bank’s surplus fund if, upon the retirement of such instruments, the amount paid into the retirement fund for the period may be properly carried to the Bank’s surplus fund.

The federal banking agencies also have authority to prohibit depository institutions from engaging in business practices that are considered unsafe or unsound, possibly including payment of dividends or other payments under certain circumstances even if such payments are not expressly prohibited by statute.

In addition, as discussed under “Capital Standards,” if the Bank’s risk-based capital ratios do not satisfy the minimum risk-based requirements plus the capital conservation buffer, the Bank will face graduated constraints on, among other things, capital distributions (including dividends on the Bank’s preferred stock) based on the amount of the shortfall and the amount of the Bank’s eligible retained income. For these purposes, eligible retained income is defined as the greater of (i) net income for the four preceding quarters, net of distributions and associated tax effects not reflected in net income; and (ii) the average net income over the preceding four quarters.

Safety and Soundness

The FDIA also implemented certain specific restrictions on transactions and required federal banking regulators to adopt overall safety and soundness standards for depository institutions related to internal controls, information systems and internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate risk exposure, asset growth, asset quality, earnings, stock valuation and compensation, fees and benefits, and such other operational and managerial standards as the agencies deem appropriate. Guidelines adopted by the federal banking regulators establish general standards relating to internal controls and information systems, internal audit systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth and compensation, fees and benefits. In general, these guidelines require, among other things, appropriate systems and practices to identify and manage the risk and exposures specified in the guidelines. These guidelines also prohibit excessive compensation as an unsafe and unsound practice and describe compensation as excessive when the amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director or principal shareholder. The federal banking agencies may require an institution to submit to an acceptable compliance plan as well as have the flexibility to pursue other more appropriate or effective courses of action given the specific circumstances and severity of an institution’s noncompliance with one or more standards. The FDIC may also terminate deposit insurance upon a finding that the institution has engaged in unsafe and unsound practices, is in an unsafe or unsound condition to continue operations, or has violated any applicable law, regulation, rule, order or condition imposed by the FDIC.

Among other things, in addition to the restrictions on brokered deposits discussed above, the FDIA limits the interest rates paid on deposits by undercapitalized institutions and limits the aggregate extensions of credit by a depository institution to an executive officer, director, principal shareholder or related interest.

Consumer Financial Protection

The Bank is subject to a number of federal and state consumer protection laws that extensively govern the Bank’s consumer lending businesses. These laws include, but are not limited to, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and these laws’ respective state-law counterparts, as well as laws regarding unfair and deceptive acts and practices. These federal and state laws, among other things, require disclosures of the cost of credit and terms of deposit accounts, provide substantive consumer rights, prohibit discrimination in credit transactions, regulate the use of credit report information, provide financial privacy protections, prohibit unfair, deceptive practices and subject the Bank to substantial regulatory oversight. Violations of applicable consumer protection laws can result in significant potential liability from litigation brought by customers, including actual damages, restitution and attorneys’ fees. Federal banking regulators, state attorneys general and state and local consumer protection agencies may also seek to enforce consumer protection requirements and obtain these and other remedies, including regulatory sanctions, customer rescission rights, and civil money penalties. Failure to comply with consumer protection requirements may also result in substantial reputational harm that could adversely affect our business.

Community Reinvestment Act of 1977

The Bank is subject to certain requirements and reporting obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA. Under the CRA, the Bank has an obligation, consistent with safe and sound operations, to help meet the credit needs of the Bank's entire assessment area, including low- and moderate-income individuals and communities in that assessment area. Currently, the Bank's assessment area is Salt Lake County, Utah. In connection with its examination of the Bank, the FDIC is required to assess the Bank's CRA performance in the areas of lending, investments and services. The FDIC may take compliance with the CRA into account when regulating and supervising the Bank's other activities. The CRA also requires the agencies to take into account banks’ records of meeting community credit needs when evaluating applications for, among other things, new branches or mergers. We have elected to be evaluated for the Bank's compliance with CRA requirements based on a strategic plan we adopted with public involvement and regulatory approval. That strategic plan includes measurable goals for helping to meet the credit needs of the Bank's assessment area and is available on the Bank's website. The CRA provides that CRA examination ratings be made public. The Bank received a rating of “Outstanding” in its most recently completed CRA examination.

In October 2023, the Federal Reserve, the FDIC, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or the OCC, jointly issued a final rule that significantly amended the agencies’ regulatory framework implementing the CRA. The revised federal CRA regulations tailor CRA evaluations to bank size and type, with many of the changes applying only to banks with more than $2 billion in assets, such as the Bank. The final rule introduced major changes in four key areas: (1) the delineation of assessment areas, (2) the overall evaluation framework and performance standards and metrics, (3) the definition of community development activities and (4) data collection and reporting. The final rule will be effective on April 1, 2024, but most provisions of the rule, including the new tests, the need to define retail lending assessment areas and the data collection requirements, will become applicable on January 1, 2026. Reporting of the collected data will not be required until April 1, 2027.

Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders

The Bank is subject to certain federal laws that restrict and control our ability to extend credit and provide to or receive services from its affiliates under Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and Regulation W promulgated thereunder. An affiliate of a bank is any company or entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the bank. These restrictions include quantitative and qualitative limits on the amounts and types of transactions that may take place, including the transfer of funds by the Bank to certain of its affiliates in the form of loans, extensions of credit, investments, or purchases of assets. These restrictions also require that credit transactions with affiliates be collateralized and that its transactions with affiliates be on terms no less favorable to the Bank than comparable transactions with unrelated third parties. Generally, the Bank’s covered transactions with any affiliate are limited to 10% of our capital stock and surplus, and covered transactions with all affiliates are limited to 20% of our capital stock and surplus.

The Bank is also subject to limits under federal law on its ability to extend credit to its directors, executive officers and principal shareholders (persons that beneficially own or control more than 10% of any class of our voting stock), as well as to entities owned or controlled by such persons. Among other things, extensions of credit to such insiders are required to be made on terms that are substantially the same as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are not less stringent than those prevailing for comparable transactions with non-insiders. Also, the terms of such extensions of credit may not involve more than the normal risk of non-repayment or present other unfavorable features and may not exceed certain limitations on the amount of credit extended to such persons individually and in the aggregate. Certain extensions of credit also require the approval of the Bank’s board of directors.

Financial Privacy and Cybersecurity

Federal and state law contains extensive consumer privacy protection provisions. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires financial institutions to periodically disclose their privacy policies and practices relating to their collection, sharing and protection of nonpublic personal information and enables retail customers to opt out of their information being shared by financial institutions with unaffiliated third parties under certain circumstances. Other federal and state laws and regulations impact our ability to share certain information with affiliates and non-affiliates for marketing and/or non-marketing purposes, or to contact customers with marketing offers. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act also requires financial institutions to implement a comprehensive information security program that includes administrative, technical and physical safeguards to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer records and information. Federal law also makes it a criminal offense, except in limited circumstances, to obtain or attempt to obtain customer information of a financial nature by fraudulent or deceptive means.

State regulators have been increasingly active in enacting or promulgating privacy and cybersecurity standards and regulations. In recent years, several states have adopted regulations requiring certain financial institutions to implement and maintain cybersecurity programs and providing detailed requirements with respect to these programs, including data encryption requirements. Many states have also implemented or modified their data breach notification and data privacy requirements.

In addition, pursuant to requirements applicable to FDIC-supervised banking organizations, such as us, we are required to notify the FDIC within 36 hours of incidents that have materially disrupted, degraded, or are reasonably likely to materially disrupt or degrade the banking organization’s ability to deliver services to a material portion of its customer base, jeopardize the viability of key operations of the banking organization, or pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States. No such incidents occurred during 2023.

Anti-Money Laundering and the USA PATRIOT Act

The Bank is subject to the anti-money laundering (AML) provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act, or the BSA, as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act, or the PATRIOT Act, and implementing regulations issued by the FDIC and the U.S. Treasury. The PATRIOT Act, which includes the International Money Laundering Abatement and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act of 2001, is intended to facilitate the detection and prosecution of terrorism and international money laundering. The PATRIOT Act establishes standards for verifying customer identification incidental to the opening of new accounts. Other provisions of the PATRIOT Act provide for special information sharing procedures governing communications with the government and other financial institutions with respect to suspected terrorists and money laundering activity, and enhancements to suspicious activity reporting, including electronic filing of suspicious activity reports over a secure filing network. The BSA requires all financial institutions, including banks, to, among other things, establish a risk-based system of internal controls reasonably designed to prevent money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The BSA includes a variety of record-keeping and reporting requirements (such as cash and suspicious activity reporting), as well as due diligence/know-your-customer documentation requirements. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, issued a final rule, applicable as of May 2018, to clarify and enhance customer due diligence requirements for financial institutions. The rule (among other things) imposes certain obligations on covered financial institutions with respect to their “legal entity customers,” including corporations, limited liability companies and other similar entities. For each such customer that opens an account (including an existing customer opening a new account), the covered financial institution must identify and verify the customer’s “beneficial owners,” who are specifically defined in the rule. Bank regulators routinely examine institutions for compliance with customer due diligence obligations. The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020, or AMLA, which amends the BSA, is intended to comprehensively reform and modernize U.S. anti-money laundering laws. Among other things, the AMLA codifies a risk-based approach to AML compliance for financial institutions; requires the U.S. Department of the Treasury to periodically promulgate priorities for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism policy; requires the development of standards by the Treasury Department for testing technology and internal processes for BSA compliance; expands enforcement- and investigations-related authority, including a significant expansion in the available sanctions for certain BSA violations and expands BSA whistleblower incentives and protections. Many of the statutory provisions in the AMLA will require additional rulemakings, reports and other measures, and the impact of the AMLA, including on our compliance costs and compliance risk relating to the BSA, will depend on, among other things, rulemaking and implementation guidance.

In June 2021, FinCEN issued the priorities for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism policy required under the AMLA. The priorities include corruption, cybercrime, terrorist financing, fraud, transnational crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking and proliferation financing.

Regulation by the SBA

Medallion Funding and Medallion Capital are each licensed by the SBA to operate as SBICs, under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, or the SBIA. Freshstart, through 2023, was licensed by the SBA to operate as an SBIC. The SBIA authorizes the licensing of privately held investment vehicles as SBICs in order to provide long term financing to small business concerns. Under the SBIA and the regulations promulgated by the SBA thereunder, a “small business concern” is a business that is independently owned and operated, which is not dominant in its field of operation, and which (i) has a tangible net worth, together with any affiliates, of $24.0 million or less and average annual net income after U.S. federal income taxes for the preceding two fiscal years of $8.0 million or less (average annual net income is computed without the benefit of any carryover loss), or (ii) satisfies alternative criteria under the Federal government’s North American Industry Classification System, or the NAICS, that assigns codes to the industry in which a small business is engaged and provides a small business size standard based either on the number of persons employed by the business or its gross revenues. In addition, at the end of each fiscal year, at least 25% of the total amount of investments must be made in “smaller enterprises” that have a net worth of $6.0 million or less, and average net income after federal income taxes for the preceding two years of $2.0 million or less. A business that meets the NAICS size standards also qualifies as a “smaller enterprise” for purposes of meeting SBA’s size standard regulations.

Investments by SBICs must generally be in active, domestic businesses. SBIC regulations preclude investment in the following types of businesses: (1) business whose primary business activity is as a relender or reinvestor (that is, directly or indirectly, providing funds to others, purchasing debt obligations, factoring, or long term leasing of equipment with no provision for maintenance or repair); (2) many kinds of real estate projects; (3) single purpose projects that are not continuing businesses; (4) companies located outside the U.S. intending to use the proceeds of the investment outside of the U.S. or companies that are located in the U.S. that have more than 49% of their employees or tangible assets located outside of the US; (5) businesses that are passive and do not carry on an active trade or business; (6) businesses that use 50% or more of the funds to buy goods or services from an associated supplier; and (7) certain “sin businesses” such as gambling and the like.

Under current SBA regulations, the maximum rate of interest that Medallion Funding and Medallion Capital may charge may not exceed the higher of (i) 19% or (ii) the sum of (a) the higher of (i) that company’s weighted average cost of qualified borrowings, as determined under SBA regulations, or (ii) the current SBA debenture rate, plus (b) 11%, rounded to the next lower eighth of one percent. As of December 31, 2023, the maximum rate of interest permitted on loans originated by our SBICs was 19%. As of December 31, 2023, our outstanding taxi medallion loans had a weighted average rate of interest of 4.89%, and our outstanding commercial loans had a weighted average rate of interest of 12.87%. Current SBA regulations also require that each loan originated by an SBIC has a term between one and 20 years.

In addition, SBICs are subject to periodic examination by the SBA, for which the SBA charges examination fees. SBICs must maintain certain records and make them available for SBA examination. SBICs also are required to prepare valuations of their portfolio investments in accordance with prescribed valuation guidelines, maintain certain minimum levels of capital, file annual reports containing financial, management and other information and file notices of certain material changes in their ownership and operations. We are typically examined by the SBA for compliance with applicable SBA regulations.

SBICs are precluded from making investments in a small business if it would give rise to certain conflicts of interest. Generally, a conflict of interest may arise if an associate of the SBIC has or makes an investment in the small business that the SBIC is financing or serves as one of its officers or would otherwise benefit from the financing. A conflict of interest would also occur if an SBIC were to lend money to any of its officers, directors, and employees, or invest in any affiliates thereof. Joint investing with an associate (such as another fund controlled by affiliates of the general partner of the fund) may be made on identical terms or on terms that are fair to the SBIC. The SBA also prohibits, without prior SBA approval, a “change of control” or transfers which would result in any person (or group of persons acting in concert) owning 10% or more of any class of capital stock of an SBIC. A “change of control” is any event which would result in the transfer of the power, direct or indirect, to direct the management and policies of an SBIC, whether through ownership, contractual arrangements, or otherwise.

Under SBA regulations, without prior SBA approval, loans and other investments by licensees with outstanding SBA leverage to any single small business concern may not exceed 30% of an SBIC’s “regulatory capital.”

SBICs may invest idle funds that are not being used to make loans or other long-term investments in certain short-term investments permitted under SBA regulations. These permitted investments include direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the government of the U.S. with a term of 15 months or less and deposits maturing in one year or less issued by an institution insured by the FDIC. These permitted investments must be maintained in (i) direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the US, which mature within 15 months from the date of the investment; (ii) repurchase agreements with federally insured institutions with a maturity of seven days or less if the securities underlying the repurchase agreements are direct obligations of, or obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the US, and such securities must be maintained in a custodial account in a federally insured institution; (iii) mutual funds, securities, or other instruments that exclusively consist of, or represent pooled assets of, investments described in (i) or (ii) above; (iv) certificates of deposit with a maturity of one year or less, issued by a federally insured institution; (v) a deposit account in a federally insured institution, subject to withdrawal restriction of one year or less; (vi) a checking account in a federally insured institution; or (vii) a reasonable petty cash fund.

SBICs may purchase voting securities of small business concerns in accordance with SBA regulations. Although prior regulations prohibited an SBIC from controlling a small business concern except in limited circumstances, SBA regulations allow an SBIC to exercise control over a small business for a period of seven years from the date on which the SBIC initially acquires its control position. This control period may be extended for an additional period of time with the SBA’s prior written approval.

If an SBIC defaults in its payment obligations to SBA under its outstanding debentures, fails to comply with any terms of its securities, or violates any law or certain regulations applicable to it, the SBA has the right to accelerate the maturity of all amounts due under its debentures. Additionally, the SBA may appoint a receiver for the SBIC and for its liquidation in the event of a default on payment of a SBIC’s debentures or for serious regulatory violations.

Other

Change in Control

Because the Bank is an “insured depository institution” within the meaning of the FDIA and the Change in Bank Control Act as well as Medallion Financial Corp. being a “financial institution holding company” within the meaning of the Utah Financial Institutions Act, federal and Utah law and regulations prohibit any person or company from acquiring control of the Bank or Medallion Financial Corp., without, in most cases, prior written approval of the FDIC or the Commissioner of the Utah DFI, as applicable. Under the Change in Bank Control Act, control is conclusively presumed if, among other things, a person or company acquires 25% or more of any class of the Bank’s voting stock. A rebuttable presumption of control arises if a person or company acquires 10% or more of any class of voting stock and is subject to several specified “control factors” as set forth in the applicable regulations. Although the Bank is an “insured depository institution” within the meaning of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Change in Bank Control Act, your investment in the Company is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC, or any other agency, and is subject to loss.

Under the Utah Financial Institutions Act, control is defined as the power, directly or indirectly, or through or in concert with one or more persons to: (a) direct or exercise a controlling influence over (i) the management or policies of a financial institution or (ii) the election of a majority of the directors or trustees of an institution; or (b) to vote 25% or more of any class of voting securities of a financial institution. In addition, under Utah law, there is a rebuttable presumption that a person has control of a Utah financial institution if the person has the power, directly or indirectly, or through or in concert with one or more persons, to vote more than 10% but not less than 25% of any class of voting securities of a financial institution. If any holder of any series of the Bank’s preferred stock is or becomes entitled to vote for the election of the Bank’s directors, such series will be deemed a class of voting stock, and any other person will be required to obtain the non-objection of the FDIC under the Change in Bank Control Act to acquire or maintain 10% or more of that series. Investors are responsible for ensuring that they do not, directly or indirectly, acquire shares of our common stock in excess of the amount which can be acquired without regulatory approval.

Examination and Supervision

Federal and state banking agencies require the Bank to prepare annual reports on financial condition and to conduct an annual audit of financial affairs in compliance with minimum standards and procedures. We must undergo regular on-site examinations by the FDIC and the Utah DFI, which examine for adherence to a range of legal and regulatory compliance responsibilities. A bank regulator conducting an examination has complete access to the books and records of the examined institution. The results of the examination are confidential, with the exception of the CRA examination discussed above. The cost of examinations may be assessed against the examined institution as the agency deems necessary or appropriate.

Incentive Compensation

The FDIC has issued comprehensive guidance on incentive compensation policies intended to ensure that the incentive compensation policies of banking organizations do not undermine the safety and soundness of such organizations by encouraging excessive risk taking. The guidance, which covers all employees that have the ability to materially affect the risk profile of an organization, either individually or as part of a group, is based upon the key principles that a banking organization’s incentive compensation arrangements should (i) provide incentives that appropriately balance risk and financial results in a manner that does not encourage employees to expose their organizations to imprudent risk, (ii) be compatible with effective internal controls and risk management and (iii) be supported by strong corporate governance, including active and effective oversight by the organization’s board of directors.

The Dodd-Frank Act requires the federal banking regulators and the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, to establish joint regulations or guidelines at specified regulated entities having at least $1 billion in total assets, such as us, prohibiting incentive-based payment arrangements that encourage inappropriate risk-taking by providing an executive officer, employee, director or principal shareholder with excessive compensation, fees, or benefits or that could lead to material financial loss to the entity. The federal banking regulators and the SEC proposed revised rules in 2016, which have not been finalized.

Valid When Made and True Lender

The FDIC has adopted a rule clarifying that a loan made by a state-chartered bank is considered “valid when made” pursuant to the preemptive authority in Section 27 of the FDIA, and therefore the loan’s original terms, including, among others, its interest rate, are valid and enforceable by any subsequent assignee, transferee, or buyer, regardless of the usury laws of other states, or the “Valid-When-Made Rule”. Under the Valid-When-Made Rule, the interest rate on a bank-made loan remains valid and enforceable even after the bank sells or transfers it to a party that could not have originated the loan on the same terms as the bank. The Valid-When-Made Rule does not address when a state-chartered bank is the “true lender” of a loan, and the ultimate effect of the FDIC rule remains uncertain in light of the overturning of the OCC's analogous rule pursuant to a Congressional Review Act resolution signed by President Biden, and other pending legal challenges to bank-fintech partnerships on the ground that the bank is not the “true lender.” In 2020, the state attorneys general of seven states and the District of Columbia filed suit against the FDIC, alleging that the Valid-When-Made Rule conflicts with the FDIA, exceeds the FDIC’s statutory authority, and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. In February 2022, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted the FDIC's motion for summary judgement, holding that the FDIC had the power to issue the Valid-When-Made Rule and that its interpretation of the federal banking laws is entitled to judicial deference. We believe the impact to the Bank of the Valid-When-Made Rule will be minimal.

Future Legislation

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 enactment of the proposed legislation could impact the regulatory structure under which we operate and may significantly increase our costs, impede the efficiency of our internal business processes, require us to increase our regulatory capital and modify our business strategy, and limit our ability to pursue business opportunities in an efficient manner.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

Our corporate website is located atwww.medallion.com. We make copies of our 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 with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act available on or through our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with or furnish them to the SEC. Our SEC filings can be found in the Investors Relations section of our website, the address of which iswww.medallion.com/investors.html, or on the SEC website atwww.sec.gov. Our Code of Ethical Conduct and Insider Trading Policy can be located in the Corporate Governance section of our website atwww.medallion.com/investors_corporate_governance.html. These documents, as well as our SEC filings, are available in print free of charge to any stockholder who requests a copy from our Secretary.