FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANCORP INC

Inflation Risk

Periods of inflation may impact our profitability by negatively impacting our fixed costs and expenses, including increasing funding costs and expense related to talent acquisition and retention. Additionally, inflation may lead to a decrease in our customers’ purchasing power and negatively affect the need or demand for our products and services. If significant inflation continues, our business could also be negatively affected by, among other things, increased default rates leading to credit losses which could decrease our appetite for new credit extensions.

Quantitative Modeling Risk

We rely on quantitative modeling to measure risks and to estimate certain financial values. Quantitative models may be used to help manage certain aspects of our business and to assist with certain business decisions, including estimating expected lifetime credit losses, measuring the fair value of financial instruments when reliable market prices are unavailable, estimating the effects of changing interest rates and other market measures on our financial condition and results of operations, managing risk, and for capital planning purposes. All models have certain limitations. For instance, these methodologies inherently rely on assumptions, historical analyses, and correlations which may not capture or fully incorporate all relevant conditions and circumstances. As a consequence, such limitations may result in losses, particularly in times of market distress. Additionally, as businesses and markets continue to rapidly evolve, our measurements may not accurately reflect this evolution. Even if the underlying assumptions and historical correlations used in our models are adequate, our models may be deficient due to errors in computer code, inaccurate data, misuse of data, or the use of a model for a purpose outside the scope of the model’s design.

Reliance on such models presents the risk that our resulting business decisions will be adversely affected due to incorrect, missing, or misleading information. If our models fail to produce reliable results on an ongoing basis, we may not make appropriate risk management, capital planning, or other business or financial decisions. Strategies that we employ to manage and govern the risks associated with our use of models may not be effective or fully reliable. Also, information that we provide to the public or regulators based on poorly designed models could be inaccurate or misleading.

Trade Policy Risk

The ongoing trade policies and tariff initiatives being pursued by the U.S. government under the administration of President Trump could present potential risks unique to the markets within which we operate. Many of our commercial borrowers operate in agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing; industries that are particularly sensitive to changes in trade policy. The imposition of tariffs on imported goods, the added potential for retaliatory tariffs by foreign governments, or other similar restrictions on international trade could increase costs for domestic manufacturers and consumers alike, as well as reduce demand abroad for U.S. exports, and disrupt supply chains. Any prolonged trade tensions could negatively impact the broader economic environment in the Midwest where the Bank operates, potentially leading to reduced consumer spending, lower economic growth, and decreased demand for other banking products and services. If these factors lead to financial strain on our borrowers, we may experience increased credit risk, higher loan delinquencies, and a potential decline in loan demand.

As a result, our financial performance, including credit quality and loan growth, could be adversely affected by these policy changes. While we actively monitor these developments and work closely with our agricultural customers, there is no assurance that we can fully mitigate the risks posed by tariff initiatives or other trade-related disruptions. These factors could materially affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Emerging financial technologies such as digital assets, stablecoins, and distributed ledger systems may reduce the demand for traditional banking services and create new competitive pressures that adversely affect our business.

The rapid development and increasing regulatory acceptance of financial technologies such as digital assets (including cryptocurrencies and tokenized money), stablecoins, and distributed ledger technologies (DLT) could materially alter the landscape of financial services in the coming years. These technologies enable near-instantaneous value transfer, programmable money, and peer-to-peer settlement mechanisms, many of which may operate outside the traditional banking system.

Large technology companies, fintech platforms, and digital asset service providers—some of which are not subject to the same regulatory or capital constraints as depository institutions—are increasingly offering products that compete with core banking functions, such as payments, custody, lending, and liquidity management. The adoption of digital financial infrastructure by governments or central banks, such as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), or by major corporate platforms could accelerate these shifts.

As a relatively small financial institution, we may be disproportionately impacted by these developments. Our ability to compete with larger institutions or well-capitalized technology entrants in developing or integrating such technologies is limited by our size, risk appetite, and regulatory obligations. A failure to adapt to or participate in these emerging ecosystems—either directly or through strategic partnerships—could erode our relevance in key banking functions, reduce our share of customer deposits and fee income, and adversely affect our long-term growth prospects and financial condition.

Risks Related to Regulation of Payment Stablecoins and Digital Assets

Recent federal legislation, including the GENIUS Act enacted in mid-2025, established new regulatory requirements for payment stablecoins issued by banking organizations and their subsidiaries. Compliance with these requirements involves maintaining adequate asset reserves, extensive reporting obligations, independent audits, and increased supervisory oversight. Our potential involvement in issuing or supporting payment stablecoins could expose us to regulatory compliance risks, increased operational costs, and evolving legal uncertainties. Additionally, rapid changes in digital asset regulation or adverse regulatory interpretations could adversely affect our business strategies and prospects in this emerging market, which could materially impact our financial condition and results of operations.