Winchester Bancorp, Inc./MD/

Risks Related to our Business

Risks Related to our Lending Activities

Our portfolios of commercial real estate and multi-family real estate loans have increased in recent periods, and we intend to continue originating these types of loans. These loans involve credit risks that could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

At June 30, 2025, commercial real estate and multi-family loans totaled $269.0 million, or 35.7% of our total loan portfolio. Given their larger balances and the complexity of the underlying collateral, commercial real estate loans and multi-family real estate loans generally have more risk than the owner-occupied one- to four-family residential real estate loans we originate. Because the repayment of these loans depends on the successful management and operation of the borrower’s properties, and/or related businesses with respect to commercial real estate loans, repayment of such loans can be affected by adverse conditions in the local real estate market or economy. Also, many of our commercial borrowers have more than one loan outstanding with us. Consequently, an adverse development with respect to one loan or one credit relationship can expose us to a significantly greater risk loss compared to an adverse development with respect to a one-to four-family residential real estate loan. If we foreclose on these loans, our holding period for the collateral typically is longer than for a one- to four-family residential property because there are fewer potential purchasers of the collateral. In addition, commercial real estate loans and multifamily real estate loans typically involve larger loan balances to single borrowers or groups of related borrowers compared to one- to four-family residential loans. Accordingly, charge-offs on these types of loans may be larger than those incurred with our one- to four-family residential or consumer loan portfolios.

As our commercial real estate and multi-family real estate loan portfolios increase, the corresponding risks and potential for losses from these loans may also increase, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our construction loans involve credit risks that could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

At June 30, 2025, we had $95.9 million in construction loans, or 12.7% of our total loan portfolio, nearly all of which consisted of commercial construction loans. Construction lending involves additional risks when compared with permanent financing because funds are advanced upon the security of the project, which is of uncertain value before its completion. Because of the uncertainties in estimating construction costs, as well as the market value of the completed project and the effects of governmental regulation of real property, it can be difficult to accurately evaluate the total funds required to complete a project and the related loan-to-value ratio. These loans often involve the disbursement of substantial funds with repayment substantially dependent on the success of the ultimate project and the ability of the borrower to sell or lease the property or obtain permanent take-out financing, rather than the ability of the borrower or guarantor to repay principal and interest. If the appraised value of a completed project proves to be overstated, we may have inadequate security for the repayment of the loan upon completion of construction of the project and may incur a loss. As our construction loan portfolio increases, the corresponding risks and potential for losses from these loans may also increase, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our emphasis on real estate loans exposes us to lending risks.

At June 30, 2025, the overwhelming majority of our loan portfolio was secured by real estate, most of which is located in our primary lending market area of Middlesex County, Massachusetts and surrounding areas. Declines in the real estate values in our primary lending market and surrounding areas could significantly impair the value of the collateral securing our loans and our ability to sell the collateral upon foreclosure for an amount necessary to satisfy the borrower’s obligations to us. This could require increasing our allowance for credit losses to address the decrease in the value of the real estate securing our loans, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The geographic concentration of our loan portfolio and lending activities makes us vulnerable to a downturn in our local market area.

Unlike larger financial institutions that are more geographically diversified, our profitability depends primarily on the general economic conditions in our primary market area. Local economic conditions have a significant impact on our lending, including, the ability of borrowers to repay these loans and the value of the collateral securing these loans.

A deterioration in economic conditions in our primary market area could result in the following consequences, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations:

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Moreover, a significant decline in general economic conditions, caused by inflation, tariffs and international trade disputes, recession, acts of terrorism, an outbreak of hostilities or other international or domestic calamities, or other factors beyond our control could further impact these local economic conditions and could further negatively affect our financial performance. In addition, deflationary pressures, while possibly lowering our operating costs, could have a significant negative effect on our borrowers, especially our business borrowers, and the values of underlying collateral securing loans, which could negatively affect our financial performance.

We make various assumptions and judgments about the collectability of our loan portfolio, including the creditworthiness of our borrowers and the value of the real estate and other assets serving as collateral for the repayment of many of our loans. In determining the amount of the allowance for credit losses, we review our loans and our loss and delinquency experience, and we evaluate economic conditions. If our assumptions or the results of our analyses are incorrect, our allowance for credit losses may not be sufficient to cover expected credit losses in our loan portfolio, resulting in additions to our allowance. In addition, our emphasis on loan growth and on increasing our portfolio of commercial real estate and multi-family real estate loans, as well as any future credit deterioration, could require us to increase our allowance for credit losses. At June 30, 2025, our allowance for credit losses was 0.55% of total loans and 187.6% of nonperforming loans. Material additions to our allowance would materially decrease our net income.

In addition, bank regulators periodically review our allowance for credit losses and, as a result of such reviews, we may be required to increase our provision for credit losses or recognize further loan charge-offs. Any increase in our allowance for credit losses or loan charge-offs as a result of such review or otherwise may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Uncertainties associated with increased originations of commercial real estate, construction and multi-family loans may result in errors in judging collectability, which may lead to additional provisions for credit losses or charge-offs, which would negatively affect our operations.

Our recent and intended increases in the level of our commercial real estate, construction and multi-family real estate originations have required and would likely require us to lend to borrowers with which we have limited or no experience. Our commercial real estate, construction and multi-family loans have grown from $244.9 million or 40.7% of the total loan portfolio at June 30, 2023 to $364.9 million or 48.4% of the total loan portfolio at June 30, 2025. While we have not incurred any losses with regard to loans originated during this period, this portion of the loan portfolio is unseasoned and we do not have a significant payment history pattern with which to judge future collectability. Further, newly originated loans have not been subjected to unfavorable economic conditions. As a result, it may be difficult to predict the future performance of newly originated loans. These loans may have delinquency or charge-off levels above our recent historical experience, which could adversely affect our future performance. Further, commercial real estate, construction (in particular commercial construction) and multi-family real estate loans generally have larger balances and involve a greater risk than one-to four-family residential mortgage loans. Accordingly, if we make any errors in judgment in the collectability of these loans, any resulting charge-offs may be larger on a per loan basis than those incurred historically with our single-family residential mortgage loans.

The level of our commercial real estate and multi-family real estate loan portfolio may subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny.

Federal bank regulatory agencies have promulgated joint guidance on sound risk management practices for financial institutions with concentrations in commercial real estate lending. Under the guidance, a financial institution that, like us, is actively involved in commercial real estate lending should perform a risk assessment to identify concentrations. A financial institution may have a concentration in commercial real estate lending if, among other factors, (i) total reported loans for construction, land acquisition and development, and other land represent 100% or more of total capital, or (ii) total reported loans secured by multi-family and non-farm residential properties, loans for construction, land acquisition and development and other land, and loans otherwise sensitive to the general commercial real estate market, including loans to commercial real estate related entities, represent 300% or more of total capital. Based on these factors, we have a concentration in multi-family and commercial real estate lending, as such loans represented 320.3% of total capital of Winchester Savings Bank as of June 30, 2025. The guidance focuses on exposure to commercial real estate loans that are dependent on the cash flow from the real estate held as collateral and that are likely to be at greater risk to conditions in the commercial real estate market (as opposed to real estate collateral held as a secondary source of repayment or in an abundance of caution). The purpose of the guidance is to guide banks in developing risk management practices and determining capital levels commensurate with the level and nature of real estate concentrations. The guidance states that management should employ heightened risk management practices including board and management oversight and strategic planning, development of underwriting standards, risk assessment and monitoring through market analysis and stress testing. While we believe we have implemented policies and procedures with respect to our commercial and multi-family real estate loan portfolio consistent with this guidance, bank regulators could require us to implement additional policies and procedures consistent with their interpretation of the guidance that may result in additional costs to us or that may result in the curtailment of our commercial real estate and multi-family real estate lending that would adversely affect our loan originations and profitability.

The judicial foreclosure process is protracted, which delays our ability to resolve non-performing loans through the sale of the underlying collateral. The longer timelines have been the result of many factors, including additional consumer protection initiatives related to the foreclosure process, increased documentary requirements and judicial scrutiny, and, both voluntary and mandatory programs under which lenders may consider loan modifications or other alternatives to foreclosure. These reasons and the legal and regulatory responses have impacted the foreclosure process and completion time of foreclosures for residential mortgage lenders. This may negatively impact collateral values and our ability to minimize its losses.

Risks Related to Market Interest Rates

Future changes in interest rates could negatively affect our operating results and asset values.

Net income is the amount by which net interest income and noninterest income exceed operating expense and the provision for credit losses. Net interest income makes up a majority of our income and is based on the difference between:

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The rates we earn on our assets and the rates we pay on our liabilities are generally fixed for a contractual period of time. Like many savings institutions, our liabilities generally have shorter contractual maturities than our assets. This imbalance can create earnings volatility because market interest rates change over time. In a period of rising interest rates, the interest income we earn on our assets may not increase as rapidly as the interest we pay on our liabilities. Furthermore, increases in interest rates may adversely affect the ability of our borrowers to make loan repayments on adjustable-rate loans, as the interest owed on such loans would increase as interest rates increase.

Furthermore, increases in interest rates may adversely affect our ability to originate loans.

In addition, changes in interest rates can affect the average life of loans and mortgage-backed and related securities. A decline in interest rates generally results in increased prepayments of loans and mortgage-backed and related securities as borrowers refinance their debt to reduce their borrowing costs. This creates reinvestment risk, which is the risk that we may not be able to reinvest prepayments at rates that are comparable to the rates we earned on the prepaid loans or securities. Furthermore, an inverted interest rate yield curve, where short-term interest rates (which are usually the rates at which financial institutions borrow funds) are higher than long-term interest rates (which are usually the rates at which financial institutions lend funds for fixed-rate loans) can reduce a financial institution’s net interest margin and create financial risk for financial institutions that originate primarily longer-term, fixed-rate mortgage loans.

As of June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024, we had $1.3 million and $2.3 million in net unrealized losses on available-for-sale investment securities, respectively. In addition, we have experienced a shift in deposits from lower-cost savings and demand accounts to higher-cost certificates of deposit. However, the rates we earn on our loans did not increase as rapidly as those paid on deposits during the years ended June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024, as we have a significant amount of fixed-rate residential real estate loans where the interest rates did not increase commensurate with the increase in market interest rates. In addition, most of our adjustable-rate loans do not reprice immediately, such that changes in market interest rates take a period of time to affect our portfolio yields.

We monitor interest rate risk through simulation models, including estimates of the amounts by which the fair value of our assets and liabilities (our economic value of equity or “EVE”) and our net interest income would change in the event of a range of assumed changes in market interest rates. As of June 30, 2025, in the event of an instantaneous 200 basis point increase in interest rates, we estimate that we would experience a 22.0% decrease in EVE and a 14.3% decrease in net interest income.

Any substantial, unexpected, prolonged change in market interest rates could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. Changes in the level of interest rates also may negatively affect the value of our assets and ultimately affect our earnings.

For further discussion of how changes in interest rates could impact us, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Winchester Savings Bank—Management of Market Risk.”

Risks Related to our Business Strategy

Our business strategy includes loan growth, and our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively affected if we fail to grow or fail to manage our growth effectively. Growing our operations could also cause our expenses to increase faster than our revenues.

Our business strategy primarily focuses on loan growth, primarily funded by deposits. Achieving such growth may require us to attract customers that currently bank at other financial institutions in our market area. Our ability to successfully grow will depend on a variety of factors, including our ability to attract and retain experienced lenders and possibly increase our support staff, the continued availability of desirable business opportunities, the level of competition from other financial institutions in our market area, general economic conditions in our primary market area and our ability to manage our growth. Growth opportunities may not be available or we may not be able to manage our growth successfully. There can be considerable costs involved in opening branches and expanding lending capacity, and generally a period of time is required to generate the necessary revenues to offset these costs. If we do not manage our growth effectively, our financial condition and operating results could be negatively affected.

Our continued pace of growth may require us to raise additional capital in the future, but that capital may not be available when it is needed.

We are required by banking regulatory authorities to maintain adequate levels of capital to support our operations. We may at some point need to raise additional capital to support our growth. If we raise capital through the issuance of additional shares of our common stock or other securities, it would dilute the ownership interests of stockholders and may dilute the per share book value of our common stock. New investors may also have rights, preferences and privileges senior to our current stockholders, which may adversely impact our then current stockholders. Also, the need to raise additional capital may force our management to spend more time in managerial and financing-related activities than in operational activities.

Our ability to raise additional capital, if needed, will depend on conditions in the capital markets at that time, which are outside of our control, and on our financial performance. In addition, our ability to raise capital may be limited by our mutual holding company structure, as Winchester Bancorp, MHC is required to own a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock for as long as it is in existence. Accordingly, we may not be able to raise additional capital, if needed, with favorable terms. If we cannot raise additional capital when needed, our ability to expand our operations through internal growth and acquisitions could be materially impaired.

We depend on our management team and other key personnel to implement our business strategy and execute successful operations and we could be harmed by the loss of their services or the inability to hire additional personnel.

We depend on the services of the members of our senior management team who direct our strategy and operations. Our executive officers and lending personnel possess substantial expertise as well as extensive knowledge of our markets and key business relationships. Any one of them could be difficult to replace. Our loss of these persons, or our inability to hire additional qualified personnel, could impact our ability to implement our business strategy and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and our ability to compete in our markets.

Risks Related to Competitive Matters

Competition in the banking and financial services industry is intense. In our market area, we compete with commercial banks, savings institutions, mortgage brokerage firms, credit unions, finance companies, mutual funds, insurance companies, and securities brokerage firms and unregulated or less regulated non-banking entities. Many of these competitors have substantially greater resources and higher lending limits than we have and offer certain services that we do not or cannot provide. If we must raise interest rates paid on deposits or lower interest rates charged on our loans to remain competitive, our net interest margin and profitability could be adversely affected. Competition also makes it increasingly difficult and costly to attract and retain qualified employees. Our profitability depends upon our continued ability to successfully compete in our market area.

The financial services industry could become even more competitive as a result of new legislative, regulatory and technological changes and continued consolidation. Also, technology has lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for non-banks to offer products and services traditionally provided by banks, such as automatic transfer and automatic payment systems. Many of our competitors have fewer regulatory constraints and may have lower cost structures. Additionally, due to their size, many competitors may be able to achieve economies of scale and, as a result, may offer a broader range of products and services as well as better pricing for those products and services than we can. For additional information see “Business of Winchester Savings Bank—Market Area” and “—Competition.”

Our smaller size may make it more difficult for us to compete.

Risks Related to Laws and Regulations

Winchester Savings Bank is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks and the FDIC, and Winchester Bancorp, Inc. is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by the Federal Reserve Board. Such regulation and supervision govern the activities in which an insured depository institution and its holding company may engage, and are intended primarily for the protection of the federal deposit insurance fund and the depositors and borrowers of Winchester Savings Bank, rather than for our stockholders.

Regulatory authorities have extensive discretion in their supervisory and enforcement activities, including the imposition of restrictions on our operations, the classification of our assets and determination of the level of our allowance for credit losses. These regulations, along with existing tax, accounting, securities, insurance and monetary laws, rules, standards, policies, and interpretations, control the methods by which financial institutions conduct business, implement strategic initiatives and tax compliance, and govern financial reporting and disclosures. Any change in such regulation and oversight, whether in the form of regulatory policy, regulations, legislation or supervisory action, may have a material impact on our operations. Further, changes in accounting standards can be both difficult to predict and involve judgment and discretion in their interpretation by us and our independent registered public accounting firm. These changes could materially impact, potentially even retroactively, how we report our financial condition and results of operations.

The USA PATRIOT and Bank Secrecy Acts require financial institutions to develop programs to prevent financial institutions from being used for money laundering and terrorist activities. If such activities are detected, financial institutions are obligated to file suspicious activity reports with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. These rules require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of customers seeking to open new financial accounts. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in fines or sanctions, including restrictions on pursuing acquisitions or establishing new branches. The policies and procedures we have adopted that are designed to assist in compliance with these laws and regulations may not be effective in preventing violations of these laws and regulations. We have not been subject to any fines or other penalties, nor have suffered business or reputational harm, as a result of money laundering activities in recent years.

Federal regulations establish minimum capital requirements for insured depository institutions, including minimum risk-based capital and leverage ratios, and define “capital” for calculating these ratios. For an entity that has opted into using the community bank leverage ratio, such as Winchester Savings Bank, the current minimum community bank leverage ratio requirement is 9%. The application of these capital requirements could, among other things, result in lower returns on equity, and result in regulatory actions if we are unable to comply with such requirements. See “Regulation and Supervision—Federal Banking Regulation—Capital Requirements.”

At June 30, 2025, Winchester Savings Bank exceeded all applicable regulatory capital requirements and was considered “well capitalized.”

The Federal Reserve Board may require us to commit capital resources to support Winchester Savings Bank, and we may not have sufficient access to such capital resources.

Federal law requires that a holding company act as a source of financial and managerial strength to its subsidiary bank and to commit resources to support such subsidiary bank. Under the “source of strength” doctrine, the Federal Reserve Board may require a holding company to make capital injections into a troubled subsidiary bank and may charge the holding company with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices for failure to commit resources to a subsidiary bank. A capital injection may be required at times when the holding company may not have the resources to provide it and therefore may be required to attempt to borrow the funds or raise capital. Thus, any borrowing that must be done by Winchester Bancorp, Inc. to make a required capital injection becomes more difficult and expensive and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, it is possible that we will be unable to borrow funds or otherwise raise capital when we need to do so.

We are an emerging growth company, and our decision to comply only with certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies could make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are an emerging growth company, and, for as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we may choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As an emerging growth company, we also will not be subject to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which would require that our independent auditors review and attest as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We have also elected to use the extended transition period to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies. Accordingly, our financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of public companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

We could remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years, or until the earliest of (a) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.235 billion, (b) the date that we become a “large accelerated filer” as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (c) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three-year period.

As a result, our stockholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important, and investors may find our common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. This could result in a less active trading market for our common stock and the price of our common stock may be more volatile.

We qualify as a smaller reporting company, and our decision to comply only with certain reduced reporting and disclosure requirements applicable to smaller reporting companies could make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We are a smaller reporting company, and, for as long as we continue to qualify as a smaller reporting company, we may choose to take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public companies but not to smaller reporting companies, including, but not limited to, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and two years of audited financial statements in our annual report instead of three years. As long as we are a smaller reporting company that is also not an accelerated filer, we will not be subject to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires that our independent registered public accounting firm review and attest as to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. In addition, as a non-accelerated filer, we will have longer deadlines to file our periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We would remain a smaller reporting company and a non-accelerated filer for so long as our voting and non-voting equity held by non-affiliates (“public float”) is less than $250 million or our annual revenues are less than $100 million and our public float is less than $700 million. Public float is determined each year as of the end of a company’s second fiscal quarter applicable at the end of the fiscal year involved.

As a result of our smaller reporting company status and non-accelerated filer status, our stockholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important, and investors may find our common stock less attractive if we choose to rely on these exemptions. This could result in a less active trading market for our common stock and the price of our common stock may be more volatile.

Risks Related to Economic Conditions

Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. From 2021 to 2023, there was a significant rise in inflation and the Federal Reserve Board raised certain benchmark interest rates in an effort to combat inflation. As inflation increases, the value of our investment securities, particularly those with longer maturities, would decrease, although this effect can be less pronounced for floating rate instruments. In addition, inflation increases the cost of goods and services we use in our business operations, such as electricity and other utilities, which increases our operating expenses. Furthermore, our customers are also affected by inflation and the rising costs of goods and services used in their households and businesses, which could have a negative impact on their ability to repay their loans with us.

Changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs or the escalation of a trade war, could negatively impact the economic conditions in the markets we serve. Our customers may face higher costs for imported goods and materials, reduced export demand, and supply chain disruptions due to increased tariffs. These challenges could lead to lower revenues, reduced profitability, and potential layoffs, all of which may impair our customers’ ability to meet their financial obligations. Furthermore, prolonged trade tensions and economic uncertainty could lead to market volatility, declining asset values, and weakened consumer confidence. If our customers experience financial stress, we could see an increase in loan delinquencies and credit losses, negatively affecting our asset quality and overall financial performance. Additionally, any decline in local economic activity could reduce loan demand and deposit growth, which are critical to our long-term success. While we actively monitor economic and policy developments, we cannot predict the outcome of trade negotiations or the full impact of tariffs and trade restrictions on our business, customers, and the broader economy. Any adverse effects from tariffs or a trade war could materially and negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations, and future growth prospects.

Risks Related to Operational Matters

Our funding sources may prove insufficient to replace deposits at maturity and support our growth. A lack of liquidity could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and result in regulatory limits being placed on us.

We must maintain sufficient funds to respond to the needs of depositors and borrowers. As a part of our liquidity management, we use a number of funding sources in addition to core deposit growth and repayments and maturities of loans and investments. As we grow, we are likely to depend more on these sources, which may include Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston advances, federal funds purchased and brokered certificates of deposit. While we emphasize the generation of low-cost core deposits as a source of funding, there is strong competition for such deposits in our market area. Additionally, deposit balances can decrease if customers perceive alternative investments as providing a better risk/return tradeoff. Adverse operating results or changes in industry conditions could lead to difficulty or an inability to access these additional funding sources. Our financial flexibility will be severely constrained if we are unable to maintain our access to funding or if adequate financing is not available to accommodate future growth at acceptable interest rates.

Further, if we are required to rely more heavily on more expensive funding sources to support liquidity and growth, our revenues may not increase proportionately to cover our increased costs. In this case, our operating margins and profitability would be adversely affected. Alternatively, we may need to sell a portion of our investment and/or loan portfolio to raise funds, which, depending upon market conditions, could result in us realizing a loss on the sale of such assets.

At June 30, 2025, we had $147.0 million outstanding in advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. At June 30, 2025, we had the ability to borrow $100.2 million in additional Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston advances. At June 30, 2025, we also had a $5.3 million line of credit with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, which was not drawn at June 30, 2025. Additionally, at June 30, 2025, we had a $67.0 million secured line of credit through the Federal Reserve Borrower in Custody (BIC) program. We could significantly increase our borrowing capacity from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and the Federal Reserve Bank, if we pledged additional assets as security. We anticipate that we will have sufficient funds to meet our current funding commitments. Based on our deposit retention experience and current pricing strategy, we anticipate that a significant portion of maturing time deposits will be retained.

For further information, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

We hold a relatively large level of certificates of deposit, which has and may continue to significantly increase our cost of funds.

At June 30, 2025, certificates of deposit totaled $283.2 million, or 41.7% of our total deposits. Our increased levels of certificates of deposit in recent years have resulted in a higher cost of funds than would otherwise be the case if we had a higher percentage of demand deposits and savings deposits. In addition, if our certificates of deposit do not remain with us, we may be required to access other sources of funds, including loan sales, other types of deposits, advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and other borrowings. Depending on market conditions, we may be required to pay higher rates on such deposits or borrowings than we currently pay on our certificates of deposit.

The introduction of new products and services can entail significant investments in time and resources, financial or otherwise, including regulatory approvals. Substantial risks and uncertainties are associated with the introduction of new products and services, including technical and control requirements that may need to be developed and implemented, rapid technological change in the industry, our ability to access technical and other information from its clients, the significant and ongoing investments required to bring new products and services to market in a timely manner at competitive prices and the preparation of marketing, sales and other materials that fully and accurately describe the product or service and its underlying risks. Our failure to manage these risks and uncertainties also exposes us to enhanced risk of operational lapses which may result in the recognition of financial statement liabilities. Regulatory and internal control requirements, capital requirements, competitive alternatives, vendor relationships and shifting market preferences may also determine if such initiatives can be brought to market in a manner that is timely and attractive to our clients. Products and services relying on internet and mobile technologies may expose us to fraud and cybersecurity risks. Failure to successfully manage these risks in the development and implementation of new products or services could have a material adverse effect on our business and reputation, as well as on its consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

Information technology systems are critical to our business. Our business requires us to collect, process, transmit and store significant amounts of confidential information regarding our customers, employees and our own business, operations, plans and business strategies. We use various technology systems to manage our customer relationships, general ledger, investments, deposits, and loans. Our computer systems, data management and internal processes, as well as those of third parties, are integral to our performance. Our operational risks include the risk of malfeasance by employees or persons outside our company, errors relating to transaction processing and technology, systems failures or interruptions, breaches of our internal control systems and compliance requirements, and business continuation and disaster recovery. There have been increasing efforts by third parties to breach data security at financial institutions. Such attacks include computer viruses, malicious or destructive code, phishing attacks, denial of service or information or other security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of confidential, proprietary and other information, damages to systems, or other material disruptions to network access or business operations. Although we take protective measures and believe that we have not experienced any of the types of data breaches described above, the security of our computer systems, software, and networks may be vulnerable to breaches, unauthorized access, misuse, computer viruses, or other malicious code and cyber-attacks that could have an impact on information security. Because the techniques used to cause security breaches change frequently, we may be unable to proactively address these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures.

In the event of a breakdown in our internal control systems, improper operation of our systems or improper employee actions, or a breach of our security systems, including if confidential or proprietary information were to be mishandled, misused or lost, we could suffer financial loss, loss of customers and damage to our reputation, and face regulatory action or civil litigation. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Insurance coverage may not be available for such losses, or where available, such losses may exceed insurance limits.

Winchester Bancorp, Inc. and Winchester Savings Bank have a standing Information Technology Steering Committee, consisting of the Chief Information Officer, the Senior Vice President of Risk and Compliance, information technology staff and staff from other departments within Winchester Savings Bank. The committee meets quarterly or more frequently if needed, and reports to the board of directors after each meeting through committee minutes. Winchester Savings Bank also engages outside consultants to support its cybersecurity efforts. The directors of Winchester Bancorp, Inc. and Winchester Savings Bank do not have significant experience in cybersecurity risk management in other business entities comparable to Winchester Savings Bank and rely on senior management and an information technology service provider for cybersecurity guidance.

We rely on third-party vendors, which could expose us to additional cybersecurity risks.

Third-party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure, including certain data processing and information services. Accordingly, our operations are exposed to risk that these vendors will not perform in accordance with our contractual agreements with them, or we also could be adversely affected if such an agreement is not renewed by the third-party vendor or is renewed on terms less favorable to us. If our third-party providers encounter difficulties, or if we have difficulty communicating with those service providers, our ability to adequately process and account for transactions could be affected, and our business operations could be adversely affected, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Threats to information security also exist in the processing of customer information through various other vendors and their personnel. To our knowledge, the services and programs provided to us by third parties have not experienced any material security breaches. However, the existence of cyber-attacks or security breaches at third parties with access to our data, such as vendors, may not be disclosed to us in a timely manner.

As a bank, we are susceptible to fraudulent activity that may be committed against us or our clients, which may result in financial losses or increased costs to us or our clients, disclosure or misuse of our information or our client information, misappropriation of assets, privacy breaches against our clients, litigation or damage to our reputation. We are most subject to fraud and compliance risk in connection with the origination of loans, ACH transactions, wire transactions, ATM transactions, checking transactions, and debit cards that we have issued to our customers and through our online banking portals.

We maintain a system of internal controls and insurance coverage to mitigate against such risks, including data processing system failures and errors, and customer fraud. If our internal controls fail to prevent or detect any such occurrence, or if any resulting loss is not insured or exceeds applicable insurance limits, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We maintain a defined pension benefit plan for the benefit of a portion of our employees. We may determine to terminate this plan. We could incur an expense in connection with the termination, which could negatively affect our income during the year of the termination.

We maintain a defined pension benefit plan for the benefit of employees of Winchester Savings Bank who were employees prior to November 1, 2022. This plan was frozen effective October 31, 2024. We may choose to terminate this plan. The cost to terminate the plan is primarily dependent on the value of the plan’s assets and applicable interest rates at the time of such termination. We cannot estimate the actual costs associated with potential termination from the plan until the date of the termination, but if these costs were material, it would negatively impact future earnings in the year of termination.

Risks Related to Accounting Matters

The bodies responsible for establishing accounting standards, including the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory bodies, periodically change the financial accounting and reporting guidance that governs the preparation of our financial statements. These changes can be hard to predict and can materially impact how we record and report our financial condition and results of operations. In some cases, we could be required to apply new or revised guidance retroactively.

In preparing periodic reports we are required to file under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including our consolidated financial statements, our management is and will be required under applicable rules and regulations to make estimates and assumptions as of a specified date. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and experience as of that date and are subject to substantial risk and uncertainty. Materially different results may occur as circumstances change and additional information becomes known. The most significant area requiring significant estimates and assumptions by management include our evaluation of the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses.

Other Risks Related to Our Business

We have been and may in the future become involved in legal and regulatory proceedings. We consider most of the proceedings to be in the normal course of our business or typical for the industry; however, it is difficult to assess the outcome of these matters, and we may not prevail in any proceedings or litigation. There could be substantial costs and management diversion in such litigation and proceedings, and any adverse determination could have a materially adverse effect on our business, reputation, brand or image, or our financial condition and results of our operations.

We are a community bank, and our reputation is one of the most valuable components of our business. A key component of our business strategy is to rely on our reputation for customer service and knowledge of local markets to expand our presence by capturing new business opportunities from existing and prospective customers in our market area and contiguous areas. As such, we strive to conduct our business in a manner that enhances our reputation. This is done, in part, by recruiting, hiring and retaining employees or by retaining, appointing or electing directors who share our core values of being an integral part of the communities we serve, delivering superior service to our customers and caring about our customers and employees. If our reputation is negatively affected by the actions of our employees or directors, by our inability to conduct our operations in a manner that is appealing to current or prospective customers, or otherwise, our business and, therefore, our operating results may be materially adversely affected.

Severe weather, natural disasters and other external events could significantly affect our operations and results.

Severe weather or natural disasters, such as tornados, drought and other adverse external events, could have a significant effect on our ability to conduct business. Such events could affect the stability of our deposit base, impair the ability of borrowers to repay outstanding loans, impair the value of collateral securing loans, cause significant property damage, result in loss of revenue and/or cause us to incur additional expenses. Accordingly, the occurrence of any such severe weather or natural disaster event could have a material adverse effect on our business, which, in turn, could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

If our deposits grow too large, we may lose the benefits of excess deposit insurance provided by the Depositors Insurance Fund.

Winchester Savings Bank’s deposits are insured in full beyond federal deposit insurance coverage limits by the Depositors Insurance Fund, or the DIF, a private excess deposit insurer created under Massachusetts law. We believe providing deposit insurance in excess of FDIC insurance limits gives us a competitive advantage for individual, corporate and municipal depositors having deposit balances. However, the DIF may require member institutions that pose greater than normal loss exposure risk to the DIF to take certain risk-mitigating measures or withdraw from the DIF. In such an event, an institution may be required to reduce its level of excess deposits, pay for the reinsurance of excess deposits, make an additional capital contribution to the DIF, provide collateral or take other risk-mitigating measures that the DIF may require, which may include entering into reciprocal deposit programs with other financial institutions or reciprocal deposit services. Any of the above measures may reduce our overall level of deposits and increase our reliance on other, more expensive or less stable sources for funding, including FHLB advances, which would reduce net income.

Our articles of incorporation provide that, subject to limited exceptions, state and federal courts in Maryland are the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation matters, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, and other employees.

The articles of incorporation of Winchester Bancorp, Inc. provide that, unless Winchester Bancorp, Inc. consents in writing, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of Winchester Bancorp, Inc., (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of Winchester Bancorp, Inc. to Winchester Bancorp, Inc. or its stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Maryland General Corporation Law, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine will be conducted in a state or federal court located within Maryland, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants. This exclusive forum provision does not apply to claims arising under the federal securities laws. This exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum it finds favorable for disputes with Winchester Bancorp, Inc. and its directors, officers, and other employees, or may cause a stockholder to incur additional expense by having to bring a claim in a judicial forum that is distant from where the stockholder resides, or both. In addition, if a court were to find this exclusive forum provision to be inapplicable or unenforceable in a particular action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the action in another jurisdiction, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Stock banks or their holding companies, as well as individuals, may not acquire control of a company organized in the mutual holding company structure, such as Winchester Bancorp, Inc. As a result, the only entities that may acquire control of a mutual holding company are other mutual savings institutions or mutual holding companies. Accordingly, it is very unlikely that Winchester Bancorp, Inc. would be subject to any takeover attempt by activist stockholders or other financial institutions.

Under applicable regulations, for a period of three years following completion of the reorganization, no person may acquire beneficial ownership of more than 10% of our common stock without prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board and the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks. Under federal law, subject to certain exemptions, a person, entity or group must notify the Federal Reserve Board before acquiring control of a bank holding company. Also, a bank holding company must obtain the prior approval of the Federal Reserve Board before, among other things, acquiring direct or indirect ownership or control of more than 5% of any class of voting shares of any bank, including Winchester Savings Bank.

There also are provisions in our articles of incorporation that may be used to delay or block a takeover attempt, including a provision that prohibits any person from voting more than 10% of the shares of common stock outstanding. Furthermore, shares of restricted stock and stock options that we may grant to employees and directors, stock ownership by our management and directors, employment and change in control agreements that we have entered into with our executive officers and other factors may make it more difficult for companies or persons to acquire control of Winchester Bancorp, Inc. without the consent of our board of directors. Taken as a whole, these statutory provisions and provisions in our articles of incorporation could result in our being less attractive to a potential acquirer and thus could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Risks Related to Our Organizational Structure

Our stockholders own a minority of Winchester Bancorp, Inc.’s common stock and will not be able to exercise voting control over most matters put to a vote of stockholders.

Public stockholders own a minority of the outstanding shares of Winchester Bancorp, Inc.’s common stock. As a result, stockholders other than Winchester Bancorp, MHC will not be able to exercise voting control over most matters put to a vote of stockholders. Winchester Bancorp, MHC owns a majority of Winchester Bancorp, Inc.’s common stock and, through its board of trustees, exercises voting control over most matters put to a vote of stockholders. Winchester Bancorp, MHC may take action that the public stockholders believe to be contrary to their interests. For example, Winchester Bancorp, MHC may exercise its voting control to defeat a stockholder nominee for election to the board of directors of Winchester Bancorp, Inc.

In addition, stockholders will not be able to force a merger or second-step conversion transaction without the consent of Winchester Bancorp, MHC since such a transaction requires the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting stock of Winchester Bancorp, Inc., which can only be achieved if Winchester Bancorp, MHC votes to approve such transactions. Some stockholders may desire a sale or merger transaction, since stockholders typically receive a premium for their shares, or a second-step conversion transaction, since, on a fully converted basis, most full stock institutions tend to trade at higher multiples than mutual holding companies. Stockholders could, however, prevent a second-step conversion or the implementation of equity incentive plans because under current regulations and policies, such matters also require the separate approval of the stockholders other than Winchester Bancorp, MHC.

If we declare dividends on our common stock, Winchester Bancorp, MHC will be prohibited from waiving the receipt of dividends.

Winchester Bancorp, Inc.’s board of directors will have the authority to declare dividends on our common stock, subject to statutory and regulatory requirements. If Winchester Bancorp, Inc. pays dividends to its stockholders, it also will be required to pay dividends to Winchester Bancorp, MHC, unless Winchester Bancorp, MHC is permitted by the Federal Reserve Board to waive the receipt of dividends. The Federal Reserve Board’s current position is to not permit a bank holding company to waive dividends declared by its subsidiary. In addition, Massachusetts banking regulations prohibit Winchester Bancorp, MHC from waiving dividends declared and paid by Winchester Bancorp, Inc. unless the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks does not object to the waiver and provided the waiver is not detrimental to the safe and sound operation of Winchester Savings Bank. Accordingly, because dividends will be required to be paid to Winchester Bancorp, MHC along with all other stockholders, the amount of dividends available for all other stockholders will be less than if Winchester Bancorp, MHC were permitted to waive the receipt of dividends.