FARMERS NATIONAL BANC CORP /OH/

The following information updates our risk factors and should be read in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed in Part 1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” contained in the Company’s 2024 Annual Report on Form10-K. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Additional risk factors not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also adversely affect us.

Significant changes to the size, structure, powers and operations of the federal government, changes to U.S. economic policies, and uncertainties regarding these changes may cause economic disruptions which could adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The current U.S. administration has implemented significant changes in federal priorities in the operations, structure, and policy focus of various federal agencies, as well as regulatory priorities, policy approaches and interpretations of existing laws by those federal agencies. Moreover, leadership transitions at key federal agencies have impacted and may continue to impact rulemaking, supervision, enforcement, and examination priorities across the financial regulatory landscape. These developments may have varying and unpredictable effects on the banking and financial services industry that, which makes it difficult to anticipate and mitigate attendant risks. Compliance with changing federal and regulatory priorities could, among other things, increase the costs of operating our business, reduce the demand for our products and services, impact our ability to achieve our business goals, and increase our legal, operational and reputational risks, any or all of which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

The current U.S. administration also has implemented rapid shifts in macroeconomic policies, such as those relating to trade restrictions and tariffs, which have created significant uncertainties regarding U.S. economic growth, the potential for recession, and concerns over inflation. In order to mitigate the impact of unpredictable U.S. actions, global companies and governments may reduce the use of the U.S. dollar in world trade and financial transactions, which could result in further volatility in the financial markets and U.S. economy. Slow economic growth, economic contraction or recession, or shifts in broader consumer and business trends in the U.S. generally and regions we serve could significantly impact our ability to originate loans, the ability of borrowers to repay loans, and the value of the collateral securing loans.

Other political and economic events within the United States, including changes in or disagreements over U.S. monetary policy and actions of the Federal Reserve, disagreements over long-term federal budget and deficit reduction plans, the threat of a U.S. government shutdown, disagreements over, or threats not to increase, the U.S. government’s borrowing limit, and risk of further downgrade of the ratings of U.S. government debt obligations, also may negatively impact financial markets and the U.S. and regional economy.

Further, the perception of the potential for additional, significant changes in federal regulatory or economic policy also has increased uncertainty and may exacerbate declines in investor and consumer confidence, which in turn may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy of the U.S. and the economy of regions we serve, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree.

Regional business and economic conditions are a major driver of our results of operations. Difficult conditions in the regional business and economic environment, including those caused by the lack of stability and predictability of U.S. policymaking, may materially adversely affect our operating expenses, the quality of our assets, credit losses, and the demand for our products and services.

Risks Related to the Merger

Following the Merger, we may be unable to integrate the business of the Company and Middlefield successfully or realize the anticipated benefits of the Merger.

The Merger involves the combination of two companies that currently operate as independent companies. The combination of two independent businesses is complex, costly and time-consuming, and we will be required to devote significant management attention and resources to integrating the business practices and operations of Middlefield into ours. Potential difficulties that we may encounter as part of the integration process include the following:

In addition, we and Middlefield have operated and, until the completion of the Merger, will continue to operate, independently. It is possible that the integration process could result in diversion of the attention of each company’s management and the disruption of, or the loss of momentum in, each company’s ongoing businesses or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies.

Any of these issues could adversely affect each company’s ability to maintain relationships with depositors, borrowers, employees and other constituencies or achieve the anticipated benefits of the Merger or could reduce each company’s earnings or otherwise adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition following the Merger.

We have incurred, and will incur, significant transaction-related costs in connection with the Merger.

We have incurred and will incur substantial expenses in connection with the negotiation and completion of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, as well as the costs and expenses of filing, printing and mailing a joint proxy statement/prospectus, and filing and other fees to be paid to Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and other regulatory agencies in connection with the Merger. These fees and costs will be significant. If the Merger is not completed, we may have to recognize these expenses without realizing the expected benefits of the Merger.

In addition, we also expect to incur a number of non-recurring transaction-related costs associated with combining the operations of the two companies and achieving desired synergies. Additional unanticipated costs may be incurred in the integration of our business with the business of Middlefield. There can be no assurance that the elimination of certain duplicative costs, as well as the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the two businesses, will offset the incremental transaction-related costs over time. Thus, any net benefit may not be achieved in the near term, the long term or at all.

We may not consummate the Merger on the terms currently contemplated or at all.

We may not consummate the Merger, which is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to, (a) the approval of the Merger by the shareholders of the Company; (b) the approval of the Merger by the shareholders of Middlefield; (c) the approval for listing on The NASDAQ Stock Market, subject to official notice of issuance, of the Company common shares to be issued in the Merger; (d) the effectiveness of the registration statement on Form S-4 to be filed by the Company with the SEC to register the Company common shares to be issued to the shareholders of Middlefield in the Merger; (e) the absence of any injunctions or other legal restraints preventing or rendering illegal the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; (f) the receipt of regulatory and other governmental approvals required to consummate the Merger and the bank merger and the expiration of applicable waiting periods; (g) the accuracy of specified representations and warranties of each party; and (h) the receipt by each party of an opinion from its legal counsel to the effect that the Merger will qualify as a “reorganization” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In addition, satisfying the conditions to and completion of the Merger may take longer, and could cost more, than we currently expect. There can be no assurance that such conditions will be satisfied or that the Merger will be consummated on the terms currently contemplated or at all.

Failure to complete the Merger could negatively impact the price of our common shares and have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position.

If the Merger is not completed for any reason, including as a result of failure to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals, we may be materially adversely affected and, without realizing any of the benefits of having completed the Merger, we would be subject to a number of risks, including the following:

If the Merger is not completed, the risks described above may materialize and they may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity, financial condition and the price of our common shares.

The synergies attributable to the Merger may vary from expectations.

We may fail to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies expected from the Merger, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The success of the Merger will depend, in significant part, on our ability to successfully integrate the acquired business, grow our revenue and realize the anticipated strategic benefits and synergies from the combination. However, achieving these goals requires, among other things, realization of the targeted cost synergies expected from the Merger. This growth and the anticipated benefits of the transaction may not be realized fully, or at all, or may take longer to realize than expected. Actual operating, strategic and revenue opportunities, if achieved at all, may be less significant than expected or may take longer to achieve than anticipated. If we are not able to achieve these objectives and realize the anticipated benefits and synergies expected from the Merger within the anticipated timing or at all, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

The market price for our common shares may decline in the future as a result of the Merger.

The market price of our common shares may decline in the future as a result of the Merger for a number of reasons, including due to:

These factors are, to some extent, beyond our control. As a consequence, our shareholders could lose the value of their investment in our common shares.