CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORP

Previous wording

**Risk Related to Acquisition Activity –**As described in Item 1, the Corporation has completed acquisitions of banking companies in 2020 and 2019 (Covenant and Monument) and expanded its geographic footprint to Southeastern and Southcentral Pennsylvania. Further, management intends to continue to pursue additional acquisition opportunities. Potential acquisitions may disrupt the Corporation’s business and dilute shareholder value. We regularly evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities and conduct due diligence activities related to possible transactions with other financial institutions and financial service companies. Acquiring other banks, businesses, or branches involves various risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including: potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the target company, exposure to potential asset quality issues of the target company, difficulty and expense of integrating the operations and personnel of the target company, potential disruption to the Corporation’s business, potential diversion of management’s time and attention, the possible loss of key employees and customers of the target company, difficulty in estimating the value of the target company and potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the target company. Acquisitions may involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution of the Corporation’s tangible book value and net income per share of common stock may occur in connection with any future transaction. Furthermore, failure to realize the expected revenue projections, cost savings, increases in geographic or product presence, and/or other projected benefits from recent or future acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition or results of operations.

Current wording

**Risk Related to Acquisition Activity –**As described in Item 1, the Corporation has completed acquisitions of banking companies in 2020 and 2019 (Covenant and Monument) and expanded its geographic footprint to Southeastern and Southcentral Pennsylvania. Further, management intends to continue to pursue additional acquisition opportunities. Potential acquisitions may disrupt the Corporation’s business and dilute shareholder value. We regularly evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities and conduct due diligence activities related to possible transactions with other financial institutions and financial service companies. Acquiring other banks, businesses, or branches involves various risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including: potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the target company, exposure to potential asset quality issues of the target company, difficulty and expense of integrating the operations and personnel of the target company, potential disruption to the Corporation’s business, potential diversion of management’s time and attention, the possible loss of key employees and customers of the target company, difficulty in estimating the value of the target company and potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the target company. Acquisitions may involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution of the Corporation’s tangible book value and earnings per common share may occur in connection with any future transaction. Furthermore, failure to realize the expected revenue projections, cost savings, increases in geographic or product presence, and/or other projected benefits from recent or future acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition or results of operations.

Previous wording

**Credit Risk from Lending Activities -**A significant source of risk is the possibility that losses will be sustained because borrowers, guarantors and related parties may fail to perform in accordance with the terms of their loan agreements. Most of the Corporation’s loans are secured, but some loans are unsecured. With respect to secured loans, the collateral securing the repayment of these loans may be insufficient to cover the obligations owed under such loans. A significant portion of such collateral is real estate located in the Corporation's core banking markets. Collateral values may be adversely affected by changes in economic, environmental and other conditions, including declines in the value of real estate, changes in interest rates, changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government, wide-spread disease, terrorist activity, environmental contamination and other external events. A decline in local economic conditions may have a greater effect on the Corporation’s earnings and capital than on the earnings and capital of other financial institutions whose real estate loan portfolios are more geographically diverse. In addition, collateral appraisals that are out of date or that do not meet industry recognized standards may create the impression that a loan is adequately collateralized when it is not. The Corporation has adopted underwriting and credit monitoring procedures and policies, including regular reviews of appraisals and borrower financial statements, that management believes are appropriate to mitigate the risk of loss. Also, as discussed further in the “Provision and Allowance for Credit Losses” section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis, the Corporation uses an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) methodology. CECL requires an estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the financial asset using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Such risk management and accounting policies and procedures, however, may not prevent unexpected losses that could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Current wording

economic conditions may have a greater effect on the Corporation’s earnings and capital than on the earnings and capital of other financial institutions whose real estate loan portfolios are more geographically diverse. In addition, collateral appraisals that are out of date or that do not meet industry recognized standards may create the impression that a loan is adequately collateralized when it is not. The Corporation has adopted underwriting and credit monitoring procedures and policies, including regular reviews of appraisals and borrower financial statements, that management believes are appropriate to mitigate the risk of loss. Also, as discussed further in the “Provision and Allowance for Credit Losses” section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis, the Corporation uses an expected loss methodology that is referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) methodology. CECL requires an estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the financial asset using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Such risk management and accounting policies and procedures, however, may not prevent unexpected losses that could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Previous wording

A significant portion of the Corporation's loan portfolio consists of commercial real estate loans, including owner occupied properties, non-owner-occupied properties, and other commercial properties. These types of loans are generally viewed as having more risk of default than residential real estate loans and depend on cash flows from the owner’s business or the property’s tenants to service the debt. The borrower’s cash flows may be affected significantly by general economic conditions, a downturn in the local economy or in occupancy rates in the market where the property is located, any of which could increase the likelihood of default. Commercial real estate loans also typically have larger loan balances, and, therefore, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans could cause a significant increase in the percentage of the Corporation's non-performing loans. An increase in non-performing loans could result in a loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the provision for credit losses for loans, and an increase in charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Current wording

A significant portion of the Corporation's loan portfolio consists of commercial real estate loans, including owner occupied properties, non-owner-occupied properties, and other commercial properties. These types of loans are generally viewed as having more risk of default than residential real estate loans and depend on cash flows from the owner’s business or the property’s tenants to service the debt. The borrower’s cash flows may be affected significantly by general economic conditions, a downturn in the local economy or in occupancy rates in the market where the property is located, or other external events, any of which could increase the likelihood of default. Commercial real estate loans also typically have larger loan balances, and, therefore, the deterioration of one or a few of these loans could cause a significant increase in the percentage of the Corporation's non-performing loans. An increase in non-performing loans could result in a loss of earnings from these loans, an increase in the provision for credit losses for loans, and an increase in charge-offs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Previous wording

The banking regulatory agencies have recently expressed concerns about weaknesses in the current commercial real estate market. Banking regulators generally give commercial real estate lending greater scrutiny and may require banks with higher levels of commercial real estate loans to implement enhanced risk management practices, including stricter underwriting, internal controls, risk management policies, more granular reporting, and portfolio stress testing, as well as possibly higher levels of allowances for losses and capital levels as a result of commercial real estate lending growth and exposures. If the Corporation's banking regulators determine that our commercial real estate lending activities are particularly risky and are subject to such heightened scrutiny, the Corporation may incur significant additional costs or be required to restrict certain of our commercial real estate lending activities. Furthermore, failures in the Corporation's risk management policies, procedures and controls could adversely affect our ability to manage this portfolio going forward and could result in an increased rate of delinquencies in, and increased losses from, this portfolio, which could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Current wording

Over the past few years, the banking regulatory agencies have expressed concerns about weaknesses in the current commercial real estate market. Banking regulators generally give commercial real estate lending greater scrutiny and may require banks with higher levels of commercial real estate loans to implement enhanced risk management practices, including stricter underwriting, internal controls, risk management policies, more granular reporting, and portfolio stress testing, as well as possibly higher levels of allowances for credit losses and capital levels as a result of commercial real estate lending growth and exposures. If the Corporation's banking regulators determine that our commercial real estate lending activities are particularly risky and are subject to such heightened scrutiny, the Corporation may incur significant additional costs or be required to restrict certain of our commercial real estate lending activities. Furthermore, failures in the Corporation's risk management policies, procedures and controls could adversely affect our ability to manage this portfolio going forward and could result in an increased rate of delinquencies in, and increased losses from, this portfolio, which could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Previous wording

Moreover, the Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds rate in 2020 and maintained a rate of 0% to 0.25% throughout 2021 while injecting massive amounts of liquidity into the nation’s monetary system. In 2022, the Federal Reserve changed course, raising the Federal Funds rate several times to a range of 4.25% to 4.50% at December 31, 2022. Furthermore, in 2023, the Federal Reserve raised

Current wording

Moreover, the Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds rate in 2020 and maintained a rate of 0% to 0.25% throughout 2021 while injecting massive amounts of liquidity into the nation’s monetary system. In 2022 and 2023, the Federal Reserve changed course and raised the rate several times to a range of 5.25% to 5.50% at December 31, 2023. The Federal Reserve’s rate increases, along with an accompanying tightening of the money supply, were conducted in an effort to contain inflation. In the latter portion of 2024, the Federal Reserve lowered the Federal Funds rate twice to a range of 4.25% to 4.50% at December 31, 2024.

Previous wording

**Limited Geographic Diversification -**The Corporation grants commercial, residential and personal loans to customers primarily in the Corporation’s legacy markets of the Northern tier/Northcentral regions of Pennsylvania and Southern tier of New York and in Southeastern and Southcentral Pennsylvania. Although the Corporation has a diversified loan portfolio, a significant portion of its debtors’ ability to honor their contracts is dependent on the local economic conditions within these regions. Deterioration in economic conditions could adversely affect the quality of the Corporation’s loan portfolio and the demand for its products and services, and accordingly, could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Current wording

**Limited Geographic Diversification -**The Corporation grants commercial, residential and personal loans to customers primarily in the Corporation’s markets of the Northern tier/Northcentral regions of Pennsylvania, Southern tier of New York and Southeastern and Southcentral Pennsylvania. Although the Corporation has a diversified loan portfolio, a significant portion of its debtors’ ability to honor their contracts is dependent on the local economic conditions within these regions. Deterioration in economic conditions could adversely affect the quality of the Corporation’s loan portfolio and the demand for its products and services, and accordingly, could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Previous wording

Despite these security measures, the Corporation’s computer systems and infrastructure or those of third parties used by us to compile, process or store such information may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance, or other disruptions. Financial services institutions and companies engaged in data processing have reported breaches in the security of their websites or other systems, some of which have involved sophisticated and targeted attacks intended to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive information, destroy data, steal financial assets, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems, often through the introduction of computer viruses or malware, cyber-attacks and other means. Denial of service attacks have been launched against a number of large financial services institutions. The Corporation may be subject to similar attacks in the future. Hacking and identity theft risks could

Current wording

Despite these security measures, the Corporation’s computer systems and infrastructure or those of third parties used by us to compile, process or store such information may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance, or other disruptions. Financial services institutions and companies engaged in data processing have reported breaches in the security of their websites or other systems, some of which have involved sophisticated and targeted attacks intended to obtain unauthorized access to sensitive information, destroy data, steal financial assets, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems, often through the introduction of computer viruses or malware, cyber-attacks and other means. Denial of service attacks have been launched against a number of large financial services institutions. The Corporation may be subject to similar attacks in the future. Hacking and identity theft risks could cause serious reputational harm and financial loss to the Corporation. Cyber threats are rapidly evolving and the Corporation may not be able to anticipate or prevent all such attacks. Advancements in the use of artificial intelligence could lead to attacks by exploiting vulnerabilities to manipulate model outputs or bypass security controls. A breach of any kind could compromise systems and the information stored there could be accessed, damaged, locked up, or disclosed. A breach in security could result in legal claims, regulatory penalties, disruption in operations, and damage to the Corporation’s reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Previous wording

Financial institutions are interconnected because of trading, clearing, counterparty, and other relationships. Financial market conditions have been negatively impacted in the past and such disruptions or adverse changes in the Corporation’s results of operations or financial condition could, in the future, have a negative impact on available sources of liquidity. Such a situation may arise due to circumstances that are outside the Corporation’s control, such as general market disruptions or operational problems affecting the Corporation or third parties. The Corporation’s efforts to monitor and manage liquidity risk may not be successful or sufficient to deal with dramatic or unanticipated reductions in available liquidity. In such events, the Corporation’s cost of funds may increase, thereby reducing net interest

Current wording

Financial institutions are interconnected because of trading, clearing, counterparty, and other relationships. Financial market conditions have been negatively impacted in the past and such disruptions or adverse changes in the Corporation’s results of operations or financial condition could, in the future, have a negative impact on available sources of liquidity. Such a situation may arise due to circumstances that are outside the Corporation’s control, such as general market disruptions or operational problems affecting the Corporation or third parties. The Corporation’s efforts to monitor and manage liquidity risk may not be successful or sufficient to deal with dramatic or unanticipated reductions in available liquidity. In such events, the Corporation’s cost of funds may increase, thereby reducing net interest income, or the Corporation may need to sell a portion of its securities and/or loan portfolio, which, depending upon market conditions, could necessitate realizing a loss.

Previous wording

**Risks Related to Banking Industry Turmoil –**The Corporation is exposed to the risk that when a bank or other financial institution experiences financial difficulties, there could be an adverse “contagion” impact on other banking institutions. The failures of Silicon Valley Bank in California, Signature Bank in New York and First Republic Bank in California during the first and second quarters of 2023 caused an element of panic and uncertainty in the investor community and among bank customers generally, including, specifically, deposit customers. While the Corporation does not believe that the circumstances of these three failures are necessarily indicators of broader issues for concern with all other banks or with the banking system itself, the failures have reduced customer confidence and are

Current wording

Moreover,** **the Corporation is exposed to the risk that when a bank or other financial institution experiences financial difficulties, there could be an adverse “contagion” impact on other banking institutions. For example, the failures of Silicon Valley Bank in California, Signature Bank in New York and First Republic Bank in California in 2023 caused an element of panic and uncertainty in the investor community and among bank customers generally, including, specifically, deposit customers. These types of events may reduce customer confidence and may affect sources of funding and liquidity, increase regulatory requirements and costs, adversely affect financial markets and/or have negative reputational ramifications for institutions in the banking industry, including, possibly, the Corporation.

Previous wording

Declines in the values of the Corporation’s securities holdings, combined with adverse changes in the expected cash flows from these investments, would negatively impact their value for liquidity management purposes and could result in the recording of an allowance for credit losses. At December 31, 2023, the fair value of the Corporation’s available-for-sale debt securities portfolio was $415.8 million, or 10.6% less than the amortized cost basis. The unrealized decrease in fair value was consistent with the increases in market interest rates that occurred subsequent to the purchases of the securities, and no allowance for credit losses was required on available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2023. Further increases in interest rates would cause the fair value of the available-for-sale debt securities portfolio to decrease further. For additional information regarding debt securities, see the “Securities” section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis and Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements.

Current wording

Declines in the values of the Corporation’s securities holdings, combined with adverse changes in the expected cash flows from these investments, would negatively impact their value for liquidity management purposes and could result in the recording of an allowance for credit losses. At December 31, 2024, the fair value of the Corporation’s available-for-sale debt securities portfolio was $402.4 million, or 10.6% less than the amortized cost basis. The unrealized decrease in fair value was consistent with the increases in market interest rates that occurred subsequent to the purchases of the securities, and no allowance for credit losses was required on available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position at December 31, 2024. Further increases in interest rates would cause the fair value of the available-for-sale debt securities portfolio to decrease further. For additional information regarding debt securities, see the “Securities” section of Management’s Discussion and Analysis and Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements.

Previous wording

Mortgage Banking – Since 2009, the Corporation has originated and sold residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Xtra program. Since 2014, the Corporation has also originated and sold residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Original program. Both of these programs are administered by the Federal Home Loan Banks of Pittsburgh and Chicago. At December 31, 2023, the total outstanding balance of residential mortgages sold and serviced through the two programs amounted to $323,298,000. The Corporation must strictly adhere to the MPF Xtra and MPF Original program guidelines for origination, underwriting and servicing loans, and failure to do so may result in the Corporation being forced to repurchase loans or being dropped from the program. As of December 31, 2023, the total outstanding balance of residential mortgage loans the Corporation has repurchased as a result of identified instances of noncompliance amounted to $1,335,000. If the volume of such forced repurchases of loans were to increase significantly, or if the Corporation were to be dropped from the programs, it could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Current wording

Mortgage Banking – Since 2009, the Corporation has originated and sold residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Xtra program. Since 2014, the Corporation has also originated and sold residential mortgage loans to the secondary market through the MPF Original program. Both of these programs are administered by the Federal Home Loan Banks of Pittsburgh and Chicago. At December 31, 2024, the total outstanding balance of residential mortgages sold and serviced through the two programs amounted to $329,766,000. The Corporation must strictly adhere to the MPF Xtra and MPF Original program guidelines for origination, underwriting and servicing loans, and failure to do so may result in the Corporation being forced to repurchase loans or being dropped from the program. As of December 31, 2024, the total outstanding balance of residential mortgage loans the Corporation has repurchased as a result of identified instances of noncompliance amounted to $2,671,000. If the volume of such forced repurchases of loans were to increase significantly, or if the Corporation were to be dropped from the programs, it could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.