Business First Bancshares Inc

Note 1– Basis of Presentation–

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Business First Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) and itstwo direct, wholly-owned subsidiaries, b1BANK (the “Bank”), and Coastal Commerce Statutory Trust I; and the Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, Business First Insurance, LLC, Smith Shellnut Wilson, LLC, Waterstone LSP, LLC ("Waterstone"), and b1 Securities, LLC ("b1Securities"). The Bank operates out of full-service banking centers and loan production offices in markets across Louisiana, the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and Houston, Texas. As a state bank, it is subject to regulation by the Office of Financial Institutions (“OFI”), State of Louisiana, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and undergoes periodic examinations by these agencies. The Company is also regulated by the Federal Reserve and is subject to periodic examinations.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial results for the periods presented, and all such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. All material intercompany transactions are eliminated. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

These interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared according to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and, therefore, certain information and footnote disclosures normally presented in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been omitted or abbreviated. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures for the Company’s previously filed Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying disclosures. These estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions the Company may undertake in the future. Critical accounting estimates that are particularly susceptible to significant change for the Company include the determination of the acquired loans and allowance for credit losses and purchase accounting adjustments (other than loans). Other estimates include goodwill, fair value of financial instruments, investment securities and the assessment of income taxes. Management does not anticipate any material changes to estimates in the near term. Factors that may cause sensitivity to the aforementioned estimates include but are not limited to: external market factors such as market interest rates and employment rates, changes to operating policies and procedures, economic conditions in the Company’s markets, and changes in applicable banking regulations. Actual results may ultimately differ from estimates.

Accounting Standards Adopted in Current Period

None

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

ASU No. 2023-09, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures." ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to disclose additional information in specified categories with respect to the rate reconciliation for federal, state and foreign income taxes. In addition, the updates also require more details about reconciling items in the rate reconciliation in some categories if items meet a quantitative threshold. ASU 2023-09 also requires all entities to disclose income taxes paid, net of refunds, disaggregated by federal, state and foreign taxes for annual periods and to disaggregate the information by jurisdiction based on a quantitative threshold. ASU 2023-09 will become effective for the Company starting December 31, 2025. ASU 2023-09 will not have a significant impact on our financial statements.

Note 2– Reclassifications –

Certain reclassifications may have been made to conform to reporting in 2025. These reclassifications have no material effect on previously reported shareholders’ equity or net income.

Note 3– Mergers and Acquisitions–

Waterstone, LSP, LLP

On January 31, 2024, the Company consummated the acquisition, through b1BANK, of Waterstone, headquartered in Katy, Texas. Waterstone offers community banks and small businesses a range of small business administration lending services including planning, pre-qualification, packaging, closing and disbursements, servicing and liquidation. Upon consummation of the acquisition, the Company paid $3.3 million in cash to the former owners of Waterstone.

Oakwood Bancshares, Inc.

On October 1, 2024, the Company consummated the merger of Oakwood Bancshares, Inc. (“Oakwood”), headquartered in the Dallas, Texas region, with and into the Company, pursuant to the terms of that certain Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Oakwood Reorganization Agreement”), dated as of April 25, 2024, by and between the Company and Oakwood. Also on October 1, 2024, Oakwood’s wholly owned banking subsidiary, Oakwood Bank, was merged with and into b1BANK. Pursuant to the terms of the Oakwood Reorganization Agreement, upon consummation of the Oakwood acquisition, the Company issued 3,973,134 shares of its common stock to the former shareholders of Oakwood. At September 30, 2024, Oakwood reported $863.6 million in total assets, $700.2 million in loans and $741.3 million in deposits.

The following table reflects the consideration paid for Oakwood’s net assets and the identifiable assets purchased and liabilities assumed at their fair values as of October 1, 2024. The fair values are provisional estimates and may be adjusted for a period of up to one year from the date of acquisition if new information is obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date that, if known, would have affected the measurement of the amounts recognized as of that date.

The Company has recorded approximately $679,000 and $1.6 million of acquisition-related costs within merger and conversion-related expenses and salaries and benefits for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and year ended December 31, 2024, respectively.

The following is a description of the methods used to determine the fair values of significant assets acquired and liabilities assumed presented above.

Cash and Cash Equivalents: The carrying amount of these assets was a reasonable estimate of fair value based on the short-term nature of these assets.

Securities Available for Sale: Fair values for securities were based on quoted market prices, where available. If quoted market prices were not available, fair value estimates were based on observable inputs including quoted market prices for similar instruments, quoted market prices that were not in an active market or other inputs that were observable in the market. In the absence of observable inputs, fair value was estimated based on pricing models/estimations.

Loans and Leases Receivable: Fair values for loans were based on a discounted cash flow methodology that considered factors including, but not limited to, loan type, classification status, remaining term, prepayment speed, and current discount rates. The discount rates used for loans were based on current market rates for new originations of comparable loans and included adjustments for any liquidity concerns. The discount rate did not include an explicit factor for credit losses, as that was included within the estimated cash flows.

Acquired loans are evaluated as either purchased with a more-than insignificant amount of credit deterioration (“PCD”) or an insignificant amount of credit deterioration (“non-PCD”) at acquisition, based upon management’s assessment of whether or not a loan has experienced more than insignificant credit deterioration since origination. This evaluation is completed by management using a variety of factors, including individual loan characteristics as well as industry type and collateral evaluation, among other factors. At acquisition, management designated loans with a fair value of $146.9 million as PCD. The fair value was inclusive of an $8.4 million PCD allowance and $2.3 million non-credit fair value discount from the acquired contractual value.

The remainder of the Oakwood loan portfolio, with a fair value of $540.6 million at acquisition included a non-credit fair value discount of $2.0 million from the acquired contractual value.

Core Deposit Intangible (“CDI”): The fair value for core deposit intangible assets was estimated based on a discounted cash flow methodology that gave appropriate consideration to expected customer attrition rates, net maintenance cost of the deposit base, including interest cost, and alternative cost of funds. The CDI is being amortized over 10 years based upon the period over which estimated economic benefits are estimated to be received.

Deposits: The fair values used for the demand and savings deposits, by definition, equal the amount payable on demand at the acquisition date. Fair values for time deposits were estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis, that applied interest rates currently being offered to the contractual interest rates on such time deposits.

Borrowings: Fair values for borrowings were based on estimated market rates over the remaining terms of the subordinated debt issuances.

Pro forma tables for Oakwood were impractical to include due to the cost versus benefit of including such disclosures.

Note 4– Earnings per Common Share–

Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) represents income available to common shareholders divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding; no dilution for any potentially convertible shares is included in the calculation. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the Company. The potential common shares that may be issued by the Company relate to outstanding stock options, unvested restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), unvested restricted stock units ("RSUs") and performance shares, excluding any that were antidilutive. In addition, nonvested share-based payment awards that contain nonforfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents are considered participating securities and are included in the computation of EPS pursuant to the two-class method.

Note 5– Securities–

The amortized cost and fair values of securities available for sale as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024 are summarized as follows:

The following tables present a summary of securities with gross unrealized losses and fair values at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, aggregated by investment category and length of time in a continued unrealized loss position. Due to the nature of these investments and current prevailing market prices, these unrealized losses are considered non-credit related.

As of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively, no allowance for credit losses was recognized on available for sale securities in an unrealized loss position as management does not believe any of the securities are impaired due to credit quality. This determination is based on the Company’s analysis of the underlying risk characteristics including credit ratings, historical loss experience, and other qualitative factors. Further, the securities continue to make principal and interest payments under their contractual terms and management does not have the intent to sell any of the securities and believes that it is more likely than not that the Company will not have to sell any such securities before a recovery of amortized cost basis. Therefore, the Company has determined the unrealized losses are due to changes in market interest rates compared to rates when the securities were acquired.

The amortized cost and fair values of securities available for sale as of March 31, 2025, by contractual maturity are shown below. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities in mortgage-backed securities because the mortgages underlying the securities may be called or repaid without any penalties.

Securities available for sale with a fair value of $402.4 million and $385.4 million, were pledged as collateral on public deposits and for other purposes as required or permitted by law as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively.

At March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, accrued interest receivable on securities was $4.1 million and $4.9 million, respectively, and included within accrued interest receivable on the consolidated balance sheets.

Note 6– Loans and the Allowance for Loan Losses–

Loans receivable at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 are summarized as follows:

The performing 1-4 family residential, multi-family residential, commercial real estate, and commercial loans, are pledged, under a blanket lien, as collateral securing advances from the FHLB at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. Commercial and agricultural loans are pledged against the Federal Reserve Banks’ (“FRB”) discount window as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024.

Net deferred loan origination fees were $12.0 million and $12.6 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and are netted in their respective loan categories above. In addition to loans issued in the normal course of business, the Company considers overdrafts on customer deposit accounts to be loans and reclassifies overdrafts as loans in its consolidated balance sheets. At March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, overdrafts of $7.8 million and $3.0 million, respectively, have been reclassified to loans.

The Bank is the lead lender on participations sold, without recourse, to other financial institutions which amounts are not included in the consolidated balance sheets. The unpaid principal balances of mortgages and other loans serviced for others were approximately $739.6 million and $747.0 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The Company had servicing rights of $958,000 and $832,000 recorded as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively, and is recorded within other assets.

The Bank grants loans and extensions of credit to individuals and a variety of businesses and corporations located in its general market areas throughout Louisiana and Texas. Management segregates the loan portfolio into portfolio segments which is defined as the level at which the Bank develops and documents a systematic method for determining its allowance for credit losses. The portfolio segments are segregated based on loan types and the underlying risk factors present in each loan type. Such risk factors are periodically reviewed by management and revised as deemed appropriate.

Portfolio Segments and Risk Factors

The loan portfolio is disaggregated into portfolio segments and then further disaggregated into classes for certain disclosures. GAAP defines a portfolio segment as the level at which an entity develops and documents a systematic method for determining its allowance for credit losses. A class is generally a disaggregation of a portfolio segment. The Company's loan portfolio segments are Real Estate, Commercial, and Consumer and Other. The classes and risk characteristics of each segment are discussed in more detail below. The segmentation and disaggregation of the portfolio is part of the ongoing credit monitoring process.

Real Estate Portfolio Segment

Real Estate: Commercial loans are extensions of credit secured by owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied collateral. Repayment is generally dependent on the successful operations of the property. General economic conditions may impact the performance of these types of loans, including fluctuations in the value of real estate, vacancy rates, and unemployment trends. Real estate commercial loans also include farmland loans that can be, or are, used for agricultural purposes. These loans are usually repaid through refinancing, cash flow from the borrower’s ongoing operations, development of the property, or sale of the property.

Real Estate: Construction loans include loans to small-to-midsized businesses to construct owner-occupied properties, loans to developers of commercial real estate investment properties and residential developments and, to a lesser extent, loans to individual clients for construction of single-family homes in the Company’s market areas. Risks associated with these loans include fluctuations in the value of real estate, project completion risk and changes in market trends. The Company is also exposed to risk based on the ability of the construction loan borrower to finance the loan or sell the property upon completion of the project, which may be affected by changes in secondary market terms and criteria for permanent financing since the time that the Company funded the loan.

Real Estate: Residential loans include first and second lien 1-4 family mortgage loans, as well as home equity lines of credit, in each case primarily on owner-occupied primary residences. The Company is exposed to risk based on fluctuations in the value of the real estate collateral securing the loan, as well as changes in the borrower’s financial condition, which could be affected by numerous factors, including divorce, job loss, illness, or other personal hardship. Real estate residential loans also include multi-family residential loans originated to provide permanent financing for multi-family residential income producing properties. Repayment of these loans primarily relies on successful rental and management of the property.

Commercial Portfolio Segment

Commercial loans include general commercial and industrial, or C&I, loans, including commercial lines of credit, working capital loans, term loans, equipment financing, asset acquisition, expansion, and development loans, borrowing base loans, letters of credit and other loan products, primarily in the Company’s target markets that are underwritten based on the borrower’s ability to service the debt from income. Commercial loan risk is derived from the expectation that such loans generally are serviced principally from the operations of the business, and those operations may not be successful. Any interruption or discontinuance of operating cash flows from the business, which may be influenced by events not under the control of the borrower such as economic events and changes in governmental regulations, could materially affect the ability of the borrower to repay the loan.

Consumer and Other Portfolio Segment

Consumer and other loans include a variety of loans to individuals for personal, family and household purposes, including secured and unsecured installment and term loans. The risk is based on changes in the borrower’s financial condition, which could be affected by numerous factors, including divorce, job loss, illness or other personal hardship, and fluctuations in the value of the real estate or personal property securing the consumer loan, if any.

The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, the balance of the allowance for credit losses by loan portfolio segment. The allowance for credit losses allocated to each portfolio segment is not necessarily indicative of future losses in any particular portfolio segment and does not restrict the use of the allowance to absorb losses in other portfolio segments.

Allowance for Credit Losses and Recorded Investment in Loans Receivable

Included within the above allowance, in the tables above, are loans which management has individually evaluated to determine an allowance for credit losses. The following table summarizes, by segment, the loan balance and specific allowance allocation for those loans which have been individually evaluated.

Credit Quality Indicators

We utilize a risk grading matrix to assign a risk grade to each of our commercial loans. Loans are graded on a scale of 10 to 80. Individual loan officers review updated financial information for all pass grade loans to reassess the risk grade, generally on at least an annual basis. When a loan has a risk grade of 60, it is still considered a pass grade loan; however, it is considered to be on management’s “watch list,” and subject to additional and more frequent monitoring by both the loan officer and senior credit and risk personnel. When a loan has a risk grade of 70 or higher, a special assets officer monitors the loan on an on-going basis.

The following tables set forth the credit quality indicators, disaggregated by loan segment, as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024:

The above classifications follow regulatory guidelines and can generally be described as follows:

•Pass loans are of satisfactory quality.

•Special mention loans have an existing weakness that could cause future impairment, including the deterioration of financial ratios, past due status, questionable management capabilities and possible reduction in the collateral values.

•Substandard loans have an existing specific and well-defined weakness that may include poor liquidity and deterioration of financial ratios. The loan may be past due and related deposit accounts experiencing overdrafts. Immediate corrective action is necessary.

•Doubtful loans have specific weaknesses that are severe enough to make collection or liquidation in full highly questionable and improbable.

As of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, loan balances outstanding more than 90 days past due and still accruing interest amounted to $5.6 million and $860,000, respectively. As of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, loan balances outstanding on nonaccrual status amounted to $35.9 million and $24.1 million, respectively. The Bank considers all loans more than 90 days past due as nonperforming loans.

The following tables provide an analysis of the aging of loans and leases as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024. All loans greater than 90 days past due are generally placed on nonaccrual status.

Aged Analysis of Past Due Loans Receivable

The following table presents non-accrual loans by segment as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively.

The Bank seeks to assist customers that are experiencing financial difficulty by renegotiating loans within lending regulations and guidelines. The Bank makes loan modifications, primarily utilizing internal renegotiation programs via direct customer contact, that manage customers’ debt exposures held only by the Bank. Additionally, the Bank makes loan modifications with customers who have elected to work with external renegotiation agencies and these modifications provide solutions to customers’ entire unsecured debt structures. During the periods ended March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, the concessions granted to certain borrowers included extending the payment due dates and offering below market contractual interest rates, and were not significant to the consolidated financial statements.

Accrued interest receivable of $3.1 million and $3.4 million was outstanding as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively, for all loan deferrals, primarily attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and, to a much lesser extent, hurricanes which occurred in 2020 and 2021. These loans are no longer within their deferral periods. The accrued interest on the loans is due at their maturity.

At March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, accrued interest receivable on loans was $29.7 million and $30.9 million, respectively, and included within accrued interest receivable on the consolidated balance sheets.

Note 7– Long Term Debt–

During the quarter ended March 31, 2025, the Company redeemed $7.0 million of its $52.5 million subordinated debt that matures in 2031. As part of this redemption, the Company recognized a $630,000 gain on the extinguishment of this debt.

Note 8– Bank Term Funding Program (“BTFP”)–

On March 12, 2023, the Federal Reserve Board developed the BTFP, which offered loans to banks with a term of up toone year. The loans were secured by pledging the banks’ U.S. treasuries, agency securities, agency mortgage-backed securities, and any other qualifying assets. These pledged securities were valued at par for collateral purposes. The Bank participated in the BTFP and had outstanding debt of $300.0 million at December 31, 2023. These loans bore a fixed rate of 4.38% and matured on March 22, 2024, at which time the Bank repaid them in full.

Note 9– Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) Borrowings–

The Company had outstanding advances from the FHLB of $317.4 million and $355.9 million as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively, consisting of:

One fixed rate loan with an original principal balance of $60.0 million. The loan was made in 2021 and the balance at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was $20.3 million and $23.3 million, respectively, with interest at 0.89%. Principal and interest payments are due monthly and the loan matures in November 2026.

One fixed rate loan of $875,000 at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, that was acquired during the TCBI acquisition, with interest at 4.88% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in April 2025.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.89% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in July 2025.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.65% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in January 2026.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.56% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in July 2026.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.13% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in October 2028. This advance has put options beginning in October 2024.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 3.92% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in October 2030. This advance has put options beginning in October 2024.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 3.72% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in October 2033. This advance has put options beginning in October 2024.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, with interest at 3.57% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in October 2033. This advance has put options beginning in October 2024.

One fixed rate loan with an original principal balance of $10.0 million. The loan was made in 2020 and was acquired during the Oakwood acquisition. The balance at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was $1.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively, with interest at 0.52%. Principal and interest payments are due monthly and the loan matures in October 2025.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.84% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in December 2026.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.78% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in September 2027.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.73% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in March 2028.

One fixed rate loan of $25.0 million at both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.69% paid monthly. Principal is due at maturity in September 2028.

One short term, twelve-day, fixed rate loan of $20.0 million at March 31, 2025, with interest at 4.38%. Principal and interest was due, paid and rolled into a $20.0 million renewal, at maturity in April 2025.

One short term, fifteen-day, fixed rate loan of $55.0 million at December 31, 2024, with interest at 4.38%. Principal and interest was due, paid and rolled into a $30.0 million renewal, at maturity in January 2025. The renewal was also paid in January 2025.

The Company had an additional $1.6 billion remaining on the FHLB line availability at March 31, 2025.

Note 10– Other Income and Expense–

The Company has a single reportable operating segment which is presented as the Consolidated Statements of Income. An analysis of other income for the Company's single reportable operating segment is as follows:

An analysis of other expenses for the Company's single reportable operating segment is as follows:

Note 11– Leases–

The Bank leases certain branch offices through non-cancelable operating leases with terms that range fromone toten years and contain various renewal options for certain of the leases. Certain leases provide for increases in minimum monthly rental payments as defined by the lease agreement. Rental expense under these agreements was $2.3 million and $1.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively. At March 31, 2025, the Company had a weighted average lease term of 6.4 years and a weighted average discount rate of 3.81%.

Future minimum lease payments under these leases are as follows:

Note 12– Commitments and Contingencies–

In the normal course of business, the Bank is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby and commercial letters of credit which are not included in the accompanying financial statements. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet.

The Bank’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby and commercial letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Bank’s policy for obtaining collateral, and the nature of such collateral, is essentially the same as that involved in making commitments to extend credit. The Bank uses the same credit policies in making such commitments and conditional obligations as it does for instruments that are included in the balance sheet. In the normal course of business, the Bank has made commitments to extend credit of approximately $1.3 billion and $1.4 billion at March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively, and standby and commercial letters of credit of approximately $49.9 million and $50.0 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. As discussed in Note 6, we have a reserve for unfunded loan commitments of $3.5 million and $3.7 million at March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

In the normal course of business, the Bank is involved in various legal proceedings. In the opinion of management and counsel, the disposition or ultimate resolution of such proceedings would not have a material adverse effect on the Bank’s financial statements.

Note 13–Fair Value of Financial Instruments –

Fair Value Disclosures

The Company groups its financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value in three levels. Fair value should be based on the assumptions market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability and establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to develop those assumptions and measure fair value. The hierarchy requires companies to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. The three levels of inputs used to measure fair value are as follows:

•Level 1 – Includes the most reliable sources and includes quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

•Level 2 – Includes observable inputs. Observable inputs include inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability (for example, interest rates and yield curves at commonly quoted intervals, volatilities, prepayment speeds, loss severities, credit risks, and default rates) as well as inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means (market-corroborated inputs).

•Level 3 – Includes unobservable inputs and should be used only when observable inputs are unavailable.

Recurring Basis

Fair values of investment securities available for sale were primarily measured using information from a third-party pricing service. This pricing service provides information by utilizing evaluated pricing models supported with market data information. Standard inputs include benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, benchmark securities, bids, offers, and reference data from market research publications.

The fair values of mortgage loans held for sale are based on commitments on hand from investors within the secondary market for loans with similar characteristics.

The following tables present the balance of assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024. The Company didnot record any liabilities at fair value for which measurement of the fair value was made on a recurring basis.

The Company reviews fair value hierarchy classifications on a quarterly basis. Changes in the Company's ability to observe inputs to the valuation may cause reclassification of certain assets or liabilities within the fair value hierarchy.

The table below provides a reconciliation for assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs, or Level 3 inputs, as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024.

The following table provides quantitative information about significant unobservable inputs used in fair value measurements of Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2025.

Nonrecurring Basis

The Company has segregated all financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis into the most appropriate level within the fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used to determine the fair value at the measurement date in the table below. The Company didnot record any liabilities at fair value for which measurement of the fair value was made on a nonrecurring basis.

The fair value of the individually evaluated loans is measured at the fair value of the collateral for collateral-dependent loans. Individually evaluated loans are Level 3 assets measured using appraisals from external parties of the collateral less any prior liens and adjusted for estimated selling costs. Adjustments may be made by management based on a customized internally developed discounting matrix. Repossessed assets are initially recorded at fair value less estimated cost to sell, which is generally 10%. The fair value of repossessed assets is based on property appraisals and an analysis of similar properties available. As such, the Bank records repossessed assets as Level 3.

Fair Value Financial Instruments

The fair value of a financial instruments is the current amount that would be exchanged between willing parties, other than in a forced liquidation. Fair value is best determined based upon quoted market prices. However, in many instances, there are no quoted market prices for the Company’s various financial instruments. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate and estimates of future cash flows. Accordingly, the fair value estimates may not be realized in an immediate settlement of the instrument. In accordance with GAAP, certain financial instruments and all non-financial instruments are excluded from these disclosure requirements. Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented may not necessarily represent the underlying fair value of the Company.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value:

Cash and Short-Term Investments – For those short-term instruments, the carrying amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value.

Securities Purchased Under Agreements to Resell - The carrying amount approximates its fair value.

Securities – Fair value of securities is based on quoted market prices. If a quoted market price is not available, fair value is estimated using quoted market prices for similar securities.

Loans – The fair value for loans is estimated using discounted cash flow analyses, with interest rates currently being offered for similar loans to borrowers with similar credit rates. Loans with similar classifications are aggregated for purposes of the calculations. The allowance for loan losses, which was used to measure the credit risk, is subtracted from loans.

Cash Value of Bank-Owned Life Insurance (“BOLI”) – The carrying amount approximates its fair value.

Other Equity Securities – The carrying amount approximates its fair value.

Deposits – The fair value of demand deposits and certain money market deposits is the amount payable at the reporting date. The fair value of fixed-maturity certificates of deposit is estimated using discounted cash flow analyses, with interest rates currently offered for deposits of similar remaining maturities.

Borrowings – The fair value of FHLB advances and other long-term borrowings is estimated using the rates currently offered for advances of similar maturities. The carrying amount of short-term borrowings maturing within ninety days approximates the fair value.

Commitments to Extend Credit and Standby and Commercial Letters of Credit – The fair values of commitments to extend credit and standby and commercial letters of credit do not differ significantly from the commitment amount and are therefore omitted from this disclosure.

The estimated approximate fair values of the Bank’s financial instruments as of March 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024 are as follows:

Note 14–Subsequent Events –

On April 4, 2025, the Company sold the Kaplan banking center, located in Kaplan, Louisiana, to Currency Bank headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in accordance with the Branch Purchase and Assumption Agreement dated December 12, 2024. The sale included $51.2 million in deposits, $2.3 million in loans, and $1.4 million in fixed assets, net of depreciation. The deposit premium paid by Currency Bank as consideration was 8.00% of total deposits assumed at closing. The loans and deposits associated with the Kaplan banking center were included in the consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2025.