Community West Bancshares

3. INVESTMENT SECURITIES

The following tables summarize the amortized cost and fair value of securities available-for-sale and securities held-for-maturity at December 31, 2024 and 2023 and the corresponding amounts of gross unrealized gains and losses recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and the allowance for credit losses on held-to-maturity securities (in thousands):

Proceeds and gross realized (losses)/gains on investment securities for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 are shown below (in thousands):

During the second quarter of 2022, the Company re-designated certain securities previously classified as available-for-sale to the held-to-maturity classification. The securities re-designated consisted of obligations of states and political subdivision securities, U.S. Government sponsored entity and agency securities collateralized by residential mortgage obligations, private label mortgage and asset backed securities, and corporate debt securities with a total carrying value of $306.7 million at April 1, 2022. At the time of re-designation, the securities included $25.3 million of pretax unrealized losses in other comprehensive income; which is being amortized over the remaining life of the securities in a manner consistent with the amortization of a premium or discount.

As market interest rates or risks associated with an avail able-for-sale security’s issuer continue to change and impact the actual or perceived values of investment securities, the Company may determine that selling these securities and using proceeds to purchase securities that fit with the Company’s current risk profile is appropriate and beneficial to the Company.

Losses recognized in 2024, 2023, and 2022 were incurred in order to strategically reposition the investment securities portfolio based on the current rate environment. The securities sold at a loss were acquired when the rate environment was not as volatile. The securities sold were primarily purchased to serve a purpose in the rate environment in which the securities were purchased. The Company addressed risks in the security portfolio by selling these securities and using the proceeds to fund loan growth and enhance on-balance sheet liquidity.

The provision for income taxes includes $1,241,000, $268,000, and $511,000 income tax benefit from the reclassification of unrealized net losses on available-for-sale securities to realized net losses on available-for-sale securities for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale and held-to-maturity investment securities at December 31, 2024 and 2023 by contractual maturity are shown in the two tables below (in thousands). Expected maturities will differ from contractual maturities because the issuers of the securities may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. Securities not due at a single maturity date are shown separately.

At December 31, 2024, there were two issuers of private label mortgage securities in which the Company had holdings of securities in amounts greater than 10% of shareholders’ equity. Investments with these issuers were in senior tranches or were rated “AAA” or higher and there were no credit issues identified.

The following table summarizes the Company’s debt securities in an unrealized loss position for which an allowance for credit losses has not been recorded, aggregated by major security type and length of time in a continuous unrealized loss position (in thousands):

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had a total of 139 AFS debt securities in a gross unrealized loss position with no credit impairment, consisting ofone U.S. Treasury security and U.S. Government agencies,42 obligations of states and political subdivisions,43 U.S. Government sponsored entities and agencies collateralized by residential mortgage obligations, and 53 private label mortgage and asset backed securities.

Allowance for Credit Losses on Available-for-Sale Debt Securities

Each reporting period, the Company assesses each AFS debt security that is in an unrealized loss position to determine whether the decline in fair value below the amortized cost basis results from a credit loss or other factors. The Company did not record an ACL on any available for sale securities at December 31, 2024. The Company considers the unrealized losses across the classes of major security-type to be related to fluctuations in market conditions, primarily interest rates, and not reflective of a deterioration in credit value. In addition, as of December 31, 2024, the Company determined that it is not more likely than not that the Company would be required to sell securities.

The gross unrealized losses presented in the preceding tables were primarily attributable to interest rate increases and liquidity and were mainly comprised of the following:

•Obligations of States and Political Subdivisions: The unrealized losses on investments in obligations of states and political subdivisions are caused by increases in required yields by investors in these types of securities. It is expected that the securities would not be settled at a price less than the amortized cost of the investment.

•U.S. Treasury and Government Sponsored Entities and Agencies Collateralized by Residential Mortgage Obligations: The unrealized losses on the Company’s investments in U.S. treasuries and government sponsored entities and agencies collateralized by residential mortgage obligations were caused by interest rate changes. The contractual cash flows of those investments are guaranteed or supported by an agency or sponsored entity of the U.S. Government. Accordingly, it is expected that the securities would not be settled at a price less than the amortized cost of the Company’s investment.

•Private Label Mortgage and Asset Backed Securities: The Company has invested exclusively in AA and AAA tranches of various private label mortgage and asset backed securities. Each purchase is subject to a credit and structure review prior to their purchase. Ratings are reviewed on a quarterly basis in addition to other metrics provided through third-party services. Following review of the financial metrics and ratings, management concluded that the unrealized loss position of the private label mortgage and asset backed securities related exclusively to the fluctuation in market conditions and were not reflective of any credit concerns with the tranches comprising the Company’s investments.

No allowance for credit losses have been recognized on AFS debt securities in an unrealized loss position, as management does not believe that any of the securities are impaired due to credit risk factors as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

Allowance for Credit Losses on Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities

The Company separately evaluates its HTM debt securities for any credit losses based on probability of default and loss given default utilizing historical industry data based on investment category, while also considering reasonable and supportable forecasts. The probability of default and loss given default are incorporated into the present value of expected cash flows and compared against amortized cost.

The allowance for credit losses on HTM securities was $1,156,000 as of December 31, 2024 compared to $1,051,000 as of December 31, 2023. The allowance for credit losses on HTM securities is driven by economic scenarios, estimated probabilities of default and loss given default. Economic scenarios are updated quarterly. The provisions for credit losses for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were driven solely from the impact of the economic scenarios. There were no changes to the weightings of the economic scenarios, or the assumptions used for the the estimated probabilities of default or loss given default.

The following table shows the summary of activities for the allowance for credit losses related to held-to-maturity debt securities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):

The Company monitors credit quality of debt securities held-to-maturity through the use of credit ratings. The Company monitors the credit ratings on a quarterly basis. For non-rated investment securities, management receives quarterly performance updates to monitor for any credit concerns. There were no HTM securities on nonaccrual or past due over 89 days and still on accrual. The following table summarizes the amortized cost of debt securities held-to-maturity at the dates indicated, aggregated by credit quality indicator. U.S. Government sponsored agencies are not included in the below tables as credit ratings are not applicable.

Investment securities with amortized costs totaling $476,966,000 and $343,629,000 and fair values totaling $435,571,000 and $315,069,000 were pledged as collateral for borrowing arrangements, public funds and for other purposes at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

4. LOANS AND ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES ON LOANS

The majority of the disclosures in this footnote are prepared at the class level, which is equivalent to the call report or call code classification. The roll forward of the allowance for credit losses is presented at the portfolio segment level. Accrued interest receivable on loans of $10,745,000 and $4,752,000 at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 respectively is not included in the loan tables below and is included inother assets on the Company’s balance sheets. Outstanding loans are summarized by class as follows:

At December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, loans originated under Small Business Administration (SBA) programs totaling $21,618,000 and $18,246,000, respectively, were included in the real estate and commercial categories, of which, $16,519,000 or 76% and $13,955,000 or 76%, respectively, are secured by government guarantees.

Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans

The measurement of the allowance for credit losses on collectively evaluated loans is based on modeled expectations of lifetime expected credit losses utilizing national and local peer group historical losses, weighting of economic scenarios, and other relevant factors. The Company incorporates forward-looking information using macroeconomic scenarios, which include variables that are considered key drivers of credit losses within the portfolio. The Company uses a probability-weighted, multiple scenario forecast approach. These scenarios may consist of a base forecast representing the most likely outcome, combined with downside or upside scenarios reflecting possible worsening or improving economic conditions.

When a loan no longer shares similar risk characteristics with other loans, such as in the case of certain nonaccrual loans, the Company estimates the allowance for credit losses on an individual loan basis.

The following table shows the summary of activities for the allowance for credit losses as of and for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 by portfolio segment (in thousands):

(1) Represents credit losses for loans only. The provision for credit losses on the Consolidated Statements of Income of $11,113 includes a $105 provision for held-to-maturity securities and a $216 provision for unfunded loan commitments.

(1) Represents credit losses for loans only. The provision for credit losses on the Consolidated Statements of Income of $309 includes a $276 provision for held-to-maturity securities and a $118 provision for unfunded loan commitments.

(1) Represents credit losses for loans only. The provision for credit losses on the Consolidated Statements of Income of $995 includes a $(5) credit for unfunded loan commitments.

During the twelve month period ended December 31, 2024, the provision for credit losses was primarily driven by the Day 1 provision for expected credit losses related to the loan portfolio acquired to the merger with Community West Bancshares. As of April 1, 2024, the Company recorded a provision for loan losses for non PCD loans of $10,877,000 and an allowance for credit losses for PCD loans $821,000 for the loan portfolio with a fair value of $920 million. During 2024, the Company adjusted the weightings utilized for the most likely, downside, or upside economic scenarios by adding a fourth scenario. The fourth economic scenario added was a downside scenario that projected less severe economic effects as compared to the existing downside scenario used in the reserve calculation. The more moderate downside scenario was added in recognition of the risk of a broader economic downturn in the economy occurring in the next twelve months not as severe as the previous downside scenario. Management believes that the addition of the fourth scenario provides a balanced range for expected credit losses. The Company updated its peer group during the second quarter of 2024, adding peer banks within the central coast of California and also larger peer banks due to the Company’s expanded footprint and increased asset size. Management believes that the allowance for credit losses at December 31, 2024 appropriately reflected expected credit losses in the loan portfolio at that date.

The following table presents the composition of nonaccrual loans as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands). There were no loans on nonaccrual as of December 31, 2023.

The following table presents the amortized cost basis of collateral dependent loans by class of loans and by collateral type as of the dates indicated as of December 31, 2024 (in thousands). As of December 31, 2023, there were no collateral dependent loans.

Purchased loans and leases that reflect a more-than-significant deterioration of credit quality from origination are considered PCD. At the time of acquisition, the initial estimate of expected losses is recognized in the ACL. The following table provides a summary of loans and leases purchased as part of the acquisition with credit deterioration at the time of acquisition of April 1, 2024 (in thousands):

The following table shows the loan portfolio by class, net of deferred costs, allocated by management’s internal risk ratings for the period indicated (in thousands):

The following table shows an aging analysis of the loan portfolio by class at December 31, 2024 (in thousands):

The following table shows an aging analysis of the loan portfolio by class at December 31, 2023 (in thousands):

Foregone interest on nonaccrual loans totaled $234,000, $0 and $132,000 for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively. Interest income recognized on non-accrual loans for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022 was $22,000, $0, and $210,000, respectively.

Under previous accounting standards, the Company had an average recorded investment in impaired loans of $3.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2022. Interest income recognized on a cash basis was not considered significant for financial reporting purposes for impaired loans during 2022.

Occasionally, the Company modifies loans to borrowers in financial distress by providing reductions of the stated interest rate of the loan or an extension of the maturity date at a stated rate of interest lower than the current market rate for new debt with similar risk. There were no loan modifications granted to borrowers experiencing financial difficulty during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 or 2022.

5. BANK PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

Bank premises and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

Depreciation and amortization included in occupancy and equipment expense totaled $2,206,000, $891,000 and $755,000 for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

6. GOODWILL AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Total goodwill at December 31, 2024 and 2023 was $96,828,000 and $53,777,000 respectively. Total goodwill at December 31, 2024 consisted of $43,051,000, $13,466,000, $10,394,000, $6,340,000, $14,643,000, and $8,934,000 representing the excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred of Community West Bancshares, Folsom Lake Bank, Sierra Vista Bank, Visalia Community Bank, Service 1 st Bancorp, and Bank of Madera County, respectively, over the fair value of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of each acquisition date accounted for under the purchase method of accounting.

Intangible assets represent the estimated fair value of the core deposit relationships acquired in the 2024 acquisition of Community West Bancshares. Upon acquisition, the core deposit intangible asset of Community West Bancshares was recorded as $10,019,000.

The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s goodwill and core deposit intangible assets for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (in thousands):

The following table presents the estimated amortization expense for core deposit intangible assets remaining at December 31, 2024 (in thousands):

7. DEPOSITS

Interest-bearing deposits consisted of the following (in thousands):

Aggregate annual maturities of time deposits are as follows (in thousands):

Interest expense recognized on interest-bearing deposits consisted of the following (in thousands):

As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, uninsured deposits totaled $1,029,929,000 and $821,756,000, respectively.

8. BORROWING ARRANGEMENTS

Federal Home Loan Bank Advances - As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $90,000,000 in Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) of San Francisco long-term advances outstanding with a weighted average interest rate of 0.86%. The advances were acquired and recorded at fair value through the merger with Community West Bancshares on April 1, 2024 and mature in two tranches: $45,000,000 matures in April 2025 and $45,000,000 matures in June 2025. As of December 31, 2024, the remaining discount on the acquired FHLB advances was $1,558,000. In addition, the Company had a short-term advance of $45,000,000 outstanding as of December 31, 2024 with an interest rate of 4.52% and maturity in August 2025. At December 31, 2023, the Company had an overnight borrowing advance with the FHLB for $35,000,000 with an interest rate of 5.70%.

Approximately $1.1 billion in loans were pledged under a blanket lien as collateral to the FHLB for the Company’s remaining borrowing capacity of $576.6 million as of December 31, 2024. FHLB advances are also secured by investment securities with amortized costs totaling $153.1 million and fair values totaling $193.4 million at December 31, 2024. The Company’s credit limit varies according to the amount and composition of the investment and loan portfolios pledged as collateral.

Lines of Credit - The Company had unsecured lines of credit with its correspondent banks which, in the aggregate, amounted to $110 million and $110 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, at interest rates which vary with market conditions. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had no advances with correspondent banks.

Federal Reserve Bank (FRB) Line of Credit and Bank Term Funding Program - The Company has a line of credit in the amount of $3,669,000 and $4,448,000 with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRB) at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, which bears interest at the prevailing discount rate collateralized by investment securities with amortized costs totaling $4,406,000 and $4,894,000 and market values totaling $3,828,000 and $4,374,000, respectively.

The Company participated in the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) which offered loans of up to one year in length to banks, savings associations, credit unions, and other eligible depository institutions pledging any collateral eligible for purchase by the Federal Reserve Banks in open market operations such as U.S. Treasuries, U.S. agency securities, and U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities. These assets were valued at par. The BTFP was an additional source of liquidity against high-quality securities during the liquidity crisis of 2023.

The Bank hadno borrowings with the FRB as of December 31, 2024. At December 31, 2023, the Company had $45,000,000 outstanding as a short-term loan with the FRB under the BTFP at an interest rate of 4.81%. The Bank fully repaid the short-term borrowing in August 2024 and replaced it with a short-term FHLB advance of $45,000,000, as noted above.

The following table reflects the Company’s credit lines, balances outstanding, and pledged collateral at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

(1) Bank Term Funding Program loan was repaid in the third quarter of 2024 and replaced with an FHLB short-term advance that matures in August 2025.

9. LEASES

Leases - The Bank leases certain of its branch facilities and administrative offices under noncancelable operating leases with terms extending through 2033. Leases with an initial term of twelve months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. Operating lease cost is comprised of lease expense recognized on a straight-line basis, the amortization of the right-of-use asset and the implicit interest accreted on the operating lease liability. Operating lease cost is included in occupancy and equipment expense on our consolidated statements of income. We evaluate the lease term by assuming the exercise of options to extend that are reasonably assured and those option periods covered by an option to terminate the lease, if deemed not reasonably certain to be exercised. The lease term is used to determine the straight-line expense and limits the depreciable life of any related leasehold improvements. Certain leases require us to pay real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance and other operating expenses associated with the leased premises. These expenses are classified in occupancy and equipment expense on our consolidated statements of income, consistent with similar costs for owned locations, but is not included in operating lease cost below. We calculate the lease liability using a discount rate that represents our incremental borrowing rate at the lease commencement date.

Future undiscounted lease payments for operating leases with initial terms of one year or more as of December 31, 2024 are as follows (in thousands):

The table below summarizes the total lease cost for the period ending:

The table below summarizes other information related to our operating leases:

The table below shows operating lease right of use assets and operating lease liabilities as of :

The right-of-use-assets and lease liabilities are included with other assets andother liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, respectively.

10. INCOME TAXES

The provision for income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 consisted of the following (in thousands):

Deferred tax assets (liabilities) consisted of the following (in thousands):

The determination of the amount of deferred income tax assets which are more likely than not to be realized is primarily dependent on projections of future earnings, which are subject to uncertainty and estimates that may change given economic conditions and other factors. The realization of deferred income tax assets is assessed and a valuation allowance is recorded if it is more likely than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. More likely than not is defined as greater than a 50% chance. All available evidence, both positive and negative is considered to determine whether, based on the weight of the evidence, a valuation allowance is needed. Thus, management concludes no valuation allowance is necessary against deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2024 and 2023.

The provision for income taxes differs from amounts computed by applying the statutory Federal income tax rates to operating income before income taxes. The significant items comprising these differences for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 consisted of the following:

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had federal and California net operating loss (“NOL”) carry-forwards of $9,670,000 and $13,366,000, respectively. These NOLs were acquired through business combinations and are subject to Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“IRC 382”). Approximately $4,490,000 of federal NOLs that were generated after 2017 do not expire. Remaining federal and California NOLs begin to expire at various dates between 2033 and 2044, if not used. While they are subject to IRC 382, management has determined that all of the NOLs are more than likely than not to be utilized before they expire.

The Company and its subsidiary file income tax returns in the U.S. federal and California jurisdictions. The Company conducts all of its business activities in the State of California. There are no pending U.S. federal or state income tax examinations by those taxing authorities. The Company is no longer subject to the examination by U.S. federal taxing authorities for the years ended before December 31, 2021 and by the state taxing authorities for the years ended before December 31, 2020.

The Company's investments, including amortization, in low income housing tax credit funds were $18,630,000 and $10,655,000 as of December 31, 2024 and 2023. The Company had gross commitments of $24,526,000 and $14,526,000 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively of which $9,289,000 and $4,371,000 were unfunded as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. These investments are included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets and the unfunded commitments are included in other liabilities. The Company recognized tax credits and other income tax benefits of $2,216,000 and $1,323,000 for the year ended December 2024 and 2023, respectively. Amortization of the investments recorded for the same periods were $1,976,000 and $1,114,000, respectively.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company hasno unrecognized tax benefits and does not expect any material changes in the next 12 months.

During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company recordedno interest or penalties related to uncertain tax positions.

11. SENIOR DEBT AND SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

The following table summarizes the Company’s subordinated debentures:

Subordinated Debentures

On November 12, 2021, the Company completed a private placement of $35.0 million aggregate principal amount of its fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes (“Subordinated Debt”) due December 1, 2031. The Subordinated Debt initially bears a fixed interest rate of 3.13% per year. Commencing on December 1, 2026, the interest rate on the Subordinated Debt will reset each quarter at a floating interest rate equal to the then-current three month term SOFR plus 210 basis points. The Company may at its option redeem in whole or in part the Subordinated Debt on or after November 12, 2026 without a premium. The Subordinated Debt is treated as Tier 2 Capital for regulatory purposes.

Interest expense recognized by the Company for the Subordinated Debentures for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $1,239,000, $1,239,000, and $1,239,000, respectively.

Senior Debt

On September 15, 2022, the Company entered into a $30.0 million loan agreement with Bell Bank. Initially, payments of interest only are payable in 12 quarterly payments commencing December 31, 2022. Commencing December 31, 2025, 27 equal quarterly principal and interest payments are payable based on the outstanding balance of the loan on August 30, 2025 and an amortization of 48 quarters. A final payment of outstanding principal and accrued interest is due at maturity on September 30, 2032. Variable interest is payable at the Prime Rate (published by the Wall Street Journal) less 50 basis points. The loan is secured by the assets of the Company and a pledge of the outstanding common stock of Community West Bank, the Company’s banking subsidiary. The Company may prepay the loan without penalty with one exception. If the loan is prepaid prior to August 30, 2025 with funds received from a financing source other than Bell Bank, the Company will incur a 2% prepayment penalty. The loan contains customary representations, covenants, and events of default.

Interest expense recognized by the Company for the Senior Debt for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $2,059,000, $2,053,000, and $544,000, respectively.

Junior Subordinated Debentures

Service 1 st Capital Trust I is a Delaware business trust formed by Service 1 st. The Company succeeded to all of the rights and obligations of Service 1 st in connection with the merger with Service 1 st as of November 12, 2008. The Trust was formed on August 17, 2006 for the sole purpose of issuing trust preferred securities fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Service 1 st. Under applicable regulatory guidance, the amount of trust preferred securities that is eligible as Tier 1 capital is limited to 25% of the Company’s Tier 1 capital on a pro forma basis. At December 31, 2024, all of the trust preferred securities that have been issued qualify as Tier 1 capital. The trust preferred securities mature on October 7, 2036, are redeemable at the Company’s option, and require quarterly distributions by the Trust to the holder of the trust preferred securities at a variable interest rate which will adjust quarterly to equal the three month SOFR plus 1.60%.

The Trust used the proceeds from the sale of the trust preferred securities to purchase approximately $5,155,000 in aggregate principal amount of Service 1 st’s junior subordinated notes (the Notes). The Notes bear interest at the same variable interest rate during the same quarterly periods as the trust preferred securities. The Notes are redeemable by the Company on any January 7, April 7, July 7, or October 7 or at any time within 90 days following the occurrence of certain events, such as: (i) a change in the regulatory capital treatment of the Notes (ii) in the event the Trust is deemed an investment company or (iii) upon the occurrence of certain adverse tax events. In each such case, the Company may redeem the Notes for their aggregate principal amount, plus any accrued but unpaid interest.

The Notes may be declared immediately due and payable at the election of the trustee or holders of 25% of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes in the event that the Company defaults in the payment of any interest following the nonpayment of any such interest for 20 or more consecutive quarterly periods.

Holders of the trust preferred securities are entitled to a cumulative cash distribution on the liquidation amount of $1,000 per security. For each January 7, April 7, July 7 or October 7 of each year, the rate will be adjusted to equal the three month SOFR plus 1.60%. As of December 31, 2024, the rate was 6.52%. Interest expense recognized by the Company for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $367,000, $360,000 and $188,000, respectively.

12. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Correspondent Banking Agreements - The Company maintains funds on deposit with other federally insured financial institutions under correspondent banking agreements. Uninsured deposits with correspondent banks totaled $14,263,000 at December 31, 2024.

Financial Instruments With Off-Balance-Sheet Risk - The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business in order to meet the financing needs of its customers and to reduce its own exposure to fluctuations in interest rates. These financial instruments consist of commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized on the balance sheet.

The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and standby letters of credit as it does for loans included on the balance sheet.

The following financial instruments represent off-balance-sheet credit risk (in thousands):

Commitments to extend credit consist primarily of unfunded commercial loan commitments and revolving lines of credit, single-family residential equity lines of credit and commercial and residential real estate construction loans. Construction loans are established under standard underwriting guidelines and policies and are secured by deeds of trust, with disbursements made over the course of construction. Commercial revolving lines of credit have a high degree of industry diversification. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being fully drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. Standby letters of credit are generally secured and are issued by the Bank to guarantee the financial obligation or performance of a customer to a third party. The credit risk involved in issuing standby letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loans to customers. The fair value of the liability related to these standby letters of credit, which represents the fees received for issuing the guarantees, was not significant at December 31, 2024 and 2023. The Company recognizes these fees as revenue over the term of the commitment or when the commitment is used.

At December 31, 2024, commercial loan commitments represent 45% of total commitments and are generally secured by collateral other than real estate or unsecured. Real estate loan commitments represent 51% of total commitments and are generally secured by property with a loan-to-value ratio not to exceed 80%. Consumer loan commitments represent the remaining 3% of total commitments and are generally unsecured. In addition, the majority of the Bank’s loan commitments have variable interest rates.

At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the balance of a contingent allocation for probable loan loss experience on unfunded obligations was $1,055,000 and $839,000, respectively. The contingent allocation for probable loan loss experience on unfunded obligations is calculated by management using an appropriate, systematic, and consistently applied process. While related to credit losses, this allocation is not a part of the allowance for credit losses and is considered separately as a liability for accounting and regulatory reporting purposes. Changes in this contingent allocation are recorded in other non-interest expense.

Concentrations of Credit Risk - At December 31, 2024, in management’s judgment, a concentration of loans existed in commercial loans and real-estate-related loans, representing approximately 82% of total loans of which 7.7% were commercial and 74.3% were real-estate-related.

At December 31, 2023, in management’s judgment, a concentration of loans existed in commercial loans and real-estate-related loans, representing approximately 95.5% of total loans of which 10.7% were commercial and 84.8% were real-estate-related.

Management believes the loans within these concentrations have no more than the typical risks of collectability. However, in light of the current economic environment, additional declines in the performance of the economy in general, or a continued decline in real estate values or drought-related decline in agricultural business in the Company’s primary market area could have an adverse impact on collectability, increase the level of real-estate-related nonperforming loans, or have other adverse effects which alone or in the aggregate could have a material adverse effect on the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company.

Contingencies - The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of management, the amount of ultimate liability with respect to such actions will not materially affect the consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations of the Company.

Investments in Low Income Housing Tax Credit Funds - The unfunded commitments as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 in low income housing tax credit funds were $9,289,000 and $4,371,000, respectively. All commitments will be paid by the Company by 2038.

13. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Regulatory Capital - The Company and the Bank are subject to certain regulatory capital requirements administered by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the FDIC. Failure to meet these minimum capital requirements could result in mandatory or, discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The Company and the Bank each meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of their respective assets, liabilities and certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The Company’s and the Bank’s capital amounts and classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings and other factors.

The Bank is also subject to additional capital guidelines under the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action. To be categorized as well capitalized, the Bank must maintain minimum total risk-based, Tier 1 risk-based and Tier 1 leverage ratios as set forth in the following table. The most recent notification from the FDIC categorized the Bank as well capitalized under these guidelines. Management knows of no conditions or events since that notification that would change the Bank’s category.

Capital ratios are reviewed by Management on a regular basis to ensure that capital exceeds the prescribed regulatory minimums and is adequate to meet our anticipated future needs. For all periods presented, the Bank’s ratios exceed the regulatory definition of well capitalized under the regulatory framework for prompt correct action and the Company’s ratios exceed the required minimum ratios for capital adequacy purposes.

Bank holding companies with consolidated assets of $3 billion or more including banks like Community West Bank must comply with minimum capital ratio requirements which consist of the following: (i) a new common equity Tier 1 capital to total risk weighted assets ratio of 4.5%; (ii) a Tier 1 capital to total risk weighted assets ratio of 6%; (iii) a total capital to total risk weighted assets ratio of 8%; and (iv) a Tier 1 capital to adjusted average total assets (“leverage”) ratio of 4%.

In addition, a “capital conservation buffer” is established which requires maintenance of a minimum of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to total risk weighted assets in excess of the regulatory minimum capital ratio requirements described above. The 2.5% buffer increases the minimum capital ratios to (i) a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 7.0%, (ii) a Tier 1 capital ratio of 8.5%, and (iii) a total capital ratio of 10.5%. If the capital ratio levels of a banking organization fall below the capital conservation buffer amount, the organization will be subject to limitations on (i) the payment of dividends; (ii) discretionary bonus payments; (iii) discretionary payments under Tier 1 instruments; and (iv) engaging in share repurchases.

Management believes that the Company and the Bank met all their capital adequacy requirements as of December 31, 2024 and 2023. There are no conditions or events since those notifications that management believes have changed those categories. The capital ratios for the Company and the Bank are presented in the table below (exclusive of the capital conservation buffer).

The following table presents the Company’s regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023:

The following table presents the Bank’s regulatory capital ratios as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, as well as the minimum capital ratios for capital adequacy for the Bank:

Dividends - During 2024, the Bank declared and paid cash dividends to the Company in the amount of $14,000,000, in connection with cash dividends declared to the Company’s shareholders and holding company expenses as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company declared and paid a total of $8,230,000 or $0.48 per common share cash dividend to shareholders of record during the year ended December 31, 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company repurchased and retired common stock in the amount of $38,000 in connection with amounts withheld for the vesting of equity awards for tax obligations.

During 2023, the Bank declared and paid dividends to the Bank in the amount of $6,963,000 in connection with the senior and subordinated debt proceeds approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company declared and paid a total of $5,657,000 or $0.48 per common share cash dividend to shareholders of record during the year ended December 31, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company repurchased and retired common stock in the amount of $1,000.

During 2022, the Bank and paid cash dividends to the Company in the amount of $38,000,000, in connection with cash dividends declared to the Company’s shareholders and holding company expenses as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company declared and paid a total of $5,638,000 or $0.48 per common share cash dividend to shareholders of record during the year ended December 31, 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repurchased and retired common stock in the amount of $6,814,000.

The Company’s primary source of income with which to pay cash dividends is dividends from the Bank. The California Financial Code restricts the total amount of dividends payable by a bank at any time without obtaining the prior approval of the California Department of Business Oversight to the lesser of (1) the Bank’s retained earnings or (2) the Bank’s net income for its last three fiscal years, less distributions made to shareholders during the same three-year period. At December 31, 2024, $50,362,000 of the Bank’s retained earnings were free of these restrictions.

A reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted earnings per common share computations is as follows (in thousands, except share and per-share amounts):

No outstanding options or restricted stock awards considered were anti-dilutive at December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022.

14. EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

In May 2015, the Company adopted the Community West Bancshares 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (2015 Plan). The plan provides for awards in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights, and restricted stock. The plan also allows for performance awards that may be in the form of cash or shares of the Company’s common stock. With respect to stock options and restricted stock the exercise price in the case of stock options and the grant value in the case of restricted stock may not be less than the fair market value at the date of the award. The options and awards under the plan expire on dates determined by the Board of Directors, but not later thanten years from the date of grant. The vesting period for stock options and restricted stock rights is determined by the Board of Directors and rangesone tofive years. The maximum number of shares that can be issued with respect to all awards under the plan is 875,000. Currently under the 2015 Plan,207,998 shares remain reserved for future grants as of December 31, 2024.

Share-based compensation cost recognized for the 2015 Plan plans was $879,000, $858,000, and $776,000 for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The recognized tax benefit for the exercise of stock options resulted in the recognition of $81,000, $0, and $87,000 for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Stock Option Awards

The Company bases the fair value of the stock options granted on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes Merton option pricing model that uses assumptions based on expected option life and the level of estimated forfeitures, expected stock volatility, risk free interest rate, and dividend yield. The expected term and level of estimated forfeitures of the Company’s stock options are based on the Company’s own historical experience. Stock volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U. S. Treasury yield curve for the periods within the contractual life of the stock options in effect at the time of grant. The compensation cost for stock options granted is based on the weighted average grant date fair value per share.

A summary of the combined activity of the stock option activity during the years then ended is presented below (dollars in thousands, except per-share amounts):

The significant assumptions used to estimate fair value of the issued options at the time of the acquisition included: risk free rate 4.35%; dividend rate 4.31%, expected volatility 46.95%, and a weighted average expected term of 4.92 years.

Information related to the stock option plan during each year follows (in thousands):

As of December 31, 2024, there isno unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options granted under all Plans. All options are fully vested.

Restricted Stock and Common Stock Awards

The 2015 Plan provides for the issuance of restricted common stock to directors and officers and common stock awards based on the achievement of performance goals as determined by the Board of Directors or in accordance with executive employment agreements. Restricted common stock grants typically vest over aone tofive-year period. Restricted common stock is subject to forfeiture if employment terminates prior to vesting. The cost of these awards is recognized over the vesting period of the awards based on the fair value of our common stock on the date of the grant.

The shares awarded to employees and directors under the restricted stock agreements vest on applicable vesting dates only to the extent the recipient of the shares is then an employee or a director of the Company or one of its subsidiaries, and each recipient will forfeit all of the shares that have not vested on the date his or her employment or service is terminated. Outstanding restricted awards related to these agreements are presented in the table below. Common stock awards for performance vest immediately. During 2024 and 2023 the Company awarded 0 and 10,347 common stock awards, recognizing compensation expense for these shares of $0 and $221,000, respectively.

The following table summarizes restricted stock activity for the years ended as follows:

The shares awarded to employees and directors under the restricted stock agreements vest on applicable vesting dates only to the extent the recipient of the shares is then an employee or a director of the Company or one of its subsidiaries. Each recipient will forfeit all of the shares that have not vested on the date his or her employment or service is terminated.

As of December 31, 2024, there were 97,496 shares of restricted stock that are nonvested and expected to vest. Share-based compensation cost charged against income for restricted stock awards was $879,000, $612,000 and $474,000 for the year ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 respectively.

As of December 31, 2024, there was $1,097,000 of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted common stock. Restricted stock compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average remaining period of 2.15 years and will be adjusted for subsequent changes in estimated forfeitures. Restricted common stock awards had an intrinsic value of $1,888,000 at December 31, 2024.

15. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan - The Bank has established a 401(k) and profit sharing plan. The 401(k) plan covers substantially all employees who have completed aone-month employment period. Participants in the profit sharing plan are eligible to receive employer contributions after completion oftwo years of service. Bank contributions to the profit sharing plan are determined at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Participants are automatically vested 100% in all employer contributions. The Bank contributed $550,000, $850,000, and $1,000,000 to the profit sharing plan in 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively.

Additionally, the Bank may elect to make a matching contribution to the participants’ 401(k) plan accounts. The amount to be contributed is announced by the Bank at the beginning of the plan year. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, the Bank made a 100% matching contribution on all deferred amounts up to 5% of eligible compensation. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, the Bank made matching contributions totaling $1,623,000, $1,089,000, and $1,046,000, respectively.

Deferred Compensation Plans - The Bank has a nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan which provides directors with an unfunded, deferred compensation program. Under the plan, eligible participants may elect to defer some or all of their current compensation or director fees. Deferred amounts earn interest at an annual rate determined by the Board of Directors (5.32% at December 31, 2024). At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the total net deferrals included in accrued interest payable and other liabilities were $4,265,000 and $4,131,000, respectively.

In connection with the above plan, single premium universal life insurance policies on the life of certain directors were purchased by the Bank, which is the beneficiary and owner of the policies. The cash surrender value of the policies totaled $11,510,000 and $11,252,000 and at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Income recognized on these policies, net of related expenses, for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, was $258,000, $292,000, and $278,000, respectively.

In October 2015, the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank adopted a board resolution to create the Central Valley Community Bank Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (the Executive Plan). Pursuant to the Executive Plan, all eligible executives of the Bank may elect to defer up to 50 percent of their compensation for each deferral year. Deferred amounts earn interest at an annual rate determined by the Board of Directors (5.32% at December 31, 2024). At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the total net deferrals included in accrued interest payable and other liabilities were $238,000 and $271,000, respectively.

Salary Continuation Plans - The Board of Directors has approved salary continuation plans for certain key executives. Under these plans, the Bank is obligated to provide the executives with annual benefits for 0-15 years after retirement. In connection with the acquisitions of Folsom Lake Bank (FLB), Service 1 st Bank, and Visalia Community Bank (VCB), the Bank assumed a liability for the estimated present value of future benefits payable to former key executives of FLB, Service 1 st, and VCB. The liability relates to change in control benefits associated with their salary continuation plans. The benefits are payable to the individuals when they reach retirement age. These benefits are substantially equivalent to those available under split-dollar life insurance policies purchased by the Bank on the life of the executives. The expense (benefit) recognized under these plans for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, totaled $541,000, $186,000, and $(430,000), respectively. Note, the expense is effected by the changing discount rate used to calculate the liability. Accrued compensation payable under the salary continuation plans totaled $8,689,000 and $9,291,000 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. These benefits are substantially equivalent to those available under split-dollar life insurance policies acquired.

In connection with these plans, the Bank purchased single-premium life insurance policies with cash surrender values totaling $41,809,000 and $30,320,000 at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. Income recognized on these policies, net of related expense, for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 totaled $1,068,000, $743,000, and $706,000, respectively.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan - During 2017, the Company adopted an Employee Stock Purchase Plan which allows employees to purchase the Company’s stock at a discount to fair market value as of the date of purchase. The Company bears all costs of administering the plan, including broker’s fees, commissions, postage and other costs actually incurred.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had 402,579 shares remaining for purchase under the plan.

16. RELATED PARTIES

During the normal course of business, the Bank enters into loans with related parties, including executive officers and directors. The following is a summary of the aggregate activity involving related-party borrowers (in thousands):

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company had $39,669,000 and $12,921,000 in related party deposits, respectively.

17. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair Value Hierarchy

Fair value is the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. There are three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair values:

Level 1 — Quoted market prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments traded in active markets that the entity has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

Level 2 —Significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3 — Significant unobservable inputs that reflect an entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

Management monitors the availability of observable market data to assess the appropriate classification of financial instruments within the fair value hierarchy. Changes in economic conditions or model-based valuation techniques may require the transfer of financial instruments from one fair value level to another. In such instances, we report the transfer at the beginning of the reporting period.

The estimated carrying and fair values of the Company’s financial instruments are as follows (in thousands):

The methods and assumptions used to estimate fair values are described as follows:

(a) Cash and Cash Equivalents— The carrying amounts of cash and due from banks, interest-earning deposits in other banks, and Federal funds sold approximate fair values and are classified as Level 1.

(b) Investment securities — The fair values for investment securities are determined by quoted market prices, if available (Level 1). For securities where quoted prices are not available, fair values are calculated based on market prices of similar securities (Level 2), using matrix pricing. Matrix pricing is a mathematical technique commonly used to price debt securities that are not actively traded, values debt securities without relying exclusively on quoted prices for the specific securities but rather by relying on the securities’ relationship to other benchmark quoted securities (Level 2 inputs). For securities where quoted prices or market prices of similar securities are not available, fair values are calculated using discounted cash flows or other market indicators (Level 3).

(c) Loans — Fair values of loans are estimated as follows: fixed and variable loans are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses, taking into consideration various factors including loan type, credit loss and prepayment expectations. The loan cash flows are discounted to present value using a combination of existing market rates and liquidity spreads as well as underlying index rates and margins on variable rate loans resulting in a Level 3 classification.

(d) Time Deposits — Fair value for fixed and variable rate certificates of deposit are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses using interest rates offered at each reporting date by the Company for certificates with similar remaining maturities resulting in a Level 2 classification.

(e) Short-Term Borrowings — The carrying amounts of federal funds purchased, borrowings under repurchase agreements, and other short-term borrowings, maturing within one year, approximate their fair values resulting in a Level 2 classification.

(f) Subordinated Debentures and Senior Debt — The fair values of the Company’s Subordinated Debentures are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses based on the current borrowing rates for similar types of borrowing arrangements resulting in a Level 3 classification.

Assets Recorded at Fair Value

The following tables present information about the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and non-recurring basis as of December 31, 2024 and 2023:

Recurring Basis

The Company is required or permitted to record the following assets at fair value on a recurring basis under other accounting pronouncements (in thousands):

Securities in Level 1 are mutual funds and fair values are based on quoted market prices for identical instruments traded in active markets. Fair values for available-for-sale investment securities in Level 2 are based on quoted market prices for similar securities in active markets. For securities where quoted prices or market prices of similar securities are not available, fair values are calculated using discounted cash flows or other market indicators.

Management evaluates the significance of transfers between levels based upon the nature of the financial instrument and size of the transfer relative to total assets, total liabilities or total earnings. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, no transfers between levels occurred.

There were no Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023. Also there were no liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2024 or December 31, 2023.

Non-Recurring Basis

There were no assets measured on a non-recurring basis at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

18. OPERATING SEGMENTS

The Company hasone reportable segment: banking operations. Loans and leases, investment securities, interest-bearing deposits and non-interest income provide the revenues of the banking operation. Loans and leases generate a majority of the Company’s interest and fee income. Interest income earned on investment securities and interest-bearing deposits are another source of revenue. Non-interest income is derived from deposit products offered to customers that generate fees and service charge income. Additional other sources of non-interest income include earnings from bank owned life insurance, merchant card services, and other investments. Interest expense, provisions for credit losses, salaries and employee benefits, and data processing provide the significant expenses in banking operations. These significant expenses are the same as those disclosed in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

The Company’s chief operating decision maker (CODM) is the Chief Executive Officer. The CODM is provided with consolidated balance sheets, income statements, and net interest margin analyses in order to evaluate the revenue streams, significant expenses, and budget-to-actual results in assessing the Company’s segment and determining the allocation of resources. Additionally, the CODM reviews performance of various components of banking operations, such as asset mix, funding sources for assets, and overhead costs, in order to assess product pricing, profitability and evaluate return on assets. The CODM uses consolidated net income to benchmark the Company against its competitors. The benchmarking analysis coupled with monitoring budget-to-actual results are used in assessing performance and in establishing compensation.

19. PARENT ONLY CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

December 31, 2024 and 2023

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

20. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

Dividend Declared

On January 22, 2025, the Board of Directors declared a 0.12 per share cash dividend payable on February 21, 2025 to shareholders of record as of February 7, 2025.