KEYCORP /NEW/

Credit risk is the risk of loss arising from an obligor’s inability or failure to meet contractual payment or performance terms. Like other financial services institutions, we make loans, extend credit, distribute credit risk, purchase securities, provide financial and payments products, and enter into financial derivative contracts, all of which have related credit risk.

Credit policy, approval, and evaluation

We manage credit risk exposure through a multifaceted program. The Credit Risk Committee recommends Significant Level 1 credit policies to the Board Risk Committee for approval. These policies are communicated throughout the organization to foster a consistent approach to granting credit.

Our credit risk management team and certain individuals within our lines of business, to whom credit risk management has delegated limited credit authority, are responsible for credit approval. Individuals with assigned credit authority are authorized to grant exceptions to credit policies. It is not unusual to make exceptions to established policies when mitigating circumstances dictate, however, a corporate level tolerance has been established to keep exceptions at an acceptable level based upon portfolio and economic considerations.

Our credit risk management team uses risk models to evaluate consumer loans. These models, known as scorecards, forecast the probability of serious delinquency and default for an applicant. The scorecards are embedded in the application processing system, which allows for real-time scoring and automated decisions for many of our products. We periodically validate the loan scoring processes.

We maintain an active concentration management program to mitigate concentration risk in our credit portfolios. For individual obligors, we employ a sliding scale of exposure, known as hold limits, which is dictated by the type of loan and strength of the borrower.

Allowance for loan and lease losses

We estimate the appropriate level of the ALLL on at least a quarterly basis. The methodology used is described in Note 1 (“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”) under the heading “Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses.” Briefly, the ALLL estimate uses various models and estimation techniques based on our historical loss experience, current borrower characteristics, current conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts and other relevant factors. The ALLL at December 31, 2025, represents our best estimate of the lifetime expected credit losses inherent in the loan portfolio at that date. For more information, see Note 4 (“Asset Quality”).

As shown in Figure 29, our ALLL from continuing operations increased by $18 million, or 1.3%, from December 31, 2024. The commercial ALLL increased by $41 million, or 4.0%, from December 31, 2024, driven by changes in the economic outlook and loan growth, partly offset by improving credit quality trends. The consumer ALLL decreased $23 million, or 6.2%, from December 31, 2024, driven by the impact of ongoing loan balance reductions and strong credit performance.

Figure 29. Allocation of the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses

(a)Excludes allocations of the ALLL related to the discontinued operations of the education lending business in the amount of $11 million at December 31, 2025, and $13 million at December 31, 2024.

Net loan charge-offs

Figure 30 shows the trend in our net loan charge-offs by loan type, while the composition of loan charge-offs and recoveries by type of loan is presented in Figure 32. Figure 31 shows the ratio of net charge-offs by loan category as a percentage of the respective average loan balance.

Over the past 12 months, net loan charge-offs decreased $10 million, mainly reflecting a decrease in charge-offs of consumer loans.

Figure 30. Net Loan Charge-offs from Continuing Operations(a)

(a)Credit amounts indicate that recoveries exceeded charge-offs.

Figure 31. Net Loan Charge-offs to Average Loans from Continuing Operations(a)

(a)Credit amounts indicate that recoveries exceeded charge-offs.

Figure 32. Summary of Loan and Lease Loss Experience from Continuing Operations

(a)See Figure 11 and the accompanying discussion in the “Loans and loans held for sale” section for more information related to our commercial real estate loan portfolio.

(b)See Figure 10 and the accompanying discussion in the “Loans and loans held for sale” section for more information related to our commercial loan portfolio.

(c)Included in “accrued expense and other liabilities” on the balance sheet.

Nonperforming assets

Figure 33 shows the composition of our nonperforming assets. As shown in Figure 33, nonperforming assets decreased $145 million during 2025. See Note 1 (“Summary of Significant Accounting Policies”) under the headings “Nonperforming Loans,” “Impaired Loans,” and “Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses” for a summary of our nonaccrual and charge-off policies.

Figure 33. Summary of Nonperforming Assets and Past Due Loans from Continuing Operations

(a)See Figure 11 and the accompanying discussion in the “Loans and loans held for sale” section for more information related to our commercial real estate loan portfolio.

(b)See Figure 10 and the accompanying discussion in the “Loans and loans held for sale” section for more information related to our commercial loan portfolio.

Figure 34 shows the types of activity that caused the change in our nonperforming loans during each of the last four quarters and the years ended December 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024.

Figure 34. Summary of Changes in Nonperforming Loans from Continuing Operations