PEOPLES BANCORP OF NORTH CAROLINA INC

Analysis of Financial Condition

*Investment Securities.*The composition of the investment securities portfolio reflects the Company’s investment strategy of maintaining an appropriate level of liquidity while providing a relatively stable source of income. The investment portfolio also provides a balance to interest rate risk and credit risk in other categories of the balance sheet while providing a vehicle for the investment of available funds, furnishing liquidity, and supplying securities to pledge as required collateral for certain deposits.

All of the Company’s investment securities are held in the available for sale (“AFS”) category*.*At December 31, 2025 the market value of AFS securities totaled $377.4 million, as compared to $388.0 million at December 31, 2024.

The Company’s investment portfolio consists of U.S. Government sponsored enterprise securities, municipal securities, U.S. Treasury securities, U.S. Government sponsored enterprise mortgage-backed securities, private label mortgage-backed securities, trust preferred securities and equity securities. AFS securities averaged $418.5 million in 2025 and $442.1 million in 2024.

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Table 7 presents the book value of AFS securities held by the Company by maturity category at December 31, 2025. Yield information does not give effect to changes in fair value that are reflected as a component of shareholders’ equity. Yields are calculated on a tax equivalent basis. Yields and interest income on tax-exempt investments have been adjusted to a tax equivalent basis using an effective tax rate of 22.78% for securities that are both federal and state tax exempt and an effective tax rate of 20.53% for federal tax-exempt securities.

*Loans.*The loan portfolio is the largest category of the Company’s earning assets and is comprised of commercial loans, real estate mortgage loans, real estate construction loans and consumer loans. The Bank makes loans and extensions of credit primarily within the Catawba Valley region of North Carolina, which encompasses Catawba, Alexander, Iredell and Lincoln counties and also in Mecklenburg, Rowan and Forsyth counties in North Carolina.

Although the Bank has a diversified loan portfolio, a substantial portion of the loan portfolio is collateralized by real estate, which is dependent upon the real estate market. Real estate mortgage loans include both commercial and residential mortgage loans. At December 31, 2025, the Bank had $133.7 million in residential mortgage loans, $123.1 million in home equity loans and $742.6 million in commercial mortgage loans, which include $596.2 million secured by commercial property and $146.4 million secured by residential property. All residential mortgage loans are originated as fully amortizing loans, with no negative amortization. The Bank also had construction and land development loans totaling $124.1 million at December 31, 2025.

Mortgage loans originated are generally 15–30 year fixed rate loans with attributes that prevent the loans from being sellable in the secondary market. These factors may include higher loan-to-value ratio, limited documentation on income, non-conforming appraisal or non-conforming property type. These loans are generally made to existing Bank customers and have been originated throughout the Bank’s market area, with no geographic concentration.

As of December 31, 2025, gross loans outstanding were $1.20 billion, as compared to $1.14 billion at December 31, 2024. Average loans represented 70% and 69% of average total earning assets for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The Bank had $1.1 million and $1.4 million in mortgage loans held for sale as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

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Table 8 identifies the maturities of all loans as of December 31, 2025 and addresses the sensitivity of these loans to changes in interest rates.

In the normal course of business, there are various commitments outstanding to extend credit that are not reflected in the financial statements. At December 31, 2025, outstanding loan commitments totaled $368.0 million. Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the commitment contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments may expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. Additional information regarding commitments is provided below in the section entitled “Commitments and Contingencies” and in Note 11 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

*Allowance for Credit Losses (ACL).*The allowance for credit losses reflects management’s assessment and estimate of the risks associated with extending credit and its evaluation of the quality of the loan portfolio. The Bank periodically analyzes the loan portfolio in an effort to review asset quality and to establish an allowance that management believes will be adequate in light of anticipated risks and loan losses. In assessing the adequacy of the allowance, size, quality and risk of loans in the portfolio are reviewed.

The allowance for credit losses on loans is a valuation account that is deducted from the loans' amortized cost basis to present the net amount expected to be collected on the loans. Loans are charged off against the allowance when management believes the uncollectibility of a loan balance is confirmed. Expected recoveries do not exceed the aggregate of amounts previously charged-off and expected to be charged-off. Accrued interest receivable is excluded from the estimate of credit losses. The allowance for credit losses represents management’s estimate of lifetime credit losses inherent in loans as of December 31, 2025. The allowance for credit losses is estimated by management using relevant available information, from both internal and external sources, relating to past events, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The Company measures expected credit losses for loans on a pooled basis when similar risk characteristics exist. The Company calculates the allowance for credit losses using a Weighted Average Remaining Maturity (“WARM”) methodology.

Additionally, the allowance for credit losses calculation includes subjective adjustments for qualitative risk factors that are likely to cause estimated credit losses to differ from historical experience. These qualitative adjustments may increase or decrease reserve levels and include adjustments for: local, state and national economic outlook; levels and trends of delinquencies; trends in volume, mix and size of loans; seasoning of the loan portfolio; experience of staff; concentrations of credit; and interest rate risk.

The portion of the ACL balance attributable to qualitative factors was $5.3 million and $5.2 million at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The risk factors are weighted as follows: Local, State and National Economic Outlook – 30%, Concentrations of Credit – 5%, Interest Rate Risk – 5%, Trends in Terms of Volume, Mix and Size of Loans – 15%, Seasoning of the Loan Portfolio – 10%, Experience of Staff – 10%, and Levels and Trends of Delinquencies – 25%. No changes to the risk status of any of the risk factors was made during the year ended December 31, 2025.

Loans that do not share risk characteristics are evaluated on an individual basis. When management determines that foreclosure is probable and the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, the expected credit losses are based on the fair value of collateral at the reporting date adjusted for selling costs as appropriate.

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Financial instruments include off-balance sheet credit instruments, such as commitments to make loans and commercial letters of credit issued to meet customer financing needs. The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for off-balance sheet loan commitments represents the contractual amount of those instruments. Such financial instruments are recorded when they are funded.

The Company records an allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet credit exposures, unless the commitments to extend credit are unconditionally cancelable. The allowance for credit losses on off-balance sheet credit exposures is estimated by loan segment at each balance sheet date under the current expected credit loss model using the same methodologies as portfolio loans, taking into consideration the likelihood that funding will occur as well as any third-party guarantees. The allowance for unfunded commitments is included in other liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

The allowance for credit losses on loans was $10.1 million or 0.84% of total loans at December 31, 2025, compared to $10.0 million or 0.88% of total loans at December 31, 2024. The allowance for credit losses on loans increased $131,000 primarily due to a $66.0 million increase in total loans from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025, which was partially offset by a $925,000 decrease in net charge-offs during the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to the year ended December 31, 2024.

The allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments was $1.4 million at December 31, 2025, compared to $1.1 million at December 31, 2024. The increase in the allowance for credit losses on unfunded commitments was due to a $18.0 million increase in unfunded loan commitments from December 31, 2024 to December 31, 2025.

Management uses several measures to assess and monitor the credit risks in the loan portfolio, including a loan grading system that begins upon loan origination and continues until the loan is collected or collectability becomes doubtful. Upon loan origination, the Bank’s originating loan officer evaluates the quality of the loan and assigns one of eight risk grades. The loan officer monitors the loan’s performance and credit quality and makes changes to the credit grade as conditions warrant. When originated or renewed, all loans over a certain dollar amount receive in-depth reviews and risk assessments by the Bank’s Credit Administration. Before making any changes in these risk grades, management considers assessments as determined by the third-party credit review firm (as described below), regulatory examiners and the Bank’s Credit Administration. Any issues regarding the risk assessments are addressed by the Bank’s senior credit administrators and factored into management’s decision to originate or renew the loan. The board of directors of the Bank (the “Bank Board”) reviews, on a monthly basis, an analysis of the Bank’s reserves relative to the range of reserves estimated by the Bank’s Credit Administration.

As an additional measure, the Bank engages an independent third party to review the underwriting, documentation and risk grading analyses. This independent third party reviews and evaluates loan relationships greater than or equal to $1.5 million as well as a periodic sample of commercial relationships with exposures below $1.5 million, excluding loans in default, and loans in process of litigation or liquidation. The third party’s evaluation and report is shared with management and the Bank Board.

Since the adoption of Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) methodology on January 1, 2023, the allowance for credit losses represents management’s estimate of credit losses for the remaining estimated life of the Bank’s financial assets, including loan receivables and some off-balance sheet credit exposures. Estimating the amount of the allowance for credit losses requires significant judgment and the use of estimates related to historical experience, current conditions, reasonable and supportable forecasts, and the value of collateral on collateral-dependent loans. The loan portfolio also represents the largest asset type on our consolidated balance sheet. Credit losses are charged against the allowance, while recoveries of amounts previously charged off are credited to the allowance. A provision for credit losses is charged to operations based on management’s periodic evaluation of the factors previously mentioned, as well as other pertinent factors.

There are many factors affecting the allowance for credit losses; some are quantitative while others require qualitative judgment. Although management believes its process for determining the allowance adequately considers all the potential factors that could potentially result in credit losses, the process includes subjective elements and is susceptible to significant change. To the extent actual outcomes differ from management estimates, additional provision for credit losses could be required that could adversely affect our earnings or financial position in future periods.

Various regulatory agencies, as an integral part of their examination process, periodically review the Bank’s allowance. Such agencies may require adjustments to the allowance based on their judgments of information available to them at the time of their examinations. Management believes it has established the allowance for credit losses pursuant to CECL, and has considered the views of its regulators and the current economic environment. Management considers the allowance adequate to cover the estimated losses inherent in the Bank’s loan portfolio as of the date of the financial statements. Although management uses the best information available to make evaluations, significant future additions to the allowance may be necessary based on changes in economic and other conditions, thus adversely affecting the operating results of the Company.

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Table 9 presents an analysis of the allowance for loan losses, including charge-off activity.

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Table 10 presents the allocation of the allowance for credit losses on loans at December 31, 2025.

Non-performing Assets. Non-performing assets were $4.2 million or 0.25% of total assets at December 31, 2025, compared to $4.8 million or 0.29% of total assets at December 31, 2024. Non-performing assets comprise $3.6 million in residential mortgage loans and $533,000 in commercial mortgage loans at December 31, 2025, compared to $3.7 million in residential mortgage loans, $463,000 in commercial mortgage loans, $257,000 in other loans, and $369,000 in other real estate owned at December 31, 2024. The Bank had no repossessed assets as of December 31, 2025 and 2024.

At December 31, 2025, the Bank had non-performing loans, defined as non-accrual and accruing loans past due more than 90 days, of $4.2 million or 0.35% of total loans. Non-performing loans at December 31, 2024 were $4.4 million or 0.39% of total loans.

Management continually monitors the loan portfolio to ensure that all loans potentially having a material adverse impact on future operating results, liquidity or capital resources have been classified as non-performing. Should economic conditions deteriorate, the inability of distressed customers to service their existing debt could cause higher levels of non-performing loans. Management expects the future level of non-accrual loans to continue to be in-line with the level of non-accrual loans at December 31, 2025 and 2024.

It is the general policy of the Bank to stop accruing interest income when a loan is placed on non-accrual status and any interest previously accrued but not collected is reversed against current income. Generally, a loan is placed on non-accrual status when it is over 90 days past due and there is reasonable doubt that all principal will be collected.

*Deposits.*The Bank primarily uses deposits to fund its loan and investment portfolios. The Bank offers a variety of deposit accounts to individuals and businesses. Deposit accounts include checking, savings, money market and time deposits. Deposits were $1.51 billion as of December 31, 2025, compared to $1.48 billion as of December 31, 2024. Core deposits, a non-GAAP measure, which include noninterest-bearing demand deposits, NOW, MMDA, savings and non-brokered certificates of deposit of denominations of $250,000 or less, were $1.35 billion at December 31, 2025, compared to $1.34 billion at December 31, 2024. Management believes it is useful to calculate and present core deposits because of the positive impact this low cost funding source provides to the Bank’s overall cost of funds and profitability.

Certificates of deposit in amounts of more than $250,000 totaled $159.4 million at December 31, 2025, compared to $145.9 million December 31, 2024. Other time deposits totaled $194.4 million at December 31, 2025, compared to $195.2 million at December 31, 2024.

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Table 11 is a summary of the maturity distribution of time deposits in amounts of more than $250,000 as of December 31, 2025.

Estimated uninsured deposits totaled $358.5 million, or 23.75% of total deposits, at December 31, 2025, compared to $396.5 million, or 26.71% of total deposits, at December 31, 2024. Uninsured amounts are estimated based on the portion of account balances in excess of FDIC insurance limits. The Bank did not have any significant deposit concentrations based on the North American Industry Classification System at December 31, 2025 and 2024. The Bank has two customer relationships that had deposits totaling $122.7 million, or 8.13% of total deposits, at December 31, 2025, and $117.0 million, or 7.88% of total deposits, at December 31, 2024.

*Borrowed Funds.*The Bank has access to various short-term borrowings, including the purchase of federal funds and borrowing arrangements from the FHLB and other financial institutions. There were no FHLB borrowings outstanding at December 31, 2025 and 2024. Average FHLB borrowings for 2025 and 2024 were zero. Additional information regarding FHLB borrowings is provided in Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Bank had no borrowings from the FRB at December 31, 2025 and 2024. FRB borrowings are collateralized by a blanket assignment on all qualifying loans that the Bank owns which are not pledged to the FHLB.

Junior subordinated debentures were $15.5 million at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024.

*Contractual Obligations and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements.*The Company’s contractual obligations include junior subordinated debentures, as well as certain payments under current lease agreements. Other commitments include commitments to extend credit.

Capital Resources. Shareholders’ equity was $157.1 million, or 9.23% of total assets, at December 31, 2025, compared to $130.6 million, or 7.90% of total assets, at December 31, 2024. The increase in shareholders’ equity is primarily due to an increase in net income and a decrease in the unrealized loss on investment securities available for sale due to rate changes between December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2025.

Average shareholders’ equity as a percentage of total average assets was 8.77% and 7.85% at December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The return on average shareholders’ equity was 13.33% and 12.59% for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Total cash dividends paid on common stock were $5.2 million and $5.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

The Board of Directors, at its discretion, can issue up to 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock. The Board is authorized to determine the number of shares, voting powers, designations, preferences, limitations and relative rights.

In June 2024, the Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program, whereby up to $2.0 million may be allocated to repurchase the Company’s common stock. The Company had not repurchased any shares of its common stock under this stock repurchase program through February 28, 2025, when the program expired.

In March 2025, the Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program, whereby up to $3.0 million may be allocated to repurchase the Company’s common stock. Any purchases under the Company’s stock repurchase program may be made periodically as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements in the open market or in privately-negotiated transactions. The timing and amount of any repurchase of shares will be determined by the Company’s management, based on its evaluation of market conditions and other factors. The stock repurchase program may be suspended at any time or from time-to-time without prior notice. The Company had not repurchased any shares of its common stock under this stock repurchase program through February 28, 2026, when the program expired.

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In 2013, the FRB approved its final rule on the Basel III capital standards, which implement changes to the regulatory capital framework for banking organizations. The Basel III capital standards, which became effective January 1, 2015, include new risk-based capital and leverage ratios, which were phased in from 2015 to 2019. The new minimum capital level requirements applicable to the Company and the Bank under the final rules are as follows: (i) a new common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 4.5%; (ii) a Tier 1 capital ratio of 6% (increased from 4%); (iii) a total risk based capital ratio of 8% (unchanged from previous rules); and (iv) a Tier 1 leverage ratio of 4% (unchanged from previous rules). An additional capital conservation buffer was added to the minimum requirements for capital adequacy purposes beginning on January 1, 2016 and was phased in through 2019 (increasing by 0.625% on January 1, 2016 and each subsequent January 1, until it reached 2.5% on January 1, 2019). This resulted in the following minimum ratios beginning in 2019: (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%. Under the final rules, institutions would be subject to limitations on paying dividends, engaging in share repurchases, and paying discretionary bonuses if its capital level falls below the buffer amount. These limitations establish a maximum percentage of eligible retained earnings that could be utilized for such actions.

Under the regulatory capital guidelines, financial institutions are currently required to maintain a total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, with a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0% or greater and a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 4.5% or greater, as required by the Basel III capital standards referenced above. Tier 1 capital is generally defined as shareholders’ equity and trust preferred securities less all intangible assets and goodwill. Tier 1 capital includes $15.0 million in trust preferred securities at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. The Company’s Tier 1 capital ratio was 14.96% and 14.47% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. Total risk-based capital is defined as Tier 1 capital plus supplementary capital. Supplementary capital, or Tier 2 capital, consists of the Company’s allowance for credit losses, not exceeding 1.25% of the Company’s risk-weighted assets. Total risk-based capital ratio is therefore defined as the ratio of total capital (Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 capital) to risk-weighted assets. The Company’s total risk-based capital ratio was 15.82% and 15.34% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The Company’s common equity Tier 1 capital consists of common stock and retained earnings. The Company’s common equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 13.83% and 13.29% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. Financial institutions are also required to maintain a leverage ratio of Tier 1 capital to total average assets of 4.0% or greater. The Company’s Tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 11.33% and 10.88% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

The Bank’s Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio was 14.83% and 14.35% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The total risk-based capital ratio for the Bank was 15.70% and 15.22% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The Bank’s common equity Tier 1 capital ratio was 14.83% and 14.35% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively. The Bank’s Tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 11.13% and 10.71% at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

A bank is considered to be “well capitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, a common equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 6.5% or greater and a leverage ratio of 5.0% or greater. Based upon these guidelines, the Bank was considered to be “well capitalized” at December 31, 2025.

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