COMMUNITY BANCORP /VT

Concentration of risk

The Company's operations are affected by various risk factors, including interest rate risk, credit risk, and risk from geographic concentration of its deposit taking and lending activities. Management seeks to manage interest rate risk through various asset/liability management techniques designed to match maturities and repricing of assets and liabilities. Loan policies and administration are designed to provide assurance that loans will only be granted to creditworthy borrowers, although credit losses are expected to occur because of subjective factors inherent in management’s estimate of credit risk and factors beyond the control of the Company. While the Company has a diversified loan portfolio by loan type, most of its lending activities are conducted within the geographic area where its banking offices are located. As a result, the Company and its borrowers may be especially vulnerable to the consequences of changes in the local economy in northern and central Vermont or northern New England more generally. In addition, a substantial portion of the Company's loans are secured by real estate, which is susceptible to a decline in value, especially during times of adverse economic conditions and rising interest rates.