MUNCY COLUMBIA FINANCIAL Corp

Previous wording

Developments and events in the financial services industry, including the large-scale deposit withdrawals over a short period of time at Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank that resulted in the failure of those institutions, have resulted in decreased confidence in banks among depositors, other counterparties and investors, as well as significant disruption, volatility and reduced valuations of equity and other securities of banks in the capital markets. These events have occurred against the backdrop of a rapidly rising interest rate environment which, among other things, has resulted in unrealized losses in longer duration securities and loans held by banks, and a corresponding decrease in shareholders’ equity and bank capital levels, impacting the dynamics in the competition for bank deposits, and may increase the risk of a potential recession. These events and developments could materially and adversely impact the business or financial condition of the Corporation, including through potential liquidity pressures, reduced net interest margins, and potential increased credit losses. These events and developments have, and could continue to, adversely impact the market price and volatility of the Corporation’s common stock. These events may also result in changes to laws or regulations governing banks and bank holding companies or result in the impositions of restrictions through supervisory or enforcement activities, including higher capital requirements, which could have a material impact on the businesses of the Corporation. The cost of resolving the failures may prompt the FDIC to increase its premiums above the recently increased levels or to issue additional special assessments.

Current wording

Developments and events in the financial services industry, including the well-publicized failures of several institutions in 2023 and more recently, have resulted in decreased confidence in banks among depositors, other counterparties and investors, as well as significant disruption and volatility of equity and other securities of banks in the capital markets. These events have occurred against the backdrop of a heighted interest rate environment which, among other things, has resulted in unrealized losses in longer duration securities and loans held by banks, and a corresponding decrease in shareholders’ equity and bank capital levels, impacting the dynamics in the competition for bank deposits, and may increase the risk of a potential recession. These events and developments could materially and adversely impact the business or financial condition of the Corporation, including through potential liquidity pressures, reduced net interest margins, and potential increased credit losses. These events and developments have, and could continue to, adversely impact the market price and volatility of the Corporation’s common stock. These events may also result in changes to laws or regulations governing banks and bank holding companies or result in the impositions of restrictions through supervisory or enforcement activities, including higher capital requirements, which could have a material impact on the businesses of the Corporation. The cost of resolving the failures may prompt the FDIC to increase its premiums above the recently increased levels or to issue additional special assessments.

Previous wording

The banking and financial services industry is very competitive and includes services offered from other banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, mortgage companies, other lenders, and institutions offering uninsured investment alternatives. Legal and regulatory developments have made it easier for new and sometimes unregulated competitors to compete with the Corporation. The financial services industry has and is experiencing an ongoing trend towards consolidation in which fewer large national and regional banks and other financial institutions are replacing many smaller and more local banks. These larger banks and other financial institutions hold a large accumulation of assets and have significantly greater resources and a wider geographic presence or greater accessibility. In some instances, these larger entities operate without the traditional brick and mortar facilities that restrict geographic presence. Some competitors have more aggressive marketing campaigns and better brand recognition, and are able to offer more services, more favorable pricing or greater customer convenience than the Corporation. In addition, competition has increased from other banks and other financial services providers that target the Corporation’s existing or potential customers. As consolidation continues among large banks, the Corporation expects other smaller institutions to try to compete in the markets the Corporation plans to serve. This competition could reduce the Corporation’s net income by decreasing the number and size of the loans that it originates and the interest rates it charges on these loans. Additionally, these competitors may offer higher interest rates, which could decrease the deposits the Corporation attracts or require it to increase rates to retain existing deposits or attract new deposits. Increased deposit competition could adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to generate the funds necessary for lending operations which could increase its cost of funds.

Current wording

The banking and financial services industry is very competitive and includes services offered from other banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, mortgage companies, other lenders, and institutions offering uninsured investment alternatives. Legal and regulatory developments have made it easier for new and sometimes unregulated competitors to compete with the Corporation. The financial services industry has and is experiencing an ongoing trend towards consolidation in which fewer large national and regional banks and other financial institutions are replacing many smaller and more local banks. These larger banks and other financial institutions hold a large accumulation of assets and have significantly greater resources and a wider geographic presence or greater accessibility. In some instances, these larger entities operate without the traditional brick and mortar facilities that restrict geographic presence. Some competitors have more aggressive marketing campaigns and better brand recognition, and are able to offer more services, more favorable pricing or greater customer convenience than the Corporation. In addition, competition has increased from other banks and other financial services providers that target the Corporation’s existing or potential customers. As consolidation continues among large banks, the Corporation expects other smaller institutions to try to compete in the markets the Corporation plans to serve. This competition could reduce the Corporation’s net income by decreasing the number and size of the loans that it originates and the interest rates it charges on these loans. Additionally, these competitors may offer higher interest rates on deposits, which could decrease the deposits the Corporation attracts or require it to increase rates to retain existing deposits or attract new deposits. Increased deposit competition could adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to generate the funds necessary for lending operations which could increase its cost of funds.

Previous wording

The Corporation is subject to various privacy, information security and data protection laws, including requirements concerning security breach notification, and it could be negatively impacted by these laws. For example, the Corporation’s business is subject to the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, also known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which, among other things: (i) imposes certain limitations on its ability to share nonpublic personal information about its customers with nonaffiliated third parties; (ii) requires that it provide certain disclosures to customers about its information collection, sharing and security practices and afford customers the right to “opt out” of any information sharing by the Corporation with nonaffiliated third parties (with certain exceptions) and (iii) requires it develop, implement and maintain a written comprehensive information security program containing safeguards appropriately based on its size and complexity, the nature and scope of its activities, and the sensitivity of customer information it processes, as well as plans for responding to data security breaches. Various state and federal banking regulators and states have also enacted data security breach notification requirements with varying levels of individual, consumer, regulatory or law enforcement notification in certain circumstances in the event of a security breach. This includes increased privacy-related enforcement activity at the federal level, by the Federal Trade Commission, as well as at the state level, such as with regard to mobile applications. Moreover, legislators and regulators in the United States are increasingly adopting or revising privacy, information security and data protection laws that potentially could have a significant impact on the Corporation’s current and planned privacy, data protection and information security-related practices, the Corporation’s collection, use, sharing, retention and safeguarding of consumer or employee information, and some of its current or planned business activities. This could also increase the Corporation’s costs of compliance and business operations and could reduce income from certain business initiatives.

Current wording

The Corporation is subject to various privacy, information security and data protection laws, including requirements concerning security breach notification, and it could be negatively impacted by these laws. For example, the Corporation’s business is subject to the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999, also known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which, among other things: (i) imposes certain limitations on its ability to share nonpublic personal information about its customers with nonaffiliated third parties; (ii) requires that it provide certain disclosures to customers about its information collection, sharing and security practices and afford customers the right to “opt out” of any information sharing by the Corporation with nonaffiliated third parties (with certain exceptions) and (iii) requires it to develop, implement and maintain a written comprehensive information security program containing safeguards appropriately based on its size and complexity, the nature and scope of its activities, and the sensitivity of customer information it processes, as well as plans for responding to data security breaches. Various state and federal banking regulators have also enacted data security breach notification requirements with varying levels of individual, consumer, regulatory or law enforcement notification in certain circumstances in the event of a security breach. This includes increased privacy-related enforcement activity at the federal level, by the Federal Trade Commission, as well as at the state level, such as with regard to mobile applications. Moreover, legislators and regulators in the United States are increasingly adopting or revising privacy, information security and data protection laws that potentially could have a significant impact on the Corporation’s current and planned privacy, data protection and information security-related practices, the Corporation’s collection, use, sharing, retention and safeguarding of consumer or employee information, and some of its current or planned business activities. This could also increase the Corporation’s costs of compliance and business operations and could reduce income from certain business initiatives.

Previous wording

Compliance with current or future privacy, data protection and information security laws (including those regarding security breach notification) affecting customer or employee data to which the Corporation is subject could result in higher compliance and technology costs and could restrict its ability to provide certain products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial conditions or results of operations. the Corporation’s failure to comply with privacy, data protection and information security laws could result in potentially significant regulatory or governmental investigations or actions, litigation, fines, sanctions and damage to its reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations, financial condition, and the value of its securities.

Current wording

Compliance with current or future privacy, data protection and information security laws (including those regarding security breach notification) affecting customer or employee data to which the Corporation is subject could result in higher compliance and technology costs and could restrict its ability to provide certain products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations. The Corporation’s failure to comply with privacy, data protection and information security laws could result in potentially significant regulatory or governmental investigations or actions, litigation, fines, sanctions and damage to its reputation, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations, financial condition, and the value of its securities.

Previous wording

Reputation risk, or the risk to the Corporation’s business, earnings and capital from negative public opinion surrounding the Corporation and the financial institutions industry generally, is inherent in its business. Negative public opinion can result from the Corporation’s actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including lending practices, corporate governance and acquisitions, and from actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to those activities. Negative public opinion regarding the banking and financial services industries generally, such as the public reaction to the Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank failures, also can negatively affect the Corporation. Negative public opinion can adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to keep and attract clients and employees and can expose it to litigation and regulatory action. Although the Corporation takes steps to minimize reputation risk in dealing with its clients and communities, this risk will always be present given the nature of its business.

Current wording

Reputation risk, or the risk to the Corporation’s business, earnings and capital from negative public opinion surrounding the Corporation and the financial institutions industry generally, is inherent in its business. Negative public opinion can result from the Corporation’s actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including lending practices, corporate governance and acquisitions, and from actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to those activities. Negative public opinion regarding the banking and financial services industries generally, such as the public reaction to the recent banking failures, also can negatively affect the Corporation. Negative public opinion can adversely affect the Corporation’s ability to keep and attract clients and employees and can expose it to litigation and regulatory action. Although the Corporation takes steps to minimize reputation risk in dealing with its clients and communities, this risk will always be present given the nature of its business.

Previous wording

The Corporation is a customer-focused and relationship-driven organization. The Corporation expects its future growth to be driven in a large part by the relationships maintained with its customers by its chief executive officer and by other senior officers. The unexpected loss of any of the Corporation’s key employees could have a material adverse effect on its business and operations, which would have an adverse effect on its business, results of operations, financial condition, and the value of its securities.

Current wording

The Corporation is a customer-focused and relationship-driven organization. The Corporation expects its future growth to be driven in a large part by the relationships maintained with its customers by its chief executive officer and by other senior officers. The unexpected loss of any of the Corporation’s key employees could have a material adverse effect on its business and operations, which would have an adverse effect on its business, results of operations, financial condition, and the value of its securities. While the Corporation’s and the Bank’s Executive Chairman recently retired from active day-to-day service as a member of senior management of the Corporation and the Bank, because he will continue on as Chairman of the boards of directors of both the Corporation and the Bank, the Corporation does not anticipate that his retirement will have an adverse effect on business, operations, financial condition or the value of the Corporation’s securities.

Previous wording

The Corporation is a holding company dependent for liquidity on payments from the Bank, our major subsidiary, which are subject to restrictions.

Current wording

The Corporation is a holding company dependent for liquidity on payments from the Bank, our only subsidiary, which are subject to restrictions.

Previous wording

The Corporation is limited in the amount that it can lend to a single borrower to 15% of Journey Bank’s capital and surplus, with an additional 10% available for certain loans meeting heightened collateral requirements. However, the Corporation generally imposes an internal limit that is more conservative than the legal maximum. The Corporation’s lending limit is significantly less than the limit for many of its competitors and may affect its ability to seek relationships with larger businesses in its market area. From time to time, the Corporation attempts to accommodate larger loans by selling participations in those loans to other financial institutions. However, the Corporation cannot ensure that it will be able to attract or maintain customers seeking larger loans or that it will be able to sell participations in such loans on terms it considers favorable. The Corporation’s inability to attract and maintain these customers or its inability to sell loan participations on favorable terms could adversely impact its business, financial condition, results of operation, and the value of its securities.

Current wording

The Corporation is limited in the amount that it can lend to a single borrower to 15% of the Bank’s capital and surplus, with an additional 10% available for certain loans meeting heightened collateral requirements. However, the Corporation generally imposes an internal limit that is more conservative than the legal maximum. The Corporation’s lending limit is significantly less than the limit for many of its competitors and may affect its ability to seek relationships with larger businesses in its market area. From time to time, the Corporation attempts to accommodate larger loans by selling participations in those loans to other financial institutions. However, the Corporation cannot ensure that it will be able to attract or maintain customers seeking larger loans or that it will be able to sell participations in such loans on terms it considers favorable. The Corporation’s inability to attract and maintain these customers or its inability to sell loan participations on favorable terms could adversely impact its business, financial condition, results of operation, and the value of its securities.

Previous wording

In assessing investment securities for credit losses, we consider the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuers, and the intent and ability to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in fair value in the near term. Under current accounting standards, goodwill and certain other intangible assets with indeterminate lives are no longer amortized but, instead, are assessed for impairment periodically or when impairment indicators are present. Assessment of goodwill and such other intangible assets could result in circumstances where the applicable intangible asset is deemed to be impaired for accounting purposes. Under such circumstances, the intangible asset’s impairment would be reflected as a charge to earnings in the period during which such impairment is identified. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. The impact of each of these impairment matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, result of operations and financial condition.

Current wording

In assessing investment securities for credit losses, we consider the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuers, and the intent and ability to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for an anticipated recovery in fair value in the near term. Under current accounting standards, goodwill and certain other intangible assets with indeterminate lives are no longer amortized but, instead, are assessed for impairment periodically or when impairment indicators are present. Assessment of goodwill and such other intangible assets could result in circumstances where the applicable intangible asset is deemed to be impaired for accounting purposes. Under such circumstances, the intangible asset’s impairment would be reflected as a charge to earnings in the period during which such impairment is identified. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. The impact of each of these impairment matters could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Previous wording

As described in Item 1, the Corporation completed a merger with Muncy Bank Financial, Inc. during 2023, and expanded its geographic footprint in central Pennsylvania. Merger and acquisition activity involves various risks including: potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the target company, exposure to potential asset quality issues of the target company, difficulty and expense of integrating the operations and personnel of the target company, potential disruption to the Corporation’s business, potential diversion of management’s time and attention, the possible loss of key employees and customers of the target company, difficulty in estimating the value of the target company and potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the target company. Mergers and acquisitions may involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution

Current wording

As described in Item 1, the Corporation completed a merger with Muncy Bank Financial, Inc. during 2023, and expanded its geographic footprint in central Pennsylvania. Merger and acquisition activity involves various risks including: potential exposure to unknown or contingent liabilities of the target company, exposure to potential asset quality issues of the target company, difficulty and expense of integrating the operations and personnel of the target company, potential disruption to the Corporation’s business, potential diversion of management’s time and attention, the possible loss of key employees and customers of the target company, difficulty in estimating the value of the target company and potential changes in banking or tax laws or regulations that may affect the target company. Mergers and acquisitions may involve the payment of a premium over book and market values, and, therefore, some dilution of the Corporation’s tangible book value and net income per share of common stock may occur in connection with any such transaction. Furthermore, failure to realize the expected revenue projections, cost savings, increases in geographic or product presence, and/or other projected benefits from our recent merger could have a material adverse effect on the Corporation’s financial condition or results of operations.