FIRST COMMUNITY CORP /SC/ Commitments Disclosure

Note 15—COMMITMENTS, CONCENTRATIONS OF CREDIT RISK, AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Commitments

The Bank is party to financial instruments with off-balance-sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Bank’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit is represented by the contractual amount of these instruments. The Bank uses the same credit policies in making commitments as for on-balance sheet instruments. At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the Bank had commitments to extend credit including lines of credit of $211.2 million and $180.2 million, respectively.

 

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since commitments may expire without being drawn upon, the total commitments do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Bank evaluates each customer’s creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Bank upon extension of credit, is based on management’s credit evaluation of the party. Collateral held varies but may include inventory, property and equipment, residential real estate and income producing commercial properties.

 

Concentrations of credit risk 

The primary market areas served by the Bank include the following regions and their component counties: the Midlands Region of South Carolina to include Lexington, Richland, Newberry, and Kershaw Counties; the Central Savannah River Region to include Aiken County, South Carolina and Richmond and Columbia Counties in Georgia; the Upstate Region to include Greenville, Anderson, and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, and the Piedmont Region of South Carolina, to include York County. Management closely monitors its credit concentrations and attempts to diversify the portfolio within its primary market area. The Company considers concentrations of credit risk to exist when pursuant to regulatory guidelines, the amounts loaned to multiple borrowers engaged in similar business activities represent 25% or more of the Bank’s risk-based capital, or approximately $48.4 million.

 

Based on these criteria, the Bank had five such concentrations at December 31, 2025, shown below:

 

Schedule of Concentrations of Credit Risk

(Dollars in thousands)		December 31,
Portfolio loan concentrations greater than or equal to 25% of the Bank’s risk-based capital		2025
Lessors of non-residential property		$	357,097
Lessors of residential property			163,325
Private households			93,657
Other activities related to real estate			61,988
Hotels			59,050
Total portfolio loan concentrations greater than or equal to 25% of the Bank’s risk-based capital		$	735,117

 

The risk in these portfolios is diversified over a large number of loans; approximately 2,640 total loans compose the concentrations shown above. Additionally, within the commercial real estate portfolio, a significant portion of the loans are owner-occupied, which can tend to reduce the risk associated with these credits. Although the Bank’s loan portfolio, as well as existing commitments, reflects the diversity of its market areas, a substantial portion of its debtor’s ability to honor their contracts is dependent upon the economic stability of these areas.

 

Contingencies 

The nature of the business of the Company and Bank may at times result in a certain amount of litigation. The Bank is involved in certain litigation that is considered incidental to the normal conduct of business. Management believes that the liabilities, if any, resulting from the proceedings will not have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial position, consolidated results of operations or consolidated cash flows of the Company.