Note 15 - Off Balance Sheet Activities

Credit Related Financial Instruments

The Bank is a party to credit related financial instruments with off balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing need of its customers. Such commitments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

The Bank's exposure to credit loss is represented by the contractual amount of these commitments. The Bank follows the same credit policies in making commitments as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. The allowance for credit losses as it relates to unfunded loan commitments (AULC) is included under other liabilities (see Note 4).

At December 31, 2025 and 2024, the following financial instruments were outstanding whose contract amounts represent credit risk:

 

 

 

(In Thousands)

 

 

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

Commitments to extend credit

 

$

635,100

 

 

$

594,419

 

Standby letters of credit

 

 

2,517

 

 

 

184

 

 

Commitments to extend credit and Standby Letters of Credit all include exposure to some credit loss in the event of nonperformance of the customer. The Bank’s credit policies and procedures for credit commitments and financial guarantees are the same as those for extensions of credit that are recorded in the financial statements. Due to the fact that these instruments have fixed maturity dates, and because many of them expire without being drawn upon, they generally do not present any significant liquidity risk to the Bank.

Collateral Requirements

To reduce credit risk related to the use of credit-related financial instruments, the Bank might deem it necessary to obtain collateral. The amount and nature of the collateral obtained is based on the Bank's credit evaluation of the customer. Collateral held varies but may include cash, securities, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant, and real estate.

Legal Contingencies

Various legal claims also arise from time to time in the normal course of business, which, in the opinion of management, will have no material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 27, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 26, 2025
2023Feb 27, 2024
2022Feb 24, 2023
2021Feb 22, 2022

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.