1.     Significant Accounting Policies

The consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 20172018 and 20162017 are unaudited. In the opinion of the management of Ames National Corporation (the "Company"), these financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly these consolidated financial statements. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results which may be expected for an entire year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in complete financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted in accordance with the requirements for interim financial statements. The interim financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the year-end audited financial statements contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20162017 (the “Annual Report”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned banking subsidiaries (the “Banks”). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Goodwill: Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of net assets acquired. Goodwill resulting from acquisitions is not amortized, but is tested for impairment annually or whenever events change and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that an impairment loss has occurred. Goodwill is tested for impairment using a two-step process that begins with an estimation of the fair value of a reporting unit. The second step, if necessary, measures the amount of impairment, if any.

Significant judgment is applied when goodwill is assessed for impairment. This judgment includes developing cash flow projections, selecting appropriate discount rates, identifying relevant market comparables, incorporating general economic and market conditions and selecting an appropriate control premium. At September 30, 2017,2018, Company management has performed a goodwill impairment assessment and determined goodwill was not impaired.

New and Pending Accounting Pronouncements: In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The update enhances the reporting model for financial instruments to provide users of financial statements with more decision-useful information by updating certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. Among other changes, the update includes requiring changes in fair value of equity securities with readily determinable fair value to be recognized in net income and clarifies that entities should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available for sale securities in combination with the entities' other deferred tax assets. Among other items the ASC requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes. For public companies,The Company adopted this update will beguidance effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017,January 1, 2018 and is to be applied on a modified retrospective basis. The fair value of the Company's loan portfolio is presented using an exit price method. Also, the Company is currently assessingno longer required to disclose the impact thatmethodologies used for estimating fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost on a recurring or nonrecurring basis. The remaining requirements of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements, but doesupdate did not expect the guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The ASU requires a lessee to recognize on the balance sheet assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. Unlike current GAAP, which requires that only capital leases be recognized on the balance sheet, the ASC requires that both types of leases by recognized on the balance sheet. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, which amends ASC 842, Leases. This update provides for an adoption option that will not require earlier periods to be restated at the adoption date. For public companies, this update will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early application is permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’sCompany’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The ASU requires an organization to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Financial institutions and other organizations will now use forward-looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. Many of the loss estimation techniques applied today will still be permitted, although the inputs to those techniques will change to reflect the full amount of expected credit losses. Organizations will continue to use judgment to determine which loss estimation method is appropriate for their circumstances. Additionally, the ASU amends the accounting for credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. For public companies, this update will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company is currently planning for the implementation of this accounting standard. It is too early to assess the impact that the guidance will have on the Company’sCompany’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Summary and Amendments that Create Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Other Assets and Deferred Costs—Contracts with Customers (Subtopic 340-40) . The guidance in this update supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance throughout the industry topics of the Codification. For public companies,The Company adopted this update will beguidance effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017.January 1, 2018. The guidance does not apply to revenues associated with financial instruments, including loans and securities that are accounted for under U.S. GAAP. Based upon management’s revenue recognition analysis, the Company doesThe requirements of this update did not expect the guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The guidance in this update eliminates the Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. For public companies, this update will be effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual goodwill impairment test with a measurement date after January 1, 2017. The Company does not expect the guidance to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

2.      DividendsIn February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.   The amendments in this ASU would require a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the newly enacted federal corporate income tax rate. The amount of the reclassification would be the difference between the historical corporate income tax rate and the newly enacted 21 percent corporate income tax rate. The amendments in this update will be effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments in this update is permitted. The Company adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2018. The Company made an election to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated comprehensive income to retained earnings. This update did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The amendments in this update modify the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying, or adding certain disclosures. The update is effective for interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for the removed disclosures and delayed adoption until fiscal year 2020 permitted for the new disclosures. The removed and modified disclosures will be adopted on a retrospective basis, and the new disclosures will be adopted on a prospective basis. The adoption will not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications: Certain amounts in prior year financial statements have been reclassified, with no effect on net income, comprehensive income or stockholder’s equity, to conform with current period presentation.

2.      Bank Acquisition

On September 14, 2018, First National Bank (FNB) completed the purchase and merger of Clarke County State Bank (CCSB) located in Osceola and Murray, Iowa (the “Acquisition”). The Acquisition was consistent with the Bank’s strategy to strengthen and expand its Iowa market share. The acquired assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value at the date of acquisition and were reflected in the September 30, 2018 financial statements as such. 100% of the stock of CCSB was purchased for cash consideration of $14.8 million. As a result of this acquisition, the Company recorded a core deposit intangible asset of $2.0 million and goodwill of $2.9 million. The results of operations for this acquisition have been included since the transaction date of September 14, 2018. The fair value of purchased credit deteriorated loans related to the Acquisition is $386,000. These purchased loans are included in the impaired loan category in the financial statements. Non-routine expenses associated with this transaction were approximately $340,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

The following table summarizes the fair value of the total consideration transferred as a part of the Acquisition as well as the fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the effective date of the transaction.

On September 14, 2018, the contractual balance of loans receivable acquired was $77.2 million and the contractual balance of deposits assumed was $83.1 million. Loans receivable acquired include commercial real estate, 1-4 family real estate agricultural real estate, commercial operating, agricultural operating and consumer loans.

The acquired loans at contractual values as of September 14, 2018 were determined to be risk rated as follows:

Loans acquired as deteriorated credit loans will be included with impaired loans.

The core deposit intangible asset is amortized to expense on a declining basis over a period of ten years. The loan market valuation is accreted to income on the effective yield method over a ten year period. The time deposits market valuation is amortized to expense on a declining basis over a two year period.

On August 9, 2017,8, 2018, the Company declared a cash dividend on its common stock, payable on November 15, 20172018 to stockholders of record as of November 1, 2017,2018, equal to $0.22$0.23 per share.share

Earnings per share amounts were calculated using the weighted average shares outstanding during the periods presented. The weighted average outstanding shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 20172018 and 20162017 were 9,310,913. The Company had no potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the periods presented.

The Company is party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit. These instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet. No material changes in the Company’s off-balance sheet arrangements have occurred since December 31, 2016.2017.