Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer
Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements may be deemed to include, among other things, statements relating to the Company’s future financial performance, projected cash flows of our investment securities portfolio, the performance of our loan portfolio, estimated net interest income resulting from a shift in interest rates, expectation of high credit quality issuers ability to repay, as well as statements relating to the anticipated effects on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations from expected developments or events. Any statements that reflect our belief about, confidence in, or expectations for future events, performance or condition should be considered forward-looking statements. Readers should not construe these statements as assurances of a given level of performance, nor as promises that we will take actions that we currently expect to take. All statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control and some of which may fall outside our ability to predict or anticipate. Accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from our projected results, and we may take actions or experience events that we do not currently expect. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our financial performance to differ materially from our goals, plans, expectations and projections expressed in forward-looking statements include those set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), Item 1A of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and the following: (1) factors that affect our liquidity and our ability to meet customer demands for deposit withdrawals, including our cash on hand and the availability of funds from our lines of credit; (2) media items and consumer confidence as those factors affect depositors’ confidence in the banking system generally and in our bank specifically; (3) factors that affect the value and liquidity of our investment portfolios, particularly the values of securities available-for-sale; (4) market fluctuations that affect the costs we pay for sources of funding, including the interest we pay on deposits and loans; (5) effects of and changes in trade, monetary and fiscal policies and laws, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve Board and other factors that affect market interest rates generally; (6) our ability to estimate accurately, and to establish adequate reserves against, the risk of loss associated with our loan and lease portfolio; (7) events and circumstances that affect our borrowers' financial condition, results of operations and cash flows, which may, during periods of economic uncertainty or decline, adversely affect those borrowers' ability to repay our loans timely and in full, or to comply with their other obligations under our loan agreements with those customers; (8) geopolitical and domestic political developments, including recent, current and potential future wars and international and multinational conflicts, acts of terrorism, insurrection, piracy and civil unrest, and events reflecting or resulting from social instability, any of which can increase levels of political and economic unpredictability, contribute to rising energy and commodity prices, can affect the physical security of our assets and the assets of our customers, and which may increase the volatility of financial markets; (9) current and future economic and market conditions in the United States generally or in the communities we serve, including the effects of declines in property values and overall slowdowns in economic growth should these events occur; (10) inflationary pressures and changes in the interest rate environment that reduce our margins and yields, the fair value of financial instruments or our level of loan originations, or increase the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans to customers, whether held in the portfolio or in the secondary market; (11) changes in the level of nonperforming assets and charge offs and other credit quality measures, and their impact on the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses and our provision for credit losses; (12) volatility in credit and equity markets and its effect on the global economy; (13) conditions relating to the impact of recent and potential future pandemics, epidemics and other infectious illness outbreaks that may arise in the future, on our customers, employees, businesses, liquidity, financial results and overall condition including severity and duration of the associated uncertainties in U.S. and global markets; (14) our ability to compete effectively with other banks and financial services companies and the effects of competition in the financial services industry on our business; (15) our ability to achieve loan growth and attract deposits in our market area; (16) risks associated with concentrations in real estate related loans; (17) the relative strength or weakness of the commercial and real estate markets where our borrowers are located, including related vacancy rates, and asset and market prices; (18) increased capital requirements for our continual growth or as imposed by banking regulators, which may require us to raise capital at a time when capital is not available on favorable terms or at all; (19) regulatory limits and practical factors that affect Heritage Bank of Commerce’s ability to pay dividends to the Company; (20) operational issues stemming from, and/or capital spending necessitated by, the potential need to adapt to industry changes in information technology systems, on which we are highly dependent; (21) our inability to attract, recruit, and retain qualified officers and other personnel could harm our ability to implement our strategic plan, impair our relationships with customers and adversely affect our business, results of operations and growth prospects; (22) possible adjustment of the valuation of our deferred tax assets or of the goodwill associated with previous acquisitions; (23) our ability to keep pace with technological changes, including our ability to identify and address cyber-security risks, including those posed by the increasing use of artificial intelligence, such as data security breaches, “denial of service” attacks, “hacking” and identity theft affecting us or third party vendors or service providers; (24) inability of our framework to manage risks associated with our business, including operational risk and credit risk; (25) risks of loss of funding of the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) or SBA loan programs, or changes in those programs; (26) compliance with applicable laws and governmental and regulatory