benefits in the provision for income taxes in the consolidated income statement. Assessment of uncertain tax positions requires careful consideration of the technical merits of a position based on management’s analysis of tax regulations and interpretations. Significant judgment may be involved in the assessment of the tax position.
Forward-looking Statements. This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, expectations or predictions of future financial or business performance, conditions relating to the Company. These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to the Company’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors (some of which are beyond the Company’s control). The words “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “will,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
In addition to factors previously disclosed in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and those identified elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: the strength of the United States economy in general and the strength of the local economies in which the Company conducts its operations; general economic conditions; the scope and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including on the Company’s credit quality and operations as well as its impact on general economic conditions; legislative and regulatory changes including actions taken by governmental authorities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; monetary and fiscal policies of the federal government; the effect of the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee’s reduction in the federal funds rate to near zero percent; changes in tax policies, rates and regulations of federal, state and local tax authorities including the effects of the Tax Reform Act; changes in interest rates, deposit flows, the cost of funds, demand for loan products, including potential declines in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the demand for financial services, in each case as may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, competition, changes in the quality or composition of the Company’s loan, investment and mortgage-backed securities portfolios; geographic concentration of the Company’s business; fluctuations in real estate values, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; the adequacy of loan loss reserves; the risk that goodwill and intangibles recorded in the Company’s financial statements will become impaired; changes in accounting principles, policies or guidelines and other economic, competitive, governmental and technological factors affecting the Company’s operations, markets, products, services and fees.
The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this Form 10-Q.
For a complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties related to our business, readers are encouraged to review the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, as supplemented by its quarterly or other reports subsequently filed with the SEC.
Market Overview. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant volatility and disruption in the financial markets both in the United States and globally. We are working with both residential and commercial borrowers to help them meet the unexpected financial challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to do so.
The Company continues to focus on the credit quality of its customers, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, closely monitoring the financial status of borrowers throughout the Company’s markets, gathering information, working on early detection of potential problems, taking pre-emptive steps where necessary and performing the analysis required to maintain adequate reserves for loan losses.
The Company continues to maintain capital well in excess of regulatory requirements.
The following discussion provides further details on the financial condition of the Company at March 31, 2021 and September 30, 2020, and the results of operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020.