PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are sometimes party to legal actions that are routine and incidental to our business. Management, in consultation with legal counsel, does not expect the ultimate disposition of any or a combination of these matters to have a material adverse effect on our assets, business, cash flow, condition (financial or otherwise), liquidity, prospects and results of operations. However, given the nature, scope and complexity of the extensive legal and regulatory landscape applicable to our business, including laws and regulations governing consumer protection, fair lending, fair labor, privacy, information security and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, we, like all banking organizations, are subject to heightened legal and regulatory compliance and litigation risk.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020, except as described below.
The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting us, our business, employees, customers, counterparties and third-party service providers, and the ultimate extent of the impacts on our business, financial position, results of operations, liquidity and prospects is uncertain.
Coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19, which has been identified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, is causing worldwide health concerns as well as significant economic disruption in the United States and globally. In March 2020, U.S. President Trump declared a public health and national emergency due to COVID-19, which resulted in mandatory stay-at-home orders in most U.S. states, including Illinois. The associated impacts have had, are currently having and may for some time continue to have a destabilizing and negative effect on U.S. and global financial and capital markets and have caused significant disruption in global, national and local economic and business activity.
Although the Banks have been deemed essential businesses and continue to currently operate and serve our customers, the ultimate extent of the impact of the pandemic on our business, cash flows, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, customer confidence, profitability and growth prospects will depend on continuing and future developments related to the virus, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that may emerge concerning the severity of the pandemic, and governmental, regulatory and private sector actions and responses taken to contain or prevent further spread. Continued deterioration in general business and economic conditions, including extended closure of non-essential businesses, further increases in unemployment rates, or turbulence in U.S. or global financial markets could adversely affect our revenues and the values of our assets and liabilities, reduce the availability of funding, lead to a tightening of credit, and further increase stock price volatility. These and other potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic could therefore materially and adversely affect our business, revenue, operations, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations and prospects. If the response and efforts to contain COVID-19 prove to be unsuccessful, any such material adverse effects may be exacerbated.
Due in large part to actions taken by the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates in response to the severe financial market reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, market interest rates have declined significantly. We expect that these reductions in interest rates, especially if prolonged, will adversely affect our net interest income, margins and profitability. Our assets and liabilities may be significantly impacted by changes in interest rates.