CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This report contains statements concerning the Corporation’s expectations, plans, objectives or beliefs regarding future financial performance and other statements that are not historical facts, which may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined by federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” or similar expressions, are not statements of historical fact, and are based on management’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events or performance as of the date of this report, taking into account all information currently available. These statements may include, but are not limited to statements regarding expected future operations and financial performance; future dividend payments; strategic business initiatives and the anticipated effects thereof on net interest income; future recognition of PPP origination fees; mortgage loan originations; technology initiatives; our diversified business strategy; asset quality, credit quality; adequacy of allowances for loan losses and the level of future charge-offs; capital levels; the effect of future market and industry trends; increases in interest rates and the effects of future interest rate levels and fluctuations; cybersecurity risks; and inflation. These forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties due to factors that could have a material adverse effect on the operations and future prospects of the Corporation, including, but not limited to, changes in:
●interest rates, such as volatility in short-term interest rates or yields on U.S. Treasury bonds, increases in interest rates following actions by the Federal Reserve and increases or volatility in mortgage interest rates
●general business conditions, as well as conditions within the financial markets
●general economic conditions, including unemployment levels, inflation rates, supply chain disruptions and slowdowns in economic growth, and also including the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
●market disruptions including pandemics or significant health hazards, severe weather conditions, natural disasters, terrorist activities, financial crises, political crises, war and other military conflicts (including the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine) or other major events, or the prospect of these events
●the effectiveness of the Corporation’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pace of economic recovery when the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and the heightened impact it has on many of the risks described herein and in other periodic reports the Corporation files with the SEC
●the legislative and regulatory climate, regulatory initiatives with respect to financial institutions, products and services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the CFPB) and the regulatory and enforcement activities of the CFPB
●monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Federal Reserve Board), and the effect of these policies on interest rates and business in our markets
●the value of securities held in the Corporation’s investment portfolios
●the quality or composition of the loan portfolios and the value of the collateral securing those loans
●the inventory level and pricing of used automobiles, including sales prices of repossessed vehicles
●the level of net charge-offs on loans and the adequacy of our allowance for loan losses
●the level of indemnification losses related to mortgage loans sold
●demand for loan products
●deposit flows
●the strength of the Corporation’s counterparties
●competition from both banks and non-banks, including competition in the automobile finance and marine and recreational vehicle finance markets
●demand for financial services in the Corporation’s market area
●reliance on third parties for key services
●the commercial and residential real estate markets
●the demand in the secondary residential mortgage loan markets
●the Corporation’s technology initiatives and other strategic initiatives
●the Corporation’s branch expansions and consolidations
●cyber threats, attacks or events
●expansion of C&F Bank’s product offerings