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EXHIBIT 99
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SAFE HARBOR UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
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The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act")
provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements to encourage companies
to provide prospective information about their companies, so long as those
statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful
cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those discussed in the statement. Peoples
Financial Corporation ("PFC") desires to take advantage of the "safe harbor"
provisions of the Act. Certain information, particularly information regarding
future economic performance and finances and plans and objectives of management,
contained or incorporated by reference in PFC's Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB
for the quarter ended June 30, 2001, is forward-looking. In some cases,
information regarding certain important factors that could cause actual results
of operations or outcomes of other events to differ materially from any such
forward-looking statement appear together with such statement. In addition,
forward-looking statements are subject to other risks and uncertainties
affecting the financial institutions industry, including, but not limited to,
the following:
Interest Rate Risk
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PFC's operating results are dependent to a significant degree on its
net interest income, which is the difference between interest income from loans,
investments and other interest-earning assets and interest expense on deposits,
borrowings and other interest-bearing liabilities. The interest income and
interest expense of PFC change as the interest rates on interest-earning assets
and interest-bearing liabilities change. Interest rates may change because of
general economic conditions, the policies of various regulatory authorities and
other factors beyond PFC's control. In a rising interest rate environment, loans
tend to prepay slowly and new loans at higher rates increase slowly, while
interest paid on deposits increases rapidly because the terms to maturity of
deposits tend to be shorter than the terms to maturity or prepayment of loans.
Such differences in the adjustment of interest rates on assets and liabilities
may negatively affect PFC's income.
Possible Inadequacy of the Allowance for Loan Losses
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PFC maintains an allowance for loan losses based upon a number of
relevant factors, including, but not limited to, trends in the level of
nonperforming assets and classified loans, current and anticipated economic
conditions in the primary lending area, past loss experience, possible losses
arising from specific problem loans and changes in the composition of the loan
portfolio. While the Board of Directors of PFC believes that it uses the best
information available to determine the allowance for loan losses, unforeseen
market conditions could result in material adjustments, and net earnings could
be significantly adversely affected if circumstances differ substantially from
the assumptions used in making the final determination.
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Loans not secured by one- to four-family residential real estate are
generally considered to involve greater risk of loss than loans secured by one-
to four-family residential real estate due, in part, to the effects of general
economic conditions. The repayment of multifamily residential and nonresidential
real estate loans generally depends upon the cash flow from the operation of the
property, which may be negatively affected by national and local economic
conditions. Construction loans may also be negatively affected by such economic
conditions, particularly loans made to developers who do not have a buyer for a
property before the loan is made. The risk of default on consumer loans
increases during periods of recession, high unemployment and other adverse
economic conditions. When consumers have trouble paying their bills, they are
more likely to pay mortgage loans than consumer loans. In addition, the
collateral securing such loans, if any, may decrease in value more rapidly than
the outstanding balance of the loan.
Competition
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Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association of Massillon ("Peoples
Federal") competes for deposits with other savings associations, commercial
banks and credit unions and issuers of commercial paper and other securities,
such as shares in money market mutual funds. The primary factors in competing
for deposits are interest rates and convenience of office location. In making
loans, Peoples Federal competes with other savings associations, commercial
banks, consumer finance companies, credit unions, leasing companies, mortgage
companies and other lenders. Competition is affected by, among other things, the
general availability of lendable funds, general and local economic conditions,
current interest rate levels and other factors which are not readily
predictable. The size of financial institutions competing with Peoples Federal
is likely to increase as a result of changes in statutes and regulations
eliminating various restrictions on interstate and inter-industry branching and
acquisitions. Such increased competition may have an adverse effect upon PFC.
Legislation and Regulation that may Adversely Affect PFC's Earnings
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Peoples Federal is subject to extensive regulation by the Office of
Thrift Supervision (the "OTS") and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(the "FDIC") and is periodically examined by such regulatory agencies to test
compliance with various regulatory requirements. As a savings and loan holding
company, PFC is also subject to regulation and examination by the OTS. Such
supervision and regulation of Peoples Federal and PFC are intended primarily for
the protection of depositors and not for the maximization of shareholder value
and may affect the ability of the company to engage in various business
activities. The assessments, filing fees and other costs associated with
reports, examinations and other regulatory matters are significant and may have
an adverse effect on PFC's net earnings.
The FDIC is authorized to establish separate annual assessment rates
for deposit insurance of members of the Bank Insurance Fund (the "BIF") and the
Savings Association Insurance Fund (the "SAIF"). The FDIC has established a
risk-based assessment system for both SAIF and BIF members. Under such system,
assessments may vary depending on the risk the institution poses to its deposit
insurance fund. Such risk level is determined by reference to the institution's
capital level and the FDIC's level of supervisory concern about the institution.