Quarterlytics / Financial Services / Banks - Regional / HBT Financial, Inc.

HBT Financial, Inc.

hbt · NASDAQ Financial Services
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Ticker hbt
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Financial Services
Industry Banks - Regional
Employees 844
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FY2020 Annual Report · HBT Financial, Inc.
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

⌧     ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020

OR

☐     TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from              to             

Commission file number: 001-39085
HBT Financial, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

401 North Hershey Road
Bloomington, Illinois 61704
(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code)

37-1117216
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

(888) 897-2276
(Registrant’s telephone number,
including area code)

Title of each class
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

Trading Symbol(s)
HBT

Name of each exchange on which registered
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to
such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to
Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
  Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting 
company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and 
“emerging growth company”  in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Emerging growth company

☐

☐

☒

Accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

☒

☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with
any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its
internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting
firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).   Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates on the last business day of the registrant’s most
recently completed second fiscal quarter was $128.7 million, determined using a per share closing price for the registrant’s common stock on that
date of $13.33, as quoted on The Nasdaq Global Select Market.

As of February 28, 2021, there were 27,411,281 shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, $0.01 par value.

Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of Part III incorporate information by reference from the definitive Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of HBT Financial, Inc. to be filed within 120 days of December 31, 2020.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
HBT Financial, Inc.

Business
Risk Factors
Unresolved Staff Comments
Properties
Legal Proceedings
Mine Safety Disclosures

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases
of Securities
Selected Financial Data
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
Controls and Procedures
Other Information

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Executive Compensation
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder
Matters
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Principal Accounting Fees and Services

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
Form 10-K Summary

Page

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PART I.
Item 1.
Item 1A.
Item 1B.
Item 2.
Item 3.
Item 4.

PART II.
Item 5.

Item 6.
Item 7.
Item 7A.
Item 8.
Item 9.
Item 9A.
Item 9B.

PART III.
Item 10.
Item 11.
Item 12.

Item 13.
Item 14.

PART IV.
Item 15.
Item 16.

Table of Contents

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain  statements  contained  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  are  forward-looking  statements.  Forward-
looking  statements  may  include  statements  relating  to  our  plans,  strategies  and  expectations,  the  economic
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and our future financial results, near-term loan growth, net interest margin,
mortgage banking profits, wealth management fees, expenses, asset quality, capital levels, continued earnings
and liquidity. Forward looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe," "may," "will,"
"should,"  "could,"  "expect,"  "estimate,"  "intend,"  "anticipate,"  "project,"  "plan"  or  similar  expressions.  Forward
looking  statements  are  frequently  based  on  assumptions  that  may  or  may  not  materialize  and  are  subject  to
numerous uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-
looking  statements.  Factors  that  could  cause  actual  results  to  differ  materially  from  the  results  anticipated  or
projected and which could materially and adversely affect our operating results, financial condition or prospects
include, but are not limited to:

● our asset quality and any loan charge-offs;
● the composition of our loan portfolio;
● time  and  effort  necessary  to  resolve  nonperforming  assets  and  the  loans  modified  or  deferred  as  a

result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic;

● the  length  and  severity  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  and  the  effects  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic,
including the impact of the pandemic on our operations and the operations of our customers and the
communities that we serve;

● environmental liability associated with our lending activities;
● the effects of the current low interest rate environment or changes in interest rates on our net interest
income,  net  interest  margin,  our  investments,  and  our  loan  originations,  and  our  modeling  estimates
relating to interest rate changes;

● changes  in  and  uncertainty  related  to  benchmark  interest  rates  used  to  price  our  loans,  including  the

expected elimination of LIBOR;

● our access to sources of liquidity and capital to address our liquidity needs;
● our inability to receive dividends from the Bank, pay dividends to our common stockholders or satisfy

obligations as they become due;

● the effects of problems encountered by other financial institutions;
● our ability to achieve organic loan and deposit growth and the composition of such growth;
● our ability to attract and retain skilled employees or changes in our management personnel;
● any failure or interruption of our information and communications systems;
● our ability to identify and address cybersecurity risks;
● the effects of the failure of any component of our business infrastructure provided by a third party;
● our ability to keep pace with technological changes;
● our ability to successfully develop and commercialize new or enhanced products and services;
● current and future business, economic and market conditions in the United States generally or in Illinois

in particular;

● the geographic concentration of our operations in the State of Illinois;
● our ability to effectively compete with other financial services companies and the effects of competition

in the financial services industry on our business;
● our ability to attract and retain customer deposits;
● our ability to maintain the Bank’s reputation;
● severe weather, natural disasters, pandemics, acts of war or terrorism or other external events;
● possible impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets;
● the impact of, and changes in applicable laws, regulations and accounting standards and policies;
● our prior status as an S Corp;
● possible  changes  in  trade,  monetary  and  fiscal  policies  of,  and  other  activities  undertaken  by,

governments, agencies, central banks and similar organizations;

● the effectiveness of our risk management and internal disclosure controls and procedures;

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● market perceptions associated with certain aspects of our business;
● the one-time and incremental costs of operating as a standalone public company;
● our ability to meet our obligations as a public company, including our obligations under Section 404 of

Sarbanes-Oxley; and

● damage  to  our  reputation  from  any  of  the  factors  described  above,  in  Part  I,  Item  1A  “Risk  Factors”,
Part  II,  Item  7  "Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of
Operations", or elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

These  risks  and  uncertainties,  as  well  as  the  factors  discussed  in  Part  I,  Item  1A  "Risk  Factors,"  should  be
considered  in  evaluating  forward-looking  statements  and  undue  reliance  should  not  be  placed  on  such
statements.  Forward-looking  statements  speak  only  as  of  the  date  they  are  made.  We  do  not  undertake  any
obligation  to  update  any  forward-looking  statement  in  the  future,  or  to  reflect  circumstances  and  events  that
occur after the date on which the forward-looking statement was made.

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PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

COMPANY OVERVIEW

HBT Financial, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation incorporated in 1982, is a bank holding company
headquartered  in  Bloomington,  Illinois  that  has  elected  to  be  regulated  as  a  financial  holding  company.  As  of
December  31,  2020,  we  had  total  assets  of  $3.7  billion,  loans  held  for  investment  of  $2.2  billion,  and  total
deposits of $3.1 billion. Through our bank subsidiary, Heartland Bank and Trust Company (“Heartland Bank” or
the  “Bank”),  we  provide  a  comprehensive  suite  of  business,  commercial  and  retail  banking  products  and
services  to  consumers,  businesses,  and  municipal  entities  throughout  Central  and  Northeastern  Illinois.  The
Company’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol “HBT.”

The  roots  of  our  Company  can  be  traced  back  to  1920  when  M.B.  Drake,  the  grandfather  of  our  current
Chairman  and  CEO,  Fred  Drake,  helped  found  a  community  bank  in  Cornland,  Illinois.  The  Drake  family
operated  several  banks  throughout  Central  Illinois,  and  eventually,  in  1982,  George  Drake  (M.B.'s  son  and
Fred's father) incorporated the Company as one of the first multi-bank holding companies in Illinois. Since that
time, we have grown both organically and through the successful integration of more than a dozen community
bank acquisitions.

The foundation for our success has been built upon a steadfast commitment to our core operating principles:

● Prioritize safety and soundness. We engage in safe and sound banking practices that preserve the

asset quality of our balance sheet and protect our deposit base.

● Maintain  strong  profitability.  We  have  produced  consistently  strong  earnings  –  before,  during,  and

since the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

● Continue disciplined growth.  We  have  a  strong  track  record  of  organic  and  acquisitive  growth  with

our seasoned senior management team.

● Uphold  our  Midwestern  values.  We  convey  the  values  of  the  Midwest  through  hard  work,
perseverance and doing the right things. We serve our customers well; provide employment, challenges
and rewards for our staff; and generate good returns for our stockholders.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Our  products  and  services  are  primarily  deposit,  lending,  and  ancillary  products  that  offer  a  broad  range  of
options to meet the needs of consumers, businesses, and municipal entities. We continue to enhance our digital
banking  suite  of  products  so  that  all  consumer  and  commercial  customers  can  do  their  banking  at  their
convenience, through their channels of choice.

Additionally,  we  provide  traditional  trust  and  investment  services,  farmland  management  and  farmland  sales
through our Wealth Management division.

Lending Products and Services

We offer a broad range of lending products with a focus on regulatory commercial real estate ("CRE"), which
includes  non-owner  occupied  CRE,  construction  and  land  development  (“C&D”)  and  multi-family;  commercial
and  industrial  ("C&I")  and  owner-occupied  CRE;  agricultural  and  farmland;  and  one-to-four  family  residential
loans.  We also provide municipal, consumer and other loans.

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We  have  a  strong  credit  culture  that  is  conservative,  favors  asset  quality  first,  and  balances  local  lenders'
knowledge of their marketplace with a strong centralized credit process. We maintain a well-diversified portfolio
of loans and control concentrations related to loan types and specific industries or businesses.

Regulatory CRE

We provide financing for a wide variety of property types including multi-family, senior living, retail, warehouse,
manufacturing,  office,  and  hotel/motel.  Our  C&D  portfolio  includes  both  ground  up  construction  projects  and
renovation  projects  in  addition  to  some  developed  and  undeveloped  land.  We  focus  on  borrowers  with
successful backgrounds in owning, managing, and developing real estate projects.

C&I and Owner-occupied CRE

We make loans to a wide variety of businesses with no material concentration in any one industry. C&I loans
primarily  include  loans  for  working  capital  and  equipment  needs.  Owner-occupied  CRE  primarily  includes
amortizing  first  mortgage  loans  on  properties  occupied  by  our  C&I  customers.  We  focus  on  small  and  middle
market businesses in the communities that we serve.

Agriculture and Farmland

With our roots in smaller communities throughout Central Illinois, we have a long history of financing agriculture
production and land. We originate loans to agriculture producers for input costs, equipment and land. Most of
our agriculture loans are to family farms growing corn and soybeans.

One-to-Four Family Residential

loans 

include  both  owner-occupied  and  non-owner  occupied  one-to-four 

These 
family  homes  and
condominiums. They consist of first mortgage amortizing loans, second mortgage amortizing loans and home
equity  lines  of  credit.  These  loans  primarily  consist  of  loans  originated  by  our  lenders  through  our  branch
network on properties in the communities that we serve.

Deposit Products and Services

We offer traditional bank deposit account services as well as digital banking services tailored to meet the needs
of today's deposit consumers. Our deposit accounts consist of noninterest-bearing demand deposits, interest-
bearing transaction accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposits, HSA, and IRA
accounts. Our digital banking services include online banking, mobile banking, digital payments, and personal
financial  management  tools.  We  also  provide  commercial  checking  accounts  and  related  services  such  as
treasury management.

Wealth Management

Our  wealth  management  division  provides  financial  planning  to  consumers,  trusts  and  estates;  trustee  and
custodial services; investment management; corporate retirement plan consulting and administration; and retail
brokerage  services.  Further,  our  agriculture  services  department  operates  under  our  wealth  management
division  and  provides  farm  management  services  and  brokers  farmland  sales  and  crop  insurance  throughout
our markets.

Residential Mortgage Origination and Servicing

We  originate  one-to-four  family  residential  mortgage  loans  and  generally  sell  those  loans  in  the  secondary
market.  Loans  are  originated  by  our  mortgage  lenders  within  our  branch  network.  To  a  lesser  extent,  we
purchase loans originated by other banks that are in turn sold into the secondary market. We sell conventional

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loans to both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and retain the servicing for substantially all those loans. We also
originated FHA, VA and Rural Development loans, which are typically sold servicing released.

MERGER OF STATE BANK OF LINCOLN INTO HEARTLAND BANK

On October 20, 2020, Heartland Bank and State Bank of Lincoln, both wholly-owned bank subsidiaries of the
Company on that date, entered into a Bank Merger Agreement providing for the merger of State Bank of Lincoln
into Heartland Bank. The merger was consummated on December 31, 2020, resulting in Heartland Bank being
our  sole  bank  subsidiary,  with  the  branch  locations  in  Lincoln,  Illinois  operating  as  “State  Bank  of  Lincoln,  a
division of Heartland Bank and Trust Company.”

MARKET AREA

We  currently  operate  60  full-service  and  three  limited-service  branch  locations  across  18  counties  in  Central
and Northeastern Illinois, including the Chicago metropolitan market. We hold a leading deposit market share in
many  of  our  markets  in  Central  Illinois,  which  we  define  as  a  top  three  deposit  share  rank,  providing  the
foundation  for  our  strong  deposit  base.  The  stability  provided  by  this  low-cost  funding  is  a  key  driver  of  our
strong track record of financial performance. Our long history of providing relationship-based, personal banking
services; the successful integration of several strategic in-market acquisitions; and a relatively small presence
of  money  center  and  super-regional  banks  in  our  mid-sized  markets  has  enabled  us  to  maintain  meaningful
market share in these markets.

Our management team believes our diverse footprint in both urban and rural markets positions us well relative
to our competition in terms of access to both high quality, stable funding sources and a wealth of loan growth
opportunities  in  attractive  markets.  We  consider  ourselves  to  be  well  positioned  to  meet  the  needs  of
commercial  and  retail  customers  through  our  branch  network,  comprehensive  suite  of  banking  and  wealth
management products, and our commitment to high-touch customer service.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

We intend to pursue the following strategies that we believe will continue to drive growth while maintaining our
high levels of asset quality and profitability:

Preserve Strong Ties to our Communities

Our community banking approach stems from our Midwestern values—hard work; perseverance; and doing the
right  things  for  our  customers,  staff,  stockholders  and  communities.  Our  senior  management  team  lives  and
works  in  the  communities  we  serve,  and  our  commitment  to  delivering  banking  products  and  services  that
support the needs of our target customers enables us to preserve and grow share in our markets. The quality of
our  comprehensive  suite  of  products  and  services  coupled  with  our  relationship-based  approach  to  banking
contribute meaningfully to our growth and success.

Deploy Excess Deposit Funding into Loan Growth Opportunities

Our  strong  market  share  in  our  core  mid-sized  markets  provide  a  stable  source  of  attractive  funding.  Our
management believes our scale in these mid-sized markets and the relative scarcity of money center banking
institutions operating in them creates a highly defensible market position whereby we can continue to maintain
our  funding  cost  advantage  relative  to  our  peer  groups.  We  believe  the  Chicago  MSA  provides  significant
opportunities for loan growth. Many competitors in this market are money center or super-regional banks, and
we  believe  our  responsive,  local  decision-making  provides  a  competitive  advantage  over  these  larger,  more
bureaucratic  institutions.  Further,  we  expect  to  continue  to  benefit  from  continued  market  disruption  in  the
Chicago MSA, caused by recent significant bank acquisitions, by acquiring talent and customers experiencing
displacement.

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Maintain a Prudent Approach to Credit Underwriting

Robust underwriting and pricing standards have been a hallmark of the Company and continue to serve as a
central  tenet  of  our  banking  strategy  even  as  we  grow  our  loan  portfolio  in  newer  markets.  We  intend  to
prudently  deploy  our  excess  funding  and  liquidity  into  assets  that  optimize  risk-adjusted  returns  with  minimal
losses. Further, we believe our history of maintaining strong asset quality and minimal levels of problem assets
even through the Great Recession confirms the effectiveness of our strong credit underwriting.

Pursue Strategic Acquisitions

Our management team has a history of successfully integrating strategic acquisitions over several decades. We
believe this track record will position the Company to be an attractive acquirer for many potential partners. We
continue  to  opportunistically  seek  acquisitions  that  are  either  located  within  our  market  footprint,  in  adjacent
markets or provide a new growth opportunity that is strategically and financially compelling and consistent with
our culture.

HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES

Employees

At December 31, 2020, we had 747 full-time equivalent employees. Our employees are not represented by a
collective  bargaining  unit,  and  we  consider  our  working  relationship  with  our  employees  to  be  good.  At
December 31, 2020, our average tenure was 9.1 years.

Employee Engagement and Retention

We recognize that the fulfillment of our mission requires attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse group of
highly  qualified  employees.  To  support  these  objectives,  our  human  resources  programs  are  designed  to
identify,  reward,  and  recognize  excellent  performance  and  loyalty.  We  utilize  regular  employee  engagement
surveys to seek feedback on a variety of topics, including but not limited to, confidence in Company leadership,
competitiveness  of  compensation  and  benefits,  career  growth  opportunities,  corporate  culture,  and
communications. We provide a variety of employee recognition programs and an open, social work environment
that encourages employees be engaged and inclusive.

We understand the importance of offering employees a career path and career development opportunities. By
doing so, we are well-positioned to retain our talent, support our communities, and produce needed results. We
provide  required  and  self-directed  job  and  career  development  training  to  cultivate  talent  throughout  the
Company, from entry-level to leadership.

Compensation & Benefits

To  attract  and  retain  high-performing,  skilled  individuals,  we  offer  competitive  base  pay  and  benefits.  Utilizing
various  industry  specific  compensation  surveys  and  member  associations,  we  analyze  pay  practices  for  jobs
and job families on a regular basis to ensure we remain competitive in the markets we operate and to maintain
internal pay equity.

To  support  the  well-being  of  our  employees  and  their  families,  we  provide  access  to  a  variety  of  flexible  and
convenient  healthcare  programs  for  physical  and  mental  health,  long-term  and  short-term  disability,  paid  time
off, and a Company-matched 401(k) plan.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and complying with federal, state, and local guidelines, we enhanced
cleaning  protocols  and  other  safety  measures  at  all  locations,  enabled  work  from  home  for  many  employees,
and adjusted branch services to ensure a safe environment. Benefit changes were made to enhance coverage
for employees during the pandemic, including waiving costs associated with testing and treatment, as well as

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expanding telehealth services. Additional paid time off was granted to all employees specifically for COVID-19
related  issues,  including  childcare,  to  limit  financial  hardships.  We  also  elected  not  to  eliminate  any  positions
during 2020 due to the pandemic.

COMPETITION

Our profitability and growth are affected by the highly competitive nature of the financial services industry. We
compete with community banks in all of our markets and, to a lesser extent, with money center banks, primarily
in the Chicago MSA. Additionally, we compete with non-bank financial services companies and other financial
institutions operating within the areas we serve.

Our  competition  for  loans  comes  principally  from  commercial  banks,  savings  banks,  mortgage  banking
companies, the U.S. Government, credit unions, leasing companies, insurance companies, real estate conduits
and other companies that provide financial services to businesses and individuals.

Our  most  direct  competition  for  deposits  has  historically  come  from  commercial  banks  and  credit  unions.  We
face increasing competition for deposits from online financial institutions and non-depository competitors such
as the mutual fund industry, securities and brokerage firms and insurance companies.

We seek to meet this competition by emphasizing personalized service and efficient decision-making tailored to
individual  needs.  We  do  not  rely  on  any  individual,  group,  or  entity  for  a  material  portion  of  our  loans  or  our
deposits.

We  continue  to  see  increased  competitive  pressures  on  loan  rates  and  terms  and  increased  competition  for
deposit customers. Continued loan pricing pressure may affect our financial results in the future.

COMPANY WEBSITE

The  Company  maintains  a  website  at  ir.hbtfinancial.com.  The  contents  of  this  website  are  not  a  part  of  this
report.  All  periodic  and  current  reports  of  the  Company  and  amendments  to  these  reports  filed  with  the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (“SEC”)  can  be  accessed,  free  of  charge,  through  this  website  and  at
www.sec.gov as soon as reasonably practicable after these materials are filed with the SEC.

INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING

On October 11, 2019, we priced our initial public offering (the “IPO”). In the IPO, we issued and sold 9,429,794
shares  of  common  stock  and  received  proceeds,  net  of  offering  costs,  of  approximately  $138  million.  The
proceeds were used to fund a $170 million special dividend, or $9.43 per share, to stockholders of record prior
to the initial public offering.

SUPERVISION AND REGULATION

We  and  the  Bank  are  subject  to  extensive  supervision,  regulation  and  examination  under  federal  and  state
banking  laws,  which  impose  a  comprehensive  system  of  supervision,  regulation  and  enforcement  on  our
operations. We are also subject to the disclosure and regulatory requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), both as administered by
the  SEC,  as  well  as  the  corporate  governance  rules  that  apply  to  companies  with  securities  listed  on  the
Nasdaq.

Banking laws, regulations and policies are continually under review by Congress, state legislatures and federal
and  state  regulatory  agencies.  In  addition,  federal  and  state  bank  regulatory  agencies  may  issue  policy
statements,  interpretive  letters  and  similar  written  guidance  applicable  to  us  and  our  subsidiaries.  This
regulatory framework has a significant effect on our growth and financial performance and is intended primarily
for the protection of bank depositors, bank customers, the Deposit Insurance Fund (the “DIF”), the U.S. banking

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and  financial  system  and  financial  markets  as  a  whole,  and  not  for  the  protection  of  our  stockholders  and
creditors.

Both the scope of the laws and regulations and the intensity of the supervision to which we are subject have
increased in response to the global financial crisis of 2008, as well as other factors such as technological and
market  changes.  Regulatory  enforcement  and  fines  have  also  increased  across  the  banking  and  financial
services sector. Many of these changes have occurred as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) and its implementing regulations, most of which are now in place.
While the regulatory environment has entered a period of tailoring and rebalancing of the post financial crisis
framework, we expect that our business will remain subject to extensive regulation and supervision.

The  following  discussion  describes  certain  elements  of  the  comprehensive  bank  regulatory  framework
applicable to us, which descriptions are qualified in their entirety by reference to the subject laws, regulations
and written guidance. This discussion is not intended to describe all laws and regulations applicable to us and
 the Bank.

General

We  are  a  bank  holding  company  under  the  Bank  Holding  Company  Act  of  1956  (the  “BHCA”),  subject  to
supervision and regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”).
We have elected to be regulated as a financial holding company, although we currently do not conduct any non-
banking activities or have any non-bank subsidiaries. Heartland Bank is chartered as a commercial bank under
the laws of Illinois with its deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and is not a
member  of  the  Federal  Reserve  System.  Consequently,  the  primary  banking  regulators  of  the  Bank  are  the
FDIC and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (the “IDFPR”). As the owner of an
Illinois-chartered bank, we also are subject to the supervision of the IDFPR.

We  and  the  Bank  are  subject  to  regular  examination  by  our  respective  banking  regulators,  which  result  in
examination reports and ratings that can impact the conduct and growth of our operations. Examination results
and  many  related  supervisory  matters  are  confidential.  These  examinations  consider  compliance  with
applicable  banking  laws  and  regulations,  capital  levels,  asset  quality  and  risk,  ability  and  performance  of
management, earnings, liquidity, and various other factors.

The banking agencies generally have broad discretion to impose restrictions and limitations on the operations of
a bank or bank holding company if they determine that the financial condition, capital resources, asset quality,
earnings  prospects,  management,  liquidity  or  other  aspects  of  a  banking  organization's  operations  are
unsatisfactory, unsafe, unsound or fail to comply with applicable law, or are otherwise inconsistent with laws and
regulations  or  with  the  supervisory  policies  of  the  agency.  Further,  the  banking  agencies  have  great  flexibility
and  powers  to  undertake  enforcement  actions  against  bank  holding  companies,  banks,  and  their  respective
officers,  directors  and  institution-affiliated  parties,  including  the  power  to  impose  a  capital  plan  and  capital
directive,  impose  nonpublic  supervisory  agreements,  issue  cease  and  desist  orders,  impose  civil  money
penalties, appoint a conservator or receiver or the termination of deposit insurance.

Federal law requires us, as a bank holding company, to act as a source of financial and managerial strength to
the Bank. Under this requirement, we are expected to commit resources to support the Bank, even if we may
not be in a financial position to provide such resources or if it may not be in our stockholders' or creditors' best
interests to do so. In the event of our bankruptcy, any commitment by us to a banking agency to maintain the
capital of the Bank will be assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to priority of payment.

Permitted Activities

In general, the BHCA limits the business of bank holding companies to banking, managing or controlling banks
and  other  activities  that  the  Federal  Reserve  has  determined  to  be  so  closely  related  to  banking  as  to  be  a
proper incident thereto. Bank holding companies that qualify and elect to be treated as "financial holding

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companies" may engage in a broader range of additional activities than bank holding companies, may obtain
regulatory  approval  for  certain  proposed  acquisitions  or  mergers  more  quickly  and,  in  certain  circumstances,
may  complete  acquisitions  without  prior  regulatory  approval.  In  particular,  financial  holding  companies  may
engage in activities that are (i) financial in nature or incidental to such financial activities or (ii) complementary to
a financial activity and do not pose a substantial risk to the safety and soundness of depository institutions or
the financial system generally.

The Federal Reserve has the power to order a bank holding company or any of its subsidiaries to terminate any
activity or to terminate ownerships or control of any subsidiary if the Federal Reserve has reasonable grounds
to  believe  that  continuing  such  activity,  ownership  or  control  constitutes  a  serious  risk  to  the  financial
soundness, safety or stability of any bank subsidiary of the bank holding company.

As  an  Illinois-chartered  commercial  bank,  the  Bank’s  business  is  generally  limited  to  activities  permitted  by
Illinois  law  and  applicable  federal  laws.  Under  the  Illinois  Banking  Act,  the  Bank  generally  may  engage  in  all
usual banking activities, including accepting deposits, making commercial and consumer loans and buying and
selling certain investment securities. However, Illinois law also imposes restrictions on the activities of the Bank
which are intended to promote their safety and soundness. For example, the Bank is restricted under the Illinois
Banking Act from investing in certain types of investment securities and is generally limited in the amount that it
can lend to a single borrower or invest in securities issued by a single issuer.

Acquisitions and Branching

The BHCA, Section 18(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (the "Bank Merger Act"), the Illinois Banking Act,
the Illinois Bank Holding Company Act and other federal and state statutes regulate acquisitions of banks and
bank  holding  companies.  Federal  law  permits  state  and  national  banks  to  merge  with  banks  in  other  states,
subject to applicable regulatory approvals, deposit concentration limits, and any state law limitations requiring
the merging bank to have been in existence for a minimum period of time (not to exceed five years). We must
obtain  the  prior  approval  of  the  Federal  Reserve  before  (i)  acquiring  direct  or  indirect  ownership  or  control  of
any voting shares of any bank or bank holding company, if after such acquisition, we will directly or indirectly
own or control 5% or more of any class of voting shares of the institution, (ii) acquiring all or substantially all of
the  assets  of  any  bank  or  bank  holding  company  (other  than  directly  through  the  Bank)  or  (iii)  merging  or
consolidating with any other bank holding company. Under the Bank Merger Act, the prior approval of the FDIC
is required for the Bank to merge with another bank or purchase all or substantially all of the assets or assume
any  of  the  deposits  of  another  bank.  In  reviewing  applications  seeking  approval  of  merger  and  acquisition
transactions, banking agencies consider, among other things, the competitive effect and public benefits of the
transactions,  the  capital  position  and  managerial  resources  of  the  combined  organization,  the  risks  to  the
stability  of  the  U.S.  banking  or  financial  system,  the  applicant's  performance  record  under  the  CRA,  the
applicant's  compliance  with  fair  housing  and  other  consumer  protection  laws  and  the  effectiveness  of  all
organizations  involved  in  combating  money  laundering  activities.  In  addition,  failure  to  implement  or  maintain
adequate compliance programs could cause bank regulators not to approve an application in connection with
an acquisition, or to prohibit any further acquisition activity of a bank or bank holding company, whether or not
approval is required.

Illinois state-chartered banks have the authority under Illinois law to establish branches anywhere in the State of
Illinois,  subject  to  receipt  of  all  required  regulatory  approvals.  Under  federal  law,  the  Bank  may,  with  the
approval of the FDIC, open a branch in any state if the law of that state would permit a state bank chartered in
that state to establish the branch.

Acquisitions of Control of the Company

Acquisitions of our voting stock above certain thresholds are subject to prior regulatory notice or approval under
federal banking laws, including the BHCA and the Change in Bank Control Act of 1978 (the “CBCA”). Under the
CBCA, a person or entity generally must provide prior notice to the Federal Reserve before acquiring the power
to vote 10% or more of our outstanding common stock. Investors should be aware of these requirements

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when acquiring shares in our stock. In addition, under the Illinois Banking Act, any acquisition of our stock that
results in a change in control of the Company would require prior approval of the IDFPR.

Dividends, Share Repurchases and Redemptions

We  are  a  legal  entity  separate  and  distinct  from  our  subsidiaries  and,  because  substantially  all  of  our  net
income comes from the Bank, our ability to pay dividends or repurchase or redeem shares depends upon our
receipt of dividends or other distributions from the Bank. There are limitations on the payment of dividends by
the Bank to the Company, as well as by the Company to its stockholders, under applicable banking laws and
regulations.

Federal  banking  agencies  are  authorized  to  determine,  under  certain  circumstances  relating  to  the  financial
condition of a bank holding company or a bank, that the payment of dividends would be an unsafe or unsound
practice and to prohibit payment thereof. In particular, the banking agencies have stated that paying dividends
that  deplete  a  banking  organization's  capital  base  to  an  inadequate  level  would  be  an  unsafe  and  unsound
banking  practice  and  that  banking  organizations  should  generally  pay  dividends  only  out  of  current  operating
earnings. Under the Basel III Capital Rules, the Company and the Bank must maintain the applicable Capital
Conservation  Buffer  to  avoid  becoming  subject  to  restrictions  on  capital  distributions,  including  dividends.  For
more information on these financial measures at the Company and Heartland Bank, see Note 21 to our audited
consolidated  financial  statements  included  in  Item  8,  "Financial  Statements  and  Supplementary  Data,"  of  this
Form 10-K.

In  addition,  Federal  Reserve  policy  provides  that  bank  holding  companies,  such  as  the  Company,  should
generally  pay  dividends  to  stockholders  only  if  (i)  the  organization's  net  income  available  to  common
stockholders  over  the  past  year  has  been  sufficient  to  fully  fund  the  dividends;  (ii)  the  prospective  rate  of
earnings retention appears consistent with the organization's capital needs, asset quality and overall financial
condition  and  (iii)  the  organization  will  continue  to  meet  minimum  capital  adequacy  ratios.  The  policy  also
provides that a bank holding company should inform the Federal Reserve reasonably in advance of declaring or
paying a dividend that exceeds earnings for the period for which the dividend is being paid or that could result in
a  material  adverse  change  to  the  bank  holding  company's  capital  structure.  In  addition,  the  Federal  Reserve
could prohibit or limit the payment of dividends by a bank holding company if it determines that payment of the
dividend would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice.

As an Illinois-chartered bank, the Bank, may pay dividends without the approval of its banking regulators only if
it  meets  applicable  regulatory  capital  requirements  before  and  after  the  payment  of  the  dividends  and  total
dividends do not exceed an amount equal to the accumulated retained earnings of the Bank after giving effect
to  any  unrecognized  losses  and  bad  debts.  For  the  purpose  of  determining  the  amount  of  dividends  that  an
Illinois bank may pay, bad debts are defined as debts upon which interest is past due and unpaid for a period of
six months or more unless such debts are well secured and in the process of collection.

Further, under the BHCA, we may be required to provide the Federal Reserve with prior written notice of any
purchase  or  redemption  of  our  outstanding  equity  securities  if  the  gross  consideration  for  the  purchase  or
redemption, when combined with the net consideration paid for all such purchases or redemptions during the
preceding  twelve  months,  is  equal  to  10%  or  more  of  our  consolidated  net  worth.  The  Federal  Reserve  may
disapprove  such  a  purchase  or  redemption  if  it  determines  that  the  proposal  would  constitute  an  unsafe  or
unsound practice or would violate any law, regulation, Federal Reserve order, or any condition imposed by or
written agreement with the Federal Reserve. This prior notice requirement does not apply to any bank holding
company that meets certain well-capitalized and well-managed standards and is not subject to any unresolved
supervisory issues.

Regulatory Capital Requirements

The  Federal  Reserve  monitors  our  capital  adequacy  on  a  consolidated  basis,  and  the  FDIC  and  the  IDFPR
monitor the capital adequacy of the Bank. The Company and the Bank are required to maintain minimum capital
ratios, as well as a capital conservation buffer, pursuant to final rules approved by federal bank regulators (the

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"Basel  III  Capital  Rules")  based  on  the  Basel  III  framework  set  forth  by  the  Basel  Committee  on  Banking
Supervision (the "Basel Committee") as well as certain provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Under the Basel III Capital Rules, the Company and the Bank are required to have minimum capital ratios of
(i)  Common  Equity  Tier  1  (“CET1”)  capital  to  risk-weighted  assets  of  at  least  4.5%,  (ii)  Tier  1  capital  to  risk-
weighted assets of at least 6.0%, (iii) total capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0%, and (iv) Tier 1 capital
to average assets (known as the “leverage ratio”) of at least 4.0%.

In  addition  to  meeting  the  minimum  capital  requirements,  the  Company  and  the  Bank  must  also  maintain  the
required capital conservation buffer to avoid becoming subject to restrictions on capital distributions and certain
discretionary bonus payments to management. The capital conservation buffer is calculated as a ratio of CET1
capital to risk-weighted assets, and it effectively increases the required minimum risk-based capital ratios.

The  capital  conservation  buffer  requirement  became  fully  phased-in  on  January  1,  2019  and  is  now  2.5%.
Therefore, the minimum capital requirements the Company and the Banks must satisfy to avoid limitations on
capital distributions and certain discretionary bonus payments (i.e., the required minimum capital ratios plus the
capital conservation buffer) were (i) CET1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 7.0%, (ii) Tier 1 capital to
risk-weighted  assets  of  at  least  8.5%,  and  (iii)  total  capital  to  risk-weighted  assets  of  at  least  10.5%.  The
leverage ratio is not impacted by the capital conservation buffer.

Well-Capitalized Requirements

The  ratios  described  above  are  minimum  standards  in  order  for  banking  organizations  to  be  considered
“adequately  capitalized.”  Bank  regulatory  agencies  uniformly  encourage  banks  to  hold  more  capital  and  be
“well-capitalized”  and,  to  that  end,  federal  law  and  regulations  provide  various  incentives  for  banking
organizations  to  maintain  regulatory  capital  at  levels  in  excess  of  minimum  regulatory  requirements.  For
example,  a  banking  organization  that  is  well-capitalized  may:  (i)  qualify  for  exemptions  from  prior  notice  or
application requirements otherwise applicable to certain types of activities; (ii) qualify for expedited processing
of  other  required  notices  or  applications;  and  (iii)  accept,  roll-over  or  renew  brokered  deposits.  Higher  capital
levels could also be required if warranted by the particular circumstances or risk profiles of individual banking
organizations. The Federal Reserve’s capital guidelines contemplate that additional capital may be required to
take adequate account of, among other things, interest rate risk, or the risks posed by concentrations of credit,
nontraditional activities, securities trading activities, or significant or anticipated growth.

In order to be considered well capitalized, the Bank must maintain minimum capital ratios of (i) CET1 capital to
risk-weighted assets of at least 6.5%, (ii) Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets of at least 8.0%, (iii) total capital
to risk-weighted assets of at least 10.0%, and (iv)  leverage ratio of at least 5.0%. A banking institution may be
considered well-capitalized while remaining out of compliance with the capital conservation buffer.

Failure  to  be  well-capitalized  or  to  meet  minimum  capital  requirements  could  result  in  certain  mandatory  and
possible additional discretionary actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have an adverse material effect
on our operations or financial condition. Failure to be well-capitalized or to meet minimum capital requirements
could also result in restrictions on the Company's or the Bank’s ability to pay dividends or otherwise distribute
capital or to receive regulatory approval of applications.

Community Bank Leverage Ratio

Pursuant to the Regulatory Relief Act, banks and bank holding companies with assets of less than $10 billion
and  that  are  not  determined  to  be  ineligible  by  their  primary  federal  regulator  due  to  their  risk  profile  (a
"Qualifying  Community  Bank")  may  choose  to  satisfy  their  regulatory  capital  requirements  by  maintaining  a
certain  "community  bank  leverage  ratio,"  which  is  equal  to  tangible  equity  capital  divided  by  average  total
consolidated  assets.  Under  the  final  rule,  effective  January  1,  2020,  a  Qualifying  Community  Bank  with  a
community bank leverage ratio that exceeds 9.0% would be considered to be "well-capitalized" and to have met
generally applicable leverage and risk-based capital requirements. The community bank leverage ratio

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framework  is  an  optional  framework  that  is  designed  to  reduce  burden  by  removing  the  requirements  for
calculating and reporting risk-based capital ratios for qualifying community banking organizations that opt into
the framework. We have not elected to be subject to the Community Bank Leverage Ratio.

Prompt Corrective Action Framework

The  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  Improvement  Act  of  1991  (the  "FDIC  Improvement  Act")  requires
the  banking  agencies  to  take  prompt  corrective  action  with  respect  to  banks  that  fall  below  minimum  capital
standards,  and  prohibits  any  bank  from  making  any  capital  distribution  that  would  cause  it  to  be
undercapitalized. Banks that are not adequately capitalized may be subject to a variety of supervisory actions,
including restrictions on growth, investment activities, capital distributions and affiliate transactions, and will be
required  to  submit  a  capital  restoration  plan  which,  to  be  accepted  by  the  banking  agencies,  must  be
guaranteed in part by any company having control of the institution. The FDIC Improvement Act also provides
for enhanced supervisory authority with respect to banks that fall below minimum capital standards, including
greater  authority  for  the  appointment  of  a  conservator  or  receiver  for  critically  undercapitalized  institutions.
Acting as a conservator or receiver, the FDIC would have broad powers to transfer any assets or liabilities of the
institution  without  the  approval  of  the  institution's  creditors  or  stockholders.  Banks  that  are  less  than  well-
capitalized  are  also  subject  to  restrictions  under  the  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Act  (the  "FDI  Act")  relating  to
accepting and renewing brokered deposits, as well as deposit rate restrictions.

Under the Basel III Capital Rules, a bank qualifies as (i) "well capitalized" if it has a total risk-based capital ratio
of 10% or greater, a CET1 capital ratio of 6.5% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8% or greater and
a Leverage Ratio of 5% or greater, and is not subject to any order or written directive by any such regulatory
authority to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure; (ii) "adequately capitalized" if it
has a total risk-based capital ratio of 8% or greater, a CET1 capital ratio of 4.5% or greater, a Tier 1 risk-based
capital  ratio  of  6%  or  greater  and  a  Leverage  Ratio  of  4%  or  greater  and  is  not  "well  capitalized";  (iii)
"undercapitalized"  if  it  has  a  total  risk-based  capital  ratio  that  is  less  than  8%,  a  CET1  capital  ratio  less  than
4.5%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 6% or a Leverage Ratio of less than 4%; (iv) "significantly
undercapitalized" if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 6%, a CET1 capital ratio less than 3%, a
Tier  1  risk-based  capital  ratio  of  less  than  4%  or  a  Leverage  Ratio  of  less  than  3%;  and  (v)  "critically
undercapitalized" if its tangible equity is equal to or less than 2% of average quarterly tangible assets.

As of December 31, 2020, the Bank qualified as “well capitalized”.

Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders

Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act and the Federal Reserve's Regulation W impose qualitative
standards  and  quantitative  limitations  upon  certain  transactions  between  FDIC-insured  banks,  such  as  the
Bank,  and  its  affiliates,  including  between  a  bank  and  its  holding  company.  Transactions  covered  by  these
provisions include a loan or extension of credit to an affiliate, a purchase of securities issued by an affiliate, a
purchase  of  assets  (unless  otherwise  exempted  by  the  Federal  Reserve)  from  an  affiliate,  derivative
transactions that create a credit exposure to an affiliate, securities borrowing and lending transactions with an
affiliate,  the  acceptance  of  securities  issued  by  an  affiliate  as  collateral  for  a  loan,  and  the  issuance  of  a
guarantee,  acceptance  or  letter  of  credit  on  behalf  of  an  affiliate.  All  such  transactions  with  any  one  affiliate
cannot exceed 10% of the bank's total capital, and all such transactions with all affiliates cannot exceed 20% of
the bank's total capital. However, if the transaction is a loan or other extension of credit that is fully secured by
cash or other prescribed and limited types of collateral in a segregated, earmarked deposit account, it will not
be counted for purposes of the 10% and 20% thresholds. In addition, such transactions must be on terms that
are  at  least  as  favorable  to  the  bank  as  those  that  it  could  obtain  in  a  comparable  transaction  with  a  non-
affiliate.

The Federal Reserve's Regulation O also places similar restrictions on loans and other extensions of credit by
FDIC-insured banks, such as the Bank, to their directors, executive officers and principal stockholders, as well
as to entities controlled by such persons. Among other things, extensions of credit to such insiders are required

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to be made on terms that are substantially the same as, and follow credit underwriting procedures that are not
less  stringent  than,  those  prevailing  for  comparable  transactions  with  unaffiliated  persons.  Also,  the  terms  of
such  extensions  of  credit  may  not  involve  more  than  the  normal  risk  of  non-repayment  or  present  other
unfavorable features and may not exceed certain limitations on the amount of credit extended to such persons
individually and in the aggregate.

Safety and Soundness Standards

The  FDIA  requires  the  FDIC,  together  with  the  other  banking  agencies,  to  prescribe  standards  of  safety  and
soundness, by regulations or guidelines, relating generally to operations and management, asset growth, asset
quality, earnings, stock valuation, and compensation. In addition, the banking agencies have adopted a set of
guidelines prescribing safety and soundness standards pursuant to the FDIC Improvements Act which establish
general  standards  relating  to  internal  controls,  risk  management  and  information  systems,  internal  audit
systems, loan documentation, credit underwriting, interest rate exposure, asset growth, and compensation, fees
and  benefits.  In  general,  the  guidelines  require  appropriate  systems  and  practices  to  identify  and  manage
specified  risks  and  exposures.  The  guidelines  prohibit  excessive  compensation  as  an  unsafe  and  unsound
practice and describe compensation as excessive when the amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate
to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director or principal stockholder.

In addition, the banking agencies adopted regulations that authorize, but do not require, the agencies to order
an institution that has been given notice that it is not satisfying the safety and soundness guidelines to submit a
compliance plan. If after being so notified, an institution fails to submit an acceptable compliance plan or fails in
any  material  respect  to  implement  an  accepted  compliance  plan,  the  banking  agency  must  issue  an  order
directing action to correct the deficiency and may issue an order directing other actions of the types to which an
undercapitalized  institution  is  subject  under  the  "prompt  corrective  action"  provisions  of  the  FDIA  described
above. If an institution fails to comply with such an order, the banking agency may seek to enforce its order in
judicial proceedings and to impose civil money penalties. The banking agencies have also adopted guidelines
for  asset  quality  and  earning  standards.  State-chartered  banks,  including  the  Bank,  may  also  be  subject  to  a
state's statutes, regulations and guidelines relating to safety and soundness.

Source of Strength

The  Company  is  required  to  serve  as  a  source  of  financial  and  managerial  strength  to  the  Bank  and,  under
appropriate conditions, to commit resources to support the Bank. This support may be required by the Federal
Reserve at times when we might otherwise determine not to provide it or when doing so is not otherwise in the
interests  of  the  Company  or  our  stockholders  or  creditors.  The  Federal  Reserve  may  require  a  bank  holding
company to make capital injections into a troubled subsidiary bank and may charge the bank holding company
with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices if the bank holding company fails to commit resources to such a
subsidiary bank or if it undertakes actions that the Federal Reserve believes might jeopardize the bank holding
company's ability to commit resources to such subsidiary bank.

Under  these  requirements,  the  Company  may  in  the  future  be  required  to  provide  financial  assistance  to  the
Bank should it experience financial distress. Capital loans by the Company to the Bank would be subordinate in
right of payment to deposits and certain other debts of the Bank. In the event of the Company's bankruptcy, any
commitment by the Company to a federal bank regulatory agency to maintain the capital of the Bank would be
assumed by the bankruptcy trustee and entitled to a priority of payment.

Deposit Insurance, Depositor Preference and Assessments

The  deposits  of  the  Bank  are  insured  by  the  DIF  up  to  the  standard  maximum  deposit  insurance  amount  of
$250,000 per depositor. Deposit insurance may be terminated by the FDIC upon a finding that an institution has
engaged  in  unsafe  or  unsound  practices,  is  in  an  unsafe  or  unsound  condition  to  continue  operations  or  has
violated  any  applicable  law,  regulation,  rule,  order  or  condition  imposed  by  the  FDIC.  If  contested,  such
terminations can only occur following judicial review through the federal courts.

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In the event of the liquidation or other resolution of a bank, the claims of depositors of the bank, including the
claims  of  the  FDIC  as  subrogee  of  insured  depositors  and  certain  claims  for  administrative  expenses  of  the
FDIC as a receiver, will have priority in payment ahead of unsecured non-deposit creditors, including depositors
whose  deposits  are  payable  only  outside  of  the  United  States  and  the  parent  bank  holding  company  with
respect to any extensions of credit made to such bank.

The Bank must pay deposit insurance assessments to the FDIC based on average total assets minus average
tangible equity, among other factors. As an institution with less than $10 billion in total assets, the assessments
for the Bank are based on the level of risk it poses to the FDIC's deposit insurance fund. Pursuant to changes
adopted by the FDIC that were effective July 1, 2016, the initial base rate for deposit insurance is between three
and 30 basis points. Total base assessments after possible adjustments now range between 1.5 and 40 basis
points. For established smaller institutions, like Heartland Bank, supervisory ratings are used to calculate a total
base assessment rate, along with an initial base assessment rate, an unsecured debt adjustment (which can be
positive or negative), and a brokered deposit adjustment. The Dodd-Frank Act also set a new minimum deposit
insurance fund reserve ratio of 1.35% of estimated insured deposits by 2020, which was surpassed ahead of
schedule in 2018.

In addition to the amounts paid for FDIC deposit insurance described above, all Illinois state-chartered banks
are required to pay supervisory assessments to the IDFPR to fund the operations of that agency. The amount of
the assessment is calculated on the basis of the Bank’s total assets.

Consumer Financial Protection

We  are  subject  to  a  number  of  federal  and  state  consumer  protection  laws  that  extensively  govern  our
relationship with our customers. These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”), the Fair Credit
Reporting Act, the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), the Truth in Savings Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, the
Expedited  Funds  Availability  Act,  the  Home  Mortgage  Disclosure  Act,  the  Fair  Housing  Act,  the  Real  Estate
Settlement  Procedures  Act,  the  Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices  Act,  the  Fair  Credit  Reporting  Act,  the  Service
Members Civil Relief Act, the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the CAN-
SPAM Act, and these laws’ respective state-law counterparts, as well as state usury laws and laws regarding
unfair and deceptive acts and practices. These and other federal laws, among other things, require disclosures
of the cost of credit and terms of deposit accounts, provide substantive consumer rights, prohibit discrimination
in credit transactions, regulate the use of credit report information, provide financial privacy protections, restrict
our  ability  to  raise  interest  rates  on  extensions  of  credit  and  subject  us  to  substantial  regulatory  oversight.
Violations of applicable consumer protection laws can result in significant potential liability from litigation brought
by  customers,  including  actual  damages,  restitution  and  attorneys’  fees.  Federal  banking  regulators,  state
attorneys  general  and  state  and  local  consumer  protection  agencies  may  also  seek  to  enforce  consumer
protection  requirements  and  obtain  these  and  other  remedies,  including  regulatory  sanctions,  customer
rescission  rights,  action  by  the  state  and  local  attorneys  general  in  each  jurisdiction  in  which  we  operate  and
civil money penalties. Failure to comply with consumer protection requirements may also result in our failure to
obtain any required bank regulatory approval for merger or acquisition transactions we may wish to pursue or
our prohibition from engaging in such transactions even if approval is not required.

The  Dodd-Frank  Act  created  an  independent  federal  agency,  the  Consumer  Financial  Protection  Bureau  (the
“CFPB”), which has broad rulemaking, supervisory and enforcement authority over consumer financial products
and services, including the ability to require reimbursements and other payments to customers for alleged legal
violations. The CFPB has the authority to impose significant penalties, as well as injunctive relief that prohibits
lenders  from  engaging  in  allegedly  unlawful  practices.  The  CFPB  is  also  authorized  to  engage  in  consumer
financial education, track consumer complaints, request data and promote the availability of financial services to
underserved  consumers  and  communities.  The  CFPB  has  broad  rulemaking  authority  for  a  wide  range  of
consumer  financial  laws  that  apply  to  all  banks  including  TILA,  ECOA  and  the  authority  to  prohibit  "unfair,
deceptive,  or  abusive"  acts  and  practices.  The  review  of  products  and  practices  to  prevent  such  acts  and
practices is a continuing focus of the CFPB, and of the banking agencies more broadly.

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The  CFPB  also  has  exclusive  supervisory  and  examination  authority  and  primary  enforcement  authority  with
respect to various federal consumer financial laws and regulations for insured depository institutions with $10
billion or more in total assets. Because the Bank currently has less than $10 billion in total assets, the Bank is
not subject to the examination and supervisory authority of the CFPB, but are nevertheless required to comply
with  various  federal  consumer  financial  laws  and  regulations,  including  laws  and  regulations  implemented  by
the  CFPB.  The  FDIC  is  primarily  responsible  for  examining  the  Bank’s  compliance  with  federal  consumer
financial laws and regulations, including CFPB regulations. The CFPB also has the authority to require reports
from  institutions  with  less  than  $10  billion  in  assets,  such  as  the  Bank,  to  support  the  CFPB  in  implementing
federal  consumer  protection  laws,  supporting  examination  activities,  and  assessing  and  detecting  risks  to
consumers and financial markets.

Residential Mortgage Lending

As  required  by  the  Dodd-Frank  Act,  the  CFPB  issued  a  series  of  final  rules  in  January  2013  amending
Regulation  Z,  implementing  TILA,  which  requires  mortgage  lenders  to  make  a  reasonable  and  good  faith
determination,  based  on  verified  and  documented  information,  that  a  consumer  applying  for  a  residential
mortgage  loan  has  a  reasonable  ability  to  repay  the  loan  according  to  its  terms.  These  final  rules  prohibit
creditors from extending residential mortgage loans without regard for the consumer's ability to repay and add
restrictions and requirements to residential mortgage origination and servicing practices. In addition, these rules
restrict  the  imposition  of  prepayment  penalties  and  restrict  compensation  practices  relating  to  residential
mortgage loan origination. Mortgage lenders are required to determine consumers' ability-to-repay in one of two
ways. The first alternative requires the mortgage lender to consider eight underwriting factors when making the
credit  decision.  Alternatively,  the  mortgage  lender  can  originate  "qualified  mortgages,"  which  are  entitled  to  a
presumption that the creditor making the loan satisfied the ability to repay requirements. In general, a qualified
mortgage  is  a  residential  mortgage  loan  that  does  not  have  certain  high  risk  features,  such  as  negative
amortization,  interest-only  payments,  balloon  payments,  or  a  term  exceeding  30  years.  In  addition,  to  be  a
qualified mortgage, the points and fees paid by a consumer cannot exceed 3% of the total loan amount and the
borrower's total debt-to-income ratio must be no higher than 43% (subject to certain limited exceptions for loans
eligible for purchase, guarantee or insurance by a government sponsored enterprise or a federal agency).

Privacy

The federal banking regulators have adopted rules limiting the ability of banks and other financial institutions to
disclose  non-public  information  about  consumers  to  unaffiliated  third  parties.  These  limitations  require
disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure
of certain personal information to an unaffiliated third party. These regulations affect how consumer information
is transmitted through diversified financial companies and conveyed to outside vendors.

Data privacy and data security are areas of increasing state legislative focus. Some state laws also protect the
privacy  of  information  of  state  residents  and  require  adequate  security  for  such  data,  and  certain  state  laws
may,  in  some  circumstances,  require  the  Bank  to  notify  affected  individuals  of  security  breaches  of  computer
databases  that  contain  their  personal  information.  These  laws  may  also  require  the  Bank  to  notify  law
enforcement, regulators or consumer reporting agencies in the event of a data breach, as well as businesses
and governmental agencies that own data.

Cybersecurity

In  March  2015,  the  banking  agencies  issued  two  related  statements  regarding  cybersecurity.  One  statement
indicates that financial institutions should design multiple layers of security controls to establish lines of defense
and  to  ensure  that  their  risk  management  processes  also  address  the  risk  posed  by  compromised  customer
credentials, including security measures to reliably authenticate customers accessing internet-based services of
the  financial  institution.  The  other  statement  indicates  that  a  financial  institution's  management  is  expected  to
maintain  sufficient  business  continuity  planning  processes  to  ensure  the  rapid  recovery,  resumption  and
maintenance of the institution's operations after a cyber-attack involving destructive malware. A financial

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institution  is  also  expected  to  develop  appropriate  processes  to  enable  recovery  of  data  and  business
operations and address rebuilding network capabilities and restoring data if the institution or its critical service
providers  fall  victim  to  this  type  of  cyber-attack.  If  we  fail  to  observe  the  regulatory  guidance,  we  could  be
subject to various regulatory sanctions, including financial penalties.

In the ordinary course of business, we rely on electronic communications and information systems to conduct
our operations and to store sensitive data. We employ an in-depth, layered, defensive approach that leverages
people,  processes  and  technology  to  manage  and  maintain  cybersecurity  controls.  We  employ  a  variety  of
preventative and detective tools to monitor, block, and provide alerts regarding suspicious activity, as well as to
report on any suspected advanced persistent threats. Notwithstanding the strength of our defensive measures,
the  threat  from  cyberattacks  is  severe,  attacks  are  sophisticated  and  increasing  in  volume,  and  attackers
respond  rapidly  to  changes  in  defensive  measures.  While  to-date  we  have  not  experienced  a  significant
compromise, significant data loss or any material financial losses related to cybersecurity attacks, our systems
and those of our customers and third party service providers are under constant threat and it is possible that we
could  experience  a  significant  event  in  the  future.  Risks  and  exposures  related  to  cybersecurity  attacks  are
expected to remain high for the foreseeable future due to the rapidly evolving nature and sophistication of these
threats, as well as due to the expanding use of internet banking, mobile banking and other technology-based
products and services by us and our customers.

The SEC has also issued guidance on public company cybersecurity disclosures as well as ways for companies
to  enhance  their  cybersecurity  preparedness  and  operational  resiliency.  Any  SEC  guidelines  would  be  in
addition to notification and disclosure requirements under state and federal banking law and regulations.

Lending Standards Guidance and Concentrations in Commercial Real Estate

The federal banking agencies have adopted uniform regulations prescribing standards for extensions of credit
that  are  secured  by  liens  or  interests  in  real  estate  or  made  for  the  purpose  of  financing  permanent
improvements to real estate. Under these regulations, all insured depository institutions, such as the Bank, must
adopt and maintain written policies establishing appropriate limits and standards for extensions of credit that are
secured by liens or interests in real estate or are made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to
real  estate.  These  policies  must  establish  loan  portfolio  diversification  standards,  prudent  underwriting
standards  (including  loan-to-value  limits)  that  are  clear  and  measurable,  loan  administration  procedures,  and
documentation, approval and reporting requirements. The real estate lending policies must reflect consideration
of the federal bank regulators' Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies.

Also, in December 2015, the federal banking regulators released a statement entitled “Interagency Statement
on  Prudent  Risk  Management  for  Commercial  Real  Estate  Lending”  (the  “CRE  Guidance”).  In  the  CRE
Guidance,  the  federal  banking  regulators  (i)  expressed  concerns  with  institutions  that  ease  commercial  real
estate underwriting standards, (ii) directed financial institutions to maintain underwriting discipline and exercise
risk  management  practices  to  identify,  measure  and  monitor  lending  risks,  and  (iii)  indicated  that  they  will
continue to pay special attention to commercial real estate lending activities and concentrations going forward.
The federal banking regulators previously issued guidance in December 2006, entitled “Interagency Guidance
on Concentrations in Commercial Real Estate Lending, Sound Risk Management Practices”, which stated that
an institution is potentially exposed to significant commercial real estate concentration risk, and should employ
enhanced risk management practices, where (1) total commercial real estate loans represent 300% or more of
its  total  capital  and  (2)  the  outstanding  balance  of  such  institution’s  commercial  real  estate  loan  portfolio  has
increased by 50% or more during the prior 36 months.

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Leveraged Lending Guidance

In March 2013, the banking agencies jointly issued guidance on leveraged lending, which updates and replaces
the  guidance  for  leveraged  finance  activities  issued  by  the  banking  agencies  in  April  2001.  The  revised
leveraged  lending  guidance  describes  regulatory  expectations  for  the  sound  risk  management  of  leveraged
lending  activities,  including  the  importance  for  institutions  to  maintain  (i)  a  credit  limit  and  concentration
framework  consistent  with  the  institution's  risk  appetite,  (ii)  underwriting  standards  that  define  acceptable
leverage  levels,  (iii)  strong  pipeline  management  policies  and  procedures  and  (iv)  guidelines  for  conducting
periodic portfolio and pipeline stress tests.

Community Reinvestment Act

Under  the  Community  Reinvestment  Act  (“CRA”),  which  the  FDIC  and  the  other  banking  regulators  have
indicated  will  be  significantly  updated  and  revised,  the  Bank  has  an  affirmative  and  continuing  obligation,
consistent with safe and sound operations, to help meet the credit needs of the market areas where it operates,
which includes providing credit to low- and moderate-income individuals and communities.

In connection with its examination of the Bank, the FDIC is required to assess the Bank's compliance with the
CRA. The CRA requires the appropriate federal banking agency to take an insured depository institution's CRA
record  into  account  when  evaluating  certain  applications  filed  by  us  or  the  Bank,  including  applications  for
charters, branch openings or relocations and applications to acquire, merge or consolidate with another bank or
bank holding company. The CRA also requires that all institutions publicly disclose their CRA ratings. The Bank
received a rating of "satisfactory" in its most recently completed CRA examination.

Federal Home Loan Bank Membership

The Bank is a member of the FHLB System, an organization created under the Federal Home Loan Bank Act of
1932  to  serve  as  a  central  credit  facility  for  its  members  through  eleven  U.S.  government-sponsored  banks,
including the FHLB of Chicago. The FHLB of Chicago makes loans to member banks in the form of advances,
all of which are required to be fully collateralized, as determined by the FHLB of Chicago. In the event that a
member financial institution fails, the right of the FHLB of Chicago to seek repayment of funds loaned to that
institution will take priority (a super lien) over the rights of all other creditors. To qualify for membership in the
FHLB System, and to be eligible to borrow funds from such Federal Home Loan bank under the FHLB System's
advance program, the Bank is required to hold a certain amount of common stock in one of the Federal Home
Loan banks. There is no secondary market for the FHLB of Chicago 's common stock, but additional purchases
from,  or  repurchases  by,  the  FHLB  of  Chicago  may  occur  under  prescribed  circumstances.  Specifically,  the
board of directors of the FHLB of Chicago can increase the minimum investment requirements in the event it
has concluded that additional capital is required to allow it to meet its own regulatory capital requirements. Any
increase  in  the  minimum  investment  requirements  outside  of  specified  ranges  requires  the  approval  of  the
Federal  Housing  Finance  Agency.  Because  the  extent  of  any  obligation  to  increase  the  level  of  investment  in
the FHLB of Chicago depends entirely upon the occurrence of future events, we are unable to determine the
extent of future required potential payments to the FHLB of Chicago at this time.

Anti-Money Laundering and Similar Regulations

A  major  focus  of  governmental  policy  on  banks  and  other  financial  institutions  in  recent  years  has  been
combating money laundering and terrorist financing. The Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”) and the USA PATRIOT Act
of  2001  impose  significant  obligations  on  banks  and  other  financial  institutions  to  detect  and  deter  money
laundering  and  terrorist  financing.  Banks  and  other  financial  institutions  are  required  to  establish  compliance
programs  designed  to  implement  BSA  requirements  that  include,  among  other  things:  verifying  customer
identification,  reporting  certain  large  cash  transactions,  responding  to  requests  for  information  by  law
enforcement,  and  monitoring,  investigating  and  reporting  suspicious  transactions  or  activity.  The  Treasury's
Office  of  Foreign  Assets  Control  enforces  economic  and  trade  sanctions  based  on  U.S.  foreign  policy  and
national security goals against entities such as targeted foreign countries, terrorists, international narcotics

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traffickers,  and  those  engaged  in  the  proliferation  of  weapons  of  mass  destruction.  The  banking  agencies
routinely examine banks for compliance with these obligations, and failure of a bank to maintain and implement
adequate  programs  to  combat  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing,  or  to  comply  with  all  of  the  relevant
laws or regulations, could have serious legal and reputational consequences for the bank and its bank holding
company,  including  the  ability  to  engage  in  merger  or  acquisition  transactions.  The  banking  agencies  have
imposed cease and desist orders and significant civil money penalties against banks found to be violating these
obligations and have, in some cases, brought criminal actions against some bank and bank holding companies
for these types of violations.

Incentive Compensation

The  federal  banking  agencies  have  issued  joint  guidance  on  incentive  compensation  designed  to  ensure  that
the  incentive  compensation  policies  of  banking  organizations,  such  as  the  Company  and  the  Bank,  do  not
encourage  imprudent  risk  taking  and  are  consistent  with  the  safety  and  soundness  of  the  organization.  In
addition,  the  Dodd-Frank  Act  requires  the  federal  banking  agencies  and  the  SEC  to  issue  regulations  or
guidelines  requiring  covered  financial  institutions,  including  the  Company  and  the  Bank,  to  prohibit  incentive-
based payment arrangements that encourage inappropriate risks by providing compensation that is excessive
or that could lead to material financial loss to the institution. Also pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, in 2015, the
SEC  proposed  rules  that  would  direct  stock  exchanges  to  require  listed  companies  to  implement  clawback
policies  to  recover  incentive-based  compensation  from  current  or  former  executive  officers  in  the  event  of
certain  financial  restatements  and  would  also  require  companies  to  disclose  their  clawback  policies  and  their
actions under those policies.

Future Legislation and Regulation

Congress  may  enact  legislation  from  time  to  time  that  affects  the  regulation  of  the  financial  services  industry,
and  state  legislatures  may  enact  legislation  from  time  to  time  affecting  the  regulation  of  financial  institutions
chartered by or operating in those states. Federal and state regulatory agencies also periodically propose and
adopt  changes  to  their  regulations  or  change  the  manner  in  which  existing  regulations  are  applied.  The
substance  or  impact  of  pending  or  future  legislation  or  regulation,  or  the  application  thereof,  cannot  be
predicted, although enactment of the proposed legislation could affect the regulatory structure under which we
operate  and  may  significantly  increase  our  costs,  impede  the  efficiency  of  our  internal  business  processes,
require  us  to  increase  our  regulatory  capital  or  modify  our  business  strategy,  or  limit  our  ability  to  pursue
business  opportunities  in  an  efficient  manner.  Our  business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  or
prospects may be adversely affected, perhaps materially, as a result.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

The  material  risks  and  uncertainties  that  management  believes  affect  us  are  described  below.  You  should
carefully consider these risks, together with all of the information included herein. Any of the following risks, as
well  as  risks  that  we  do  not  know  or  currently  deem  immaterial,  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our
business, financial condition or results of operations.

SUMMARY

Risk Factor
COVID-19 Pandemic

Credit Risks

Interest Rate Risks

Reference Rate
Reform

Liquidity Risks

Technology and
Cybersecurity Risks

Legal and Regulatory
Compliance Risks

Business Strategy

Ownership of Our
Common Stock

External Risks

Description

The COVD-19 pandemic and the associated economic slowdown has
adversely affected our business operations, our financial results, and the
financial condition of our borrowers and counterparties. The duration,
severity, and ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown at
this time.
Borrowers or counterparties may be unable or unwilling to repay their
obligations to us in accordance with the underlying contractual terms which
could lead to unexpected losses.
Fluctuations in interest rates may reduce our earnings or the value of our
financial instruments.
We have financial instruments – including loans, securities, debt, and
interest rate swaps – that include LIBOR as a “benchmark” or “reference
rate”. The expected phase-out of LIBOR after 2021 may adversely impact
the value of, return on, and market for our LIBOR-based financial
instruments or lead to disputes or litigation with counterparties.
An inability to obtain liquid funds at a reasonable price to timely meet our
financial obligations may have a material adverse impact on our operations
and jeopardize our business.
Our business is highly dependent upon secure and uninterrupted
information technology systems. A disruption or breach to these systems
may have a material adverse impact on our business.
The banking industry is highly regulated. Failure to comply with the laws and
regulations to which we are subject, or changes in them, may adversely
impact us.
Our strategy of pursuing growth via suitable acquisitions exposes us to
heightened operational risks and could have a material adverse impact on
our financial condition, results of operations, and growth prospects.
Our principal stockholder, Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Voting Trust U/A/D
5/4/2016, has significant influence over us, and its interests could conflict
with those of our other stockholders.
Adverse changes in the economic conditions, particularly such changes in
the Illinois markets we operate, may adversely impact our borrowers and
our business.

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RISK RELATED TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

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.

The  COVID-19  pandemic  (“COVID-19”)  is  causing  significant  economic  disruption  in  the  United  States  and
globally. COVID-19 has resulted in varying mitigation guidelines, such as stay-at-home orders and restrictions
on non-essential businesses, the effects of which have had, are currently having, and may continue to have an
adverse impact on global, national, and local economic and business activity.

Although the Bank has been deemed an essential business and has maintained business operations since the
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 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. 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  COVID-19  could  therefore  materially  and  adversely  affect  our  business,  revenue,  operations,
financial  condition,  liquidity,  results  of  operations  and  prospects.  If  the  COVID-19  pandemic  is  prolonged  or
intensifies due to the emergence of additional viral strains or otherwise, any such material adverse effects may
be exacerbated.

Our  business  is  dependent  upon  the  willingness  and  ability  of  our  customers  to  conduct  banking  and  other
financial transactions. The spread of COVID-19 has and is likely to continue to disrupt the business, activities,
and operations of our customers and, cause a decline in demand for our products and services, including loans
and deposits. This may result in a significant decrease in business and could negatively impact our results of
operations, our liquidity position, our growth strategy and our ability to make payments under our subordinated
note  and  junior  subordinated  debenture  obligations  as  they  become  due.  Our  financial  results  could  also  be
impacted  due  to  an  inability  of  our  customers  to  meet  their  loan  commitments  because  of  their  losses
associated  with  impacts  of  the  virus,  and  could  result  in  an  increased  risk  of  loan  delinquencies,  defaults,
foreclosures, declining collateral values and a general inability of our borrowers to repay their loans. In addition,
the  financial  and  other  information  we  receive  from  and  about  our  customers  that  we  rely  on  in  extending  or
renewing  credit  and  monitoring  our  loan  portfolio  may  have  changed  significantly  and  no  longer  be  accurate,
which could affect our ability to timely and accurately manage our credit risk.  Any or all of these factors could
necessitate  an  increase  in  our  allowance  for  loan  losses,  which  would  negatively  impact  our  earnings  and
results of operations. Moreover, current and future governmental actions may temporarily require us to conduct
business  related  to  foreclosures,  repossessions,  payments,  deferrals  and  other  customer-related  transactions
differently, which may result in an increase in expenses and a decrease in net income.

Our workforce has been, and may continue to be, impacted by COVID-19. We are taking precautions to protect
the safety and well-being of our employees and customers, but no assurance can be given that our actions will
be adequate or appropriate. The continued spread of the virus, and the associated mitigation guidelines, could
also negatively impact the availability of key personnel and employee productivity, as well as the business and
operations of third-party service providers who perform critical services for us. This could adversely impact our
ability  to  deliver  products  and  services  to  our  customers,  opportunities  to  continue  to  grow  our  business,  and
could negatively affect our reputation. Our business continuity plan and the efforts we have taken to adapt our
work and business to the current environment has resulted in, and will continue to require us to incur, increased
expenses.  

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As a participating lender in the PPP, we are subject to additional risks of litigation from our customers
or  other  parties  regarding  our  processing  of  loans  for  the  PPP  and  risks  that  the  SBA  may  not  fund
some of or all PPP loan guarantees.

The  Coronavirus  Relief  and  Economic  Security  Act  (the  “CARES  Act”)  initiated  the  Paycheck  Protection
Program  (the  “PPP”)  under  the  Small  Business  Administration  (“SBA”).  The  PPP  was  designed  to  help  small
businesses  maintain  their  workforce  during  the  COVID-19  pandemic  by  providing  forgivable  loans,  and  we
assisted our customers in participating in the program. We understand that these loans are fully guaranteed by
the U.S. government and believe the majority of these loans will be forgiven. However, in the event of a loss
resulting from a default on a PPP loan or a determination by the SBA that there was a deficiency in the manner
in  which  the  PPP  loan  was  originated  or  serviced  by  us,  the  SBA  may  deny  its  liability  under  the  guaranty,
reduce the amount of the guaranty, or, if it has already been paid under the guaranty, seek recovery of any loss
related to the deficiency from us.

Since the opening of the PPP, several larger banks have been subject to litigation regarding the process and
procedures that such banks followed in accepting and processing applications for the PPP. We may be exposed
to  the  risk  of  similar  litigation,  from  both  customers  and  non-customers  that  contacted  the  Bank  regarding
obtaining PPP loans with respect to the processes and procedures we used in processing applications for the
PPP.  If  any  such  litigation  is  filed  against  us  and  is  not  resolved  in  a  manner  favorable  to  us,  it  may  result  in
significant  financial  liability  to  us  or  adversely  affect  our  reputation.  In  addition,  litigation  can  be  costly,
regardless  of  outcome.  Any  financial  liability,  litigation  costs  or  reputational  damage  caused  by  PPP-related
litigation  could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  our  reputation,  business,  financial  condition,  and  results  of
operations.

CREDIT RISKS

We may not be able to adequately measure and limit our credit risk, which could lead to unexpected
losses.

Our  business  depends  on  our  ability  to  successfully  measure  and  manage  credit  risk.  As  a  lender,  we  are
exposed to the risk that the principal of, or interest on, a loan will not be repaid timely or at all or that the value
of  any  collateral  supporting  a  loan  will  be  insufficient  to  cover  our  outstanding  exposure.  In  addition,  we  are
exposed to risks with respect to the period of time over which the loan may be repaid, risks relating to proper
loan  underwriting,  risks  resulting  from  changes  in  economic  and  industry  conditions,  and  risks  inherent  in
dealing  with  individual  loans  and  borrowers.  The  creditworthiness  of  a  borrower  is  affected  by  many  factors
including local market conditions and general economic conditions. If the overall economic climate in the U.S.,
generally,  or  our  market  areas,  specifically,  experiences  material  disruption,  our  borrowers  may  experience
difficulties in repaying their loans, the collateral we hold may decrease in value or become illiquid, and the level
of  nonperforming  loans,  charge-offs  and  delinquencies  could  rise  and  require  significant  additional  provisions
for  credit  losses.  Additional  factors  related  to  the  credit  quality  of  commercial  loans  include  the  quality  of  the
management  of  the  business  and  the  borrower’s  ability  both  to  properly  evaluate  changes  in  the  supply  and
demand  characteristics  affecting  its  market  for  products  and  services  and  to  effectively  respond  to  those
changes. Additional factors related to the credit quality of commercial real estate loans include tenant vacancy
rates and the quality of management of the property.

Our risk management practices, such as monitoring the concentration of our loans within specific industries and
our credit approval, review and administrative practices may not adequately reduce credit risk, and our credit
administration  personnel,  policies  and  procedures  may  not  adequately  adapt  to  changes  in  economic  or  any
other  conditions  affecting  customers  and  the  quality  of  the  loan  portfolio.  A  failure  to  effectively  measure  and
limit  the  credit  risk  associated  with  our  loan  portfolio  may  result  in  loan  defaults,  foreclosures  and  additional
charge-offs,  and  may  necessitate  that  we  significantly  increase  our  allowance  for  loan  losses,  each  of  which
could adversely affect our net income. As a result, our inability to successfully manage credit risk could have an
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Our allowance for loan losses may prove to be insufficient to absorb potential losses in our loan
portfolio.

We establish our allowance for loan losses and maintain it at a level that management considers adequate to
absorb probable loan losses based on an analysis of our portfolio and market environment. The allowance for
loan losses represents our estimate of probable losses in the portfolio at each balance sheet date and is based
upon relevant information available to us. The allowance contains provisions for probable losses that have been
identified  relating  to  specific  borrowing  relationships,  as  well  as  probable  losses  inherent  in  the  loan  portfolio
and credit undertakings that are not specifically identified. Additions to the allowance for loan losses, which are
charged  to  earnings  through  the  provision  for  loan  losses,  are  determined  based  on  a  variety  of  factors,
including  an  analysis  of  the  loan  portfolio,  historical  loss  experience  and  an  evaluation  of  current  economic
conditions in our market areas. The actual amount of loan losses is affected by changes in economic, operating
and other conditions within our markets, which may be beyond our control, and such losses may exceed current
estimates.

Although  management  believes  that  the  allowance  for  loan  losses  is  adequate  to  absorb  losses  on  existing
loans  that  may  become  uncollectible,  we  may  be  required  to  take  additional  provisions  for  loan  losses  in  the
future  to  further  supplement  the  allowance  for  loan  losses,  either  due  to  management’s  decision  to  do  so  or
because our banking regulators require us to do so. Our bank regulatory agencies will periodically review our
allowance  for  loan  losses  and  the  value  attributed  to  nonaccrual  loans  or  to  real  estate  acquired  through
foreclosure and may require us to adjust our determination of the value for these items. These adjustments may
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The small to midsized businesses to which we lend may have fewer resources to weather adverse
business developments, which may impair a borrower’s ability to repay a loan, and such impairment
could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We  target  our  business  development  and  marketing  strategy  primarily  to  serve  the  banking  and  financial
services needs of small to midsized businesses. These businesses generally have fewer financial resources in
terms  of  capital  or  borrowing  capacity  than  larger  entities,  can  have  less  access  to  capital  sources  and  loan
facilities,  frequently  have  smaller  market  shares  than  their  competition,  may  be  more  vulnerable  to  economic
downturns,  often  need  substantial  additional  capital  to  expand  or  compete,  and  may  experience  substantial
volatility  in  operating  results,  any  of  which  may  impair  a  borrower’s  ability  to  repay  a  loan.  In  addition,  the
success of a small and medium-sized business often depends on the management talents and efforts of one or
two people or a small group of people, and the death, disability or resignation of one or more of these people
could  have  a  material  adverse  impact  on  the  business  and  its  ability  to  repay  its  loan.  If  general  economic
conditions negatively impact the markets in which we operate or any of our borrowers otherwise are affected by
adverse business developments, our small to medium-sized borrowers may be disproportionately affected and
their ability to repay outstanding loans may be negatively affected, resulting in an adverse effect on our results
of operations and financial condition.

We depend on the accuracy and completeness of information about customers and counterparties.

In deciding whether to extend credit or enter into other transactions, and in evaluating and monitoring our loan
portfolio  on  an  ongoing  basis,  we  may  rely  on  information  furnished  by  or  on  behalf  of  customers  and
counterparties, including financial statements, credit reports and other financial information. We may also rely
on representations of those customers or counterparties or of other third parties, such as independent auditors,
as  to  the  accuracy  and  completeness  of  that  information.  Reliance  on  inaccurate,  incomplete,  fraudulent  or
misleading financial statements, credit reports or other financial or business information, or the failure to receive
such information on a timely basis, could result in loan losses, reputational damage or other effects that could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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The appraisals and other valuation techniques we use in evaluating and monitoring loans secured by
real property, other real estate owned ("OREO") and other repossessed assets may not accurately
describe the fair value of the asset.

In  considering  whether  to  make  a  loan  secured  by  real  property,  we  generally  require  an  appraisal  of  the
property.  However,  an  appraisal  is  only  an  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  property  at  the  time  the  appraisal  is
made,  and,  as  real  estate  values  may  change  significantly  in  relatively  short  periods  of  time  (especially  in
periods of heightened economic uncertainty), this estimate may not accurately describe the fair value of the real
property  collateral  after  the  loan  is  made.  As  a  result,  we  may  not  be  able  to  realize  the  full  amount  of  any
remaining indebtedness when we foreclose on and sell the relevant property. In addition, we rely on appraisals
and  other  valuation  techniques  to  establish  the  value  of  our  OREO  and  personal  property  that  we  acquire
through  foreclosure  proceedings  and  to  determine  certain  loan  impairments.  If  any  of  these  valuations  are
inaccurate,  our  consolidated  financial  statements  may  not  reflect  the  correct  value  of  our  OREO,  and  our
allowance for loan losses may not reflect accurate loan impairments. This could have a material adverse effect
on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are subject to environmental liability risk associated with lending activities.

A  significant  portion  of  our  loan  portfolio  is,  and  is  expected  to  be,  secured  by  real  property  and  during  the
ordinary course of business, we may foreclose on and take title to properties securing certain loans. In addition,
we  own  our  branch  properties.  If  hazardous  or  toxic  substances  are  found  on  our  foreclosed  or  branch
properties,  we  may  be  liable  for  remediation  costs,  as  well  as  for  personal  injury  and  property  damage.
Environmental  laws  may  require  us  to  incur  substantial  expenses  and  may  materially  reduce  the  affected
property’s value or limit our ability to use or sell the affected property. In addition, future laws or more stringent
interpretations  or  enforcement  policies  with  respect  to  existing  laws  may  increase  our  exposure  to
environmental liability. The remediation costs and any other financial liabilities associated with an environmental
hazard could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The majority of our loan portfolio consists of commercial and regulatory CRE loans, which have a
higher degree of risk than other types of loans.

Commercial  and  regulatory  CRE  loans  are  often  larger  and  involve  greater  risks  than  other  types  of  lending.
Because  payments  on  such  loans  are  often  dependent  on  the  successful  operation  or  development  of  the
property  or  business  involved,  repayment  of  such  loans  is  often  more  sensitive  than  other  types  of  loans  to
adverse  conditions  in  the  real  estate  market  or  the  general  business  climate  and  economy.  Accordingly,  a
downturn  in  the  real  estate  market  and  a  challenging  business  and  economic  environment  may  increase  our
risk  related  to  commercial  loans,  particularly  commercial  real  estate  loans.  Unlike  residential  mortgage  loans,
which generally are made on the basis of the borrowers’ ability to make repayment from their employment and
other  income  and  which  are  secured  by  real  property  whose  value  tends  to  be  more  easily  ascertainable,
commercial  loans  typically  are  made  on  the  basis  of  the  borrowers’  ability  to  make  repayment  from  the  cash
flow  of  the  commercial  venture.  Our  operating  commercial  loans  are  primarily  made  based  on  the  identified
cash  flow  of  the  borrower  and  secondarily  on  the  collateral  underlying  the  loans.  Most  often,  this  collateral
consists of accounts receivable, inventory and equipment. Inventory and equipment may depreciate over time,
may be difficult to appraise and may fluctuate in value based on the success of the business. If the cash flow
from business operations is reduced, the borrower’s ability to repay the loan may be impaired. Due to the larger
average  size  of  each  commercial  loan  as  compared  with  other  loans  such  as  residential  loans,  as  well  as
collateral  that  is  generally  less  readily-marketable,  losses  incurred  on  a  small  number  of  commercial  or
regulatory CRE loans could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

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Real estate construction loans are based upon estimates of costs and values associated with the
complete project. These estimates may be inaccurate, and we may be exposed to significant losses on
loans for these projects.

Real estate construction lending involves additional risks because funds are advanced upon the security of the
project, which is of uncertain value prior to its completion, and costs may exceed realizable values in declining
real  estate  markets.  Because  of  the  uncertainties  inherent  in  estimating  construction  costs  and  the  realizable
market value of the completed project and the effects of governmental regulation of real property, it is relatively
difficult to evaluate accurately the total funds required to complete a project and the related loan-to-value ratio.
As a result, construction loans often involve the disbursement of substantial funds with repayment dependent, in
part, on the success of the ultimate project and the ability of the borrower to sell or lease the property, rather
than the ability of the borrower or guarantor to repay principal and interest. If our appraisal of the value of the
completed project proves to be overstated or market values or rental rates decline, we may have inadequate
security  for  the  repayment  of  the  loan  upon  completion  of  construction  of  the  project.  If  we  are  forced  to
foreclose on a project prior to or at completion due to a default, we may not be able to recover all of the unpaid
balance of, and accrued interest on, the loan as well as related foreclosure and holding costs. In addition, we
may be required to fund additional amounts to complete the project and may have to hold the property for an
unspecified period of time while we attempt to dispose of it.

We provide loans and services to the agriculture industry and the health of this industry is impacted by
factors outside our control and the control of our customers.

Our  loan  portfolio  includes  loans  to  agricultural  producers  and  loans  secured  by  farmland.  In  addition,  our
commercial loan portfolio includes loans to farm implement dealerships, grain elevators and other businesses
that provide products and services to agricultural producers. We also provide farm management advice, engage
in farm sale services and arrange for crop insurance. Our agriculture loans generally consist of (i) real estate
loans  secured  by  farmland,  (ii)  crop  input  loans  primarily  focused  on  corn  and  soybeans  and  (iii)  equipment
financing for specific agriculture equipment. Decreases in commodity prices may negatively affect both the cash
flows of the borrowers and the value of the collateral supporting such loans, and could decrease the fees from
our  other  agricultural  services.  Although  we  attempt  to  account  for  the  possibility  of  such  commodity  price
fluctuations  in  underwriting,  structuring  and  monitoring  our  agriculture  loans,  there  is  no  guarantee  that  our
efforts  will  be  successful  and  we  may  experience  increased  delinquencies  or  defaults  in  this  portfolio  or  be
required to increase our provision for loan losses, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.

Our agricultural loans are dependent on the profitable operation and management of the farmland securing the
loan  and  its  cash  flows.  The  success  of  our  agricultural  loans  may  be  affected  by  many  factors  outside  the
control of the borrower, including:

● adverse  weather  conditions  (such  as  hail,  drought  and  floods),  restrictions  on  water  supply  or  other

conditions that prevent the planting of a crop or limit crop yields, or that affect crop harvesting;

● loss of crops or livestock due to disease or other factors;
● declines in the market prices or demand for agricultural products (both domestically and internationally),

for any reason;

● increases in production costs (such as the costs of labor, rent, feed, fuel and fertilizer);
● adverse  changes  in  interest  rates,  currency  exchange  rates,  agricultural  land  values  or  other  factors

that may affect delinquency levels and credit losses on agricultural loans;

● the  impact  of  government  policies  and  regulations  (including  changes  in  price  supports,  subsidies,
government-sponsored  crop  insurance,  minimum  ethanol  content  requirements  for  gasoline,  tariffs,
trade barriers and health and environmental regulations);

● access to technology and the successful implementation of production technologies; and
● changes  in  the  general  economy  that  could  affect  the  availability  of  off-farm  sources  of  income  and

prices of real estate for borrowers.

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INTEREST RATE RISKS

Fluctuations in interest rates may reduce net interest income and otherwise negatively impact our
financial condition and results of operations.

The majority of our banking assets are monetary in nature and subject to risk from changes in interest rates.
Like most financial institutions, our earnings and cash flows depend to a great extent upon the level of our net
interest  income,  or  the  difference  between  the  interest  income  we  earn  on  loans,  investments  and  other
interest-earning assets, and the interest we pay on interest-bearing liabilities, such as deposits and borrowings.
Changes in interest rates can increase or decrease our net interest income, because different types of assets
and  liabilities  may  react  differently,  and  at  different  times,  to  market  interest  rate  changes.  When  interest-
bearing liabilities mature or reprice more quickly, or to a greater degree than interest-earning assets in a period,
an increase in interest rates could reduce net interest income. Similarly, when interest-earning assets mature or
reprice  more  quickly,  or  to  a  greater  degree  than  interest-bearing  liabilities,  falling  interest  rates  could  reduce
net interest income.

Additionally, an increase in interest rates may, among other things, reduce the demand for loans, increase the
cost of deposit and wholesale funding, reduce our ability to originate loans and decrease loan repayment rates.
A decrease in the general level of interest rates may, among other things, increase prepayments on our loan
and  securities  portfolios  and  result  in  a  decrease  in  our  net  interest  margin,  negatively  impacting  our  results.
Although  our  asset-liability  management  strategy  is  designed  to  control  and  mitigate  exposure  to  the  risks
related  to  changes  in  market  interest  rates,  those  rates  are  affected  by  many  factors  outside  of  our  control,
including governmental monetary policies, inflation, deflation, recession, changes in unemployment, the money
supply, international disorder and instability in domestic and foreign financial markets.

We  may  seek  to  mitigate  our  interest  rate  risk  by  entering  into  interest  rate  swaps  and  other  interest  rate
derivative  contracts  from  time  to  time  with  counterparties.  Our  hedging  strategies  rely  on  assumptions  and
projections regarding interest rates, asset levels and general market factors and subject us to counterparty risk.
There is no assurance that our interest rate mitigation strategies will be successful and if our assumptions and
projections prove to be incorrect or our hedging strategies do not adequately mitigate the impact of changes in
interest rates, we may incur losses that could adversely affect our earnings.

The value of the financial instruments we own may decline in the future.

An increase in market interest rates may affect the market value of our securities portfolio, potentially reducing
accumulated other comprehensive income and/or earnings.

In  addition,  we  evaluate  our  investment  securities  on  at  least  a  quarterly  basis,  and  more  frequently  when
economic  and  market  conditions  warrant  such  an  evaluation,  to  determine  whether  any  decline  in  fair  value
below amortized cost is the result of an other-than-temporary impairment. The process for determining whether
impairment  is  other-than-temporary  usually  requires  complex,  subjective  judgments  about  the  future  financial
performance  of  the  issuer  in  order  to  assess  the  probability  of  receiving  all  contractual  principal  and  interest
payments on the security. Because of changing economic and market conditions affecting issuers, we may be
required  to  recognize  other-than-temporary  impairment  in  future  periods,  which  could  adversely  affect  our
business, results of operations or financial condition.

Monetary policies and regulations of the Federal Reserve could adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.

In  addition  to  being  affected  by  general  economic  conditions,  our  earnings  and  growth  are  affected  by  the
policies of the Federal Reserve. An important function of the Federal Reserve is to regulate the money supply
and credit conditions. Among the instruments used by the Federal Reserve to implement these objectives are
open market purchases and sales of U.S. government securities, adjustments of the discount rate and changes
in banks’ reserve requirements against bank deposits. These instruments are used in varying combinations to

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influence  overall  economic  growth  and  the  distribution  of  credit,  bank  loans,  investments  and  deposits.  Their
use also affects interest rates charged on loans or paid on deposits.

The  monetary  policies  and  regulations  of  the  Federal  Reserve  have  had  a  significant  effect  on  the  operating
results of commercial banks in the past and are expected to continue to do so in the future. The effects of such
policies upon our business, financial condition and results of operations cannot be predicted.

RISKS RELATED TO REFERENCE RATE REFORM

We may be adversely impacted by the transition from LIBOR as a reference rate.

In 2017, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the authority that regulates LIBOR) announced that it
will  stop  compelling  banks  to  submit  rates  for  the  calculation  of  LIBOR  after  the  end  of  2021,  creating
considerable uncertainty regarding the publication of such rates beyond 2021. The transition away from LIBOR
to alternative reference rates could have a negative impact on the value of, return on, and trading market for the
LIBOR-based loans and securities in our portfolio and an adverse impact on the availability and cost of hedging
instruments and borrowings. In addition, we may incur expenses if we are required to renegotiate the terms of
existing  agreements  that  govern  LIBOR-based  products  as  a  result  of  the  transition  away  from  LIBOR,  and
could  be  subject  to  disputes  or  litigation  with  counterparties  regarding  the  interpretation  and  enforceability  of
provisions  in  existing  LIBOR-based  products  regarding  fallback  language  or  other  related  provisions,  as  the
economics  of  various  alternative  reference  rates  differ  from  LIBOR.  The  impact  on  the  valuation,  pricing,  and
operation  of  our  LIBOR-based  financial  instruments  and  the  cost  of  transitioning  to  the  use  of  alternative
reference rates is not yet known and could have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

We  have  issued  fixed-to-floating  subordinated  notes  which  include  the  Secured  Overnight  Financing
Rate (SOFR) as the reference rate during the floating rate period. SOFR differs fundamentally from, and
may not be a comparable substitute for, LIBOR.

In June 2017, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (the "ARRC") convened by the Federal Reserve and
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY) announced SOFR as its recommended alternative to t LIBOR.
However,  because  SOFR  is  a  broad  U.S.  Treasury  repo  financing  rate  that  represents  overnight  secured
funding transactions, it differs fundamentally from LIBOR. For example, SOFR is a secured overnight rate, while
LIBOR  is  an  unsecured  rate  that  represents  interbank  funding  over  different  maturities.  In  addition,  because
SOFR is a transaction-based rate, it is backward-looking, whereas LIBOR is forward-looking. Because of these
and  other  differences,  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  SOFR  will  perform  in  the  same  way  as  LIBOR  would
have done at any time, and there is no guarantee that it is a comparable substitute for LIBOR.

LIQUIDITY RISKS

Liquidity risks could affect operations and jeopardize our business, financial condition and results of
operations.

Liquidity is essential to our business. An inability to raise funds through deposits, borrowings, the sale of loans
and/or  investment  securities  and  from  other  sources  could  have  a  substantial  negative  effect  on  our  liquidity.
Our  most  important  source  of  funds  consists  of  our  customer  deposits.  Such  deposit  balances  can  decrease
when  customers  perceive  alternative  investments,  such  as  the  stock  market,  as  providing  a  better  risk/return
tradeoff. If customers move money out of bank deposits and into other investments, we could lose a relatively
low cost source of funds, which would require us to seek wholesale funding alternatives in order to continue to
grow, thereby increasing our funding costs and reducing our net interest income and net income.

In  addition  to  our  deposit  base,  our  liquidity  is  provided  by  cash  from  operations  and  investment  maturities,
redemptions and sales as well as cash flow from loan prepayments and maturing loans that are not renewed.
When needed, additional liquidity is sometimes provided by our ability to borrow from the Federal Reserve Bank
of Chicago and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (the "FHLB"), through federal funds lines with

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our  correspondent  banks,  and  through  other  wholesale  funding  sources  including  brokered  certificates  of
deposits  or  deposits  placed  with  the  Certificate  of  Deposit  Account  Registry  Service.  Our  access  to  funding
sources in amounts adequate to finance or capitalize our activities or on terms that are acceptable to us could
be impaired by factors that affect us directly or the financial services industry or economy in general, such as
disruptions  in  the  financial  markets  or  negative  views  and  expectations  about  the  prospects  for  the  financial
services industry.

Any decline in available funding could adversely impact our ability to continue to implement our business plan,
including  originating  loans,  investing  in  securities,  meeting  our  expenses  or  fulfilling  obligations  such  as
repaying our borrowings and meeting deposit withdrawal demands, any of which could have a material adverse
impact on our liquidity, business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may need to raise additional capital in the future, and such capital may not be available when
needed or at all.

We may need to raise additional capital, in the form of debt or equity securities, in the future to have sufficient
capital resources to meet our commitments and our regulatory requirements, and to fund our business needs
and future growth, particularly if the quality of our assets or earnings were to deteriorate significantly. Our ability
to  raise  additional  capital,  if  needed,  will  depend  on,  among  other  things,  conditions  in  the  capital  markets  at
that time, which are outside of our control, and our financial condition. We may not be able to obtain capital on
acceptable  terms  or  at  all.  Any  occurrence  that  may  limit  our  access  to  capital,  such  as  a  decline  in  the
confidence of debt purchasers, depositors of the Bank or counterparties participating in the capital markets or
other disruption in capital markets, may adversely affect our capital costs and our ability to raise capital and, in
turn,  our  liquidity.  Further,  if  we  need  to  raise  capital  in  the  future,  we  may  have  to  do  so  when  many  other
financial institutions are also seeking to raise capital and would then have to compete with those institutions for
investors.  An  inability  to  raise  additional  capital  on  acceptable  terms  when  needed  could  have  a  material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We may be adversely affected by changes in the actual or perceived soundness or condition of other
financial institutions.

Financial  services  institutions  that  deal  with  each  other  are  interconnected  as  a  result  of  trading,  investment,
liquidity  management,  clearing,  counterparty  and  other  relationships.  Concerns  about,  or  a  default  by,  one
institution  could  lead  to  significant  liquidity  problems  and  losses  or  defaults  by  other  institutions,  as  the
commercial and financial soundness of many financial institutions is closely related as a result of these credit,
trading, clearing and other relationships. Even the perceived lack of creditworthiness of, or questions about, a
counterparty  may  lead  to  market-wide  liquidity  problems  and  losses  or  defaults  by  various  institutions.  This
systemic risk may adversely affect financial intermediaries with which we interact on a daily basis or key funding
providers  such  as  the  FHLB,  any  of  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  access  to  liquidity  or
otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Loss of customer deposits could increase our funding costs.

We  rely  on  deposits  as  a  low  cost  and  stable  source  of  funding.  We  compete  with  banks  and  other  financial
services companies for deposits. If our competitors raise the rates they pay on deposits, our funding costs may
increase, either because we raise our rates to avoid losing deposits or because we lose deposits and must rely
on  more  expensive  sources  of  funding.  Higher  funding  costs  could  reduce  our  net  interest  margin  and  net
interest  income  and  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial  condition,  and  results  of
operations.

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TECHNOLOGY AND CYBERSECURITY RISKS

The occurrence of fraudulent activity, breaches or failures of our information security controls or
cybersecurity-related incidents could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition or results of operations.

As  a  financial  institution,  we  are  susceptible  to  fraudulent  activity,  information  security  breaches  and
cybersecurity-related  incidents  that  may  be  committed  against  us  or  our  customers,  which  may  result  in
financial  losses  or  increased  costs  to  us  or  our  clients,  disclosure  or  misuse  of  our  information  or  our  client
information,  misappropriation  of  assets,  privacy  breaches  against  our  customers,  litigation  or  damage  to  our
reputation.  Such  fraudulent  activity  may  take  many  forms,  including  check  fraud,  electronic  fraud,  wire  fraud,
phishing, social engineering and other dishonest acts. Information security breaches and cybersecurity-related
incidents  may  include  fraudulent  or  unauthorized  access  to  systems  used  by  us  or  our  customers,  denial  or
degradation of service attacks, and malware or other cyber-attacks. There continues to be a rise in electronic
fraudulent  activity,  security  breaches  and  cyber-attacks  within  the  financial  services  industry,  especially  in  the
commercial banking sector due to cyber criminals targeting commercial bank accounts. Moreover, several large
corporations, including financial institutions and retail companies, have suffered major data breaches, in some
cases exposing not only confidential and proprietary corporate information, but also sensitive financial and other
personal  information  of  their  customers  and  employees  and  subjecting  them  to  potential  fraudulent  activity.
Some of our customers may have been affected by these breaches, which could increase their risks of identity
theft and other fraudulent activity that could involve their accounts with us.

We also face risks related to cyber-attacks and other security breaches in connection with debit card and credit
card  transactions  that  typically  involve  the  transmission  of  sensitive  information  regarding  our  customers
through  various  third  parties,  including  retailers  and  payment  processors.  Some  of  these  parties  have  in  the
past been the target of security breaches and cyber-attacks, and because the transactions involve third parties
and environments such as the point of sale that we do not control or secure, future security breaches or cyber-
attacks affecting any of these third parties could affect us through no fault of our own. In some cases, we may
have  exposure  and  suffer  losses  for  breaches  or  attacks  relating  to  them,  including  costs  to  replace
compromised debit and credit cards and to address fraudulent transactions.

Information pertaining to us and our customers is maintained, and transactions are executed, on networks and
systems  maintained  by  us  and  certain  third-party  partners,  such  as  our  digital  banking  systems.  The  secure
maintenance  and  transmission  of  confidential  information,  as  well  as  execution  of  transactions  over  these
systems, are essential to protect us and our customers against fraud and security breaches and to maintain our
customers’  confidence.  Breaches  of  information  security  may  also  occur  through  intentional  or  unintentional
acts  by  those  having  access  to  our  systems  or  our  customers’  or  counterparties’  confidential  information,
including  employees.  In  addition,  a  number  of  developments  could  result  in  a  compromise  or  breach  of  the
technology, processes and controls that we use to prevent fraudulent transactions and to protect data about us,
our  customers  and  underlying  transactions,  as  well  as  the  technology  used  by  our  customers  to  access  our
systems.  These  developments  include  increases  in  criminal  activity  levels  and  sophistication,  advances  in
computer  capabilities,  new  discoveries  and  vulnerabilities  in  third-party  technologies  (including  browsers  and
operating systems).

Although we have developed, and continue to invest in, systems and processes that are designed to detect and
prevent  security  breaches  and  cyber-attacks  and  periodically  test  our  security,  our  or  our  third-party  partners’
inability to anticipate, or failure to adequately mitigate, breaches of security could result in losses to us or our
customers,  loss  of  business  and/or  customers,  reputational  damage,  the  incurrence  of  additional  expenses,
disruption  to  our  business,  our  inability  to  grow  our  online  services  or  other  businesses,  additional  regulatory
scrutiny or penalties, or our exposure to civil litigation and possible financial liability, any of which could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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We depend on information technology and telecommunications systems of third parties, and any
systems failures, interruptions or data breaches involving these systems could adversely affect our
operations and financial condition.

Our business is highly dependent on the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our information technology
and  telecommunications  systems,  third-party  servicers,  accounting  systems,  digital  banking  platforms  and
financial intermediaries. We outsource to third parties many of our major systems, such as digital banking, loan
servicing,  and  deposit  processing  systems.  The  failure  of  these  systems,  or  the  termination  of  a  third-party
software license or service agreement on which any of these systems is based, could interrupt our operations.
Because our information technology and telecommunications systems interface with and depend on third-party
systems, we could experience service denials if demand for such services exceeds capacity or such third-party
systems fail or experience interruptions. If sustained or repeated, a system failure or service denial could result
in a deterioration of our ability to process loans or gather deposits and provide customer service, compromise
our ability to operate effectively, result in potential noncompliance with applicable laws or regulations, damage
our  reputation,  result  in  a  loss  of  customer  business  and/or  subject  us  to  additional  regulatory  scrutiny  and
possible  financial  liability,  any  of  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  financial  condition  and
results of operations. In addition, failure of third parties to comply with applicable laws and regulations, or fraud
or misconduct on the part of employees of any of these third parties, could disrupt our operations or adversely
affect our reputation.

It  may  be  difficult  for  us  to  replace  some  of  our  third-party  vendors,  particularly  vendors  providing  our  core
banking, debit card and credit card services and information services, in a timely manner if they are unwilling or
unable to provide us with these services in the future for any reason and even if we are able to replace them, it
may be at higher cost or result in the loss of customers. Any such events could have a material adverse effect
on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our  operations  rely  heavily  on  the  secure  processing,  storage  and  transmission  of  information  and  the
monitoring  of  a  large  number  of  transactions  on  a  minute-by-minute  basis,  and  even  a  short  interruption  in
service could have significant consequences. We also interact with and rely on retailers, for whom we process
transactions, as well as financial counterparties and regulators. Each of these third parties may be targets of the
same  types  of  fraudulent  activity,  computer  break-ins  and  other  cybersecurity  breaches  described  above  or
herein, and the cybersecurity measures that they maintain to mitigate the risk of such activity may be different
than our own and may be inadequate.

As a result of financial entities and technology systems becoming more interdependent and complex, a cyber-
incident, information breach or loss, or technology failure that compromises the systems or data of one or more
financial  entities  could  have  a  material  impact  on  counterparties  or  other  market  participants,  including
ourselves. Although we review business continuity and backup plans for our vendors and take other safeguards
to support our operations, such plans or safeguards may be inadequate. As a result of the foregoing, our ability
to conduct business may be adversely affected by any significant disruptions to us or to third parties with whom
we interact.

Our use of third-party vendors and our other ongoing third-party business relationships is subject to
increasing regulatory requirements and attention.

Our use of third-party vendors for certain information systems is subject to increasingly demanding regulatory
requirements  and  attention  by  our  bank  regulators.  Regulatory  guidance  requires  us  to  enhance  our  due
diligence,  ongoing  monitoring  and  control  over  our  third-party  vendors  and  other  ongoing  third-party  business
relationships. In certain cases we may be required to renegotiate our agreements with these vendors to meet
these  enhanced  requirements,  which  could  increase  our  costs.  Our  regulators  may  hold  us  responsible  for
deficiencies  in  our  oversight  and  control  of  our  third-party  relationships  and  in  the  performance  of  the  parties
with  which  we  have  these  relationships.  As  a  result,  if  our  regulators  conclude  that  we  have  not  exercised
adequate oversight and control over our third-party vendors or other ongoing third-party business relationships
or that such third parties have not performed appropriately, we could be subject to enforcement actions,

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including civil money penalties or other administrative or judicial penalties or fines as well as requirements for
customer  remediation,  any  of  which  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  our  business,  financial  condition  or
results of operations.

We continually encounter technological change and may have fewer resources than many of our larger
competitors to continue to invest in technological improvements.

The  financial  services  industry  is  undergoing  rapid  technological  changes,  with  frequent  introductions  of  new
technology-driven  products  and  services.  The  effective  use  of  technology  increases  efficiency  and  enables
financial  institutions  to  better  serve  customers  and  to  reduce  costs.  Our  future  success  will  depend,  in  part,
upon our ability to address the needs of our customers by using technology to provide products and services
that will satisfy customer demands for convenience, as well as to create additional efficiencies in our operations.
Many of our competitors have substantially greater resources to invest in technological improvements. We also
may  not  be  able  to  effectively  implement  new  technology-driven  products  and  services  or  be  successful  in
marketing these products and services to our customers.

In  addition,  we  expect  that  new  technologies  and  business  processes  applicable  to  the  banking  industry  will
continue  to  emerge,  and  these  new  technologies  and  business  processes  may  be  better  than  those  we
currently  use.  The  implementation  of  technological  changes  and  upgrades  to  maintain  current  systems  and
integrate  new  ones  may  cause  service  interruptions,  transaction  processing  errors  and  system  conversion
delays and may cause us to fail to comply with applicable laws. Because the pace of technological change is
high and our industry is intensely competitive, we may not be able to sustain our investment in new technology
as critical systems and applications become obsolete or as better ones become available. A failure to maintain
current  technology  and  business  processes  could  cause  disruptions  in  our  operations  or  cause  our  products
and services to be less competitive, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition or results of operations.

LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE RISKS

The banking industry is highly regulated, and the regulatory framework, together with any future
legislative or regulatory changes, may have a significant adverse effect on our business, financial
condition, results of operations and future prospects.

As  a  bank  holding  company,  we  and  our  subsidiaries  are  subject  to  extensive  examination,  supervision  and
comprehensive regulation under both federal and state laws and regulations that are intended primarily for the
protection of depositors, customers, the DIF and the overall financial stability of the United States, not for the
protection  of  our  stockholders  and  creditors.  We  are  subject  to  regulation  and  supervision  by  the  Federal
Reserve, and the Bank is subject to regulation and supervision by the FDIC and the IDFPR. The banking laws
and  regulations  applicable  to  us  govern  a  variety  of  matters,  including,  among  other  things,  the  types  of
business activities in which we and our subsidiaries can engage; permissible types, amounts and terms of loans
and  investments  we  may  make;  the  maximum  interest  rate  that  we  may  charge;  the  amount  of  reserves  we
must hold against deposits we take; the types of deposits we may accept; maintenance of adequate capital and
liquidity; changes in the control of us and the Bank; restrictions on dividends or other capital distributions; and
establishment  of  new  offices  or  branches.  These  requirements  may  constrain  our  operations  or  require  us  to
obtain approval from our regulators before engaging in certain activities, with no assurance that such approvals
may  be  obtained,  either  in  a  timely  manner  or  at  all.  Also,  the  burden  imposed  by  those  federal  and  state
regulations may place banks in general at a competitive disadvantage compared to their non-bank competitors.

Applicable  banking  laws,  regulations,  interpretations,  enforcement  policies,  and  accounting  principles  have
been  subject  to  significant  changes  in  recent  years  and  may  be  subject  to  significant  future  changes.  In
addition,  regulators  may  elect  to  alter  standards  or  the  interpretation  of  the  standards  used  to  measure
regulatory compliance or to determine the adequacy of liquidity, certain risk management or other operational
practices for bank holding companies in a manner that impacts our ability to implement our strategy and could
affect  us  in  substantial  and  unpredictable  ways.  Compliance  with  existing  and  any  potential  new  or  changed
regulations,

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as  well  as  regulatory  scrutiny,  may  significantly  increase  our  costs,  impede  the  efficiency  of  our  internal
business  processes,  require  us  to  increase  our  regulatory  capital  and  limit  our  ability  to  pursue  business
opportunities in an efficient manner. Our failure to comply with banking laws, regulations and policies, even if
the failure follows good faith effort or reflects a difference in interpretation, could subject us to restrictions on our
business  activities,  fines  and  other  penalties,  the  commencement  of  informal  or  formal  enforcement  actions
against  us,  and  other  negative  consequences,  including  reputational  damage,  any  of  which  could  adversely
affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, capital base and the price of our securities.

Prior to October 11, 2019, we were treated as an S Corp, and claims of taxing authorities related to our
prior status as an S Corp could harm us.

Effective October 11, 2019, the Company revoked its S Corp status and became a taxable entity (C Corp) that
is subject to U.S. federal income tax. If the unaudited, open tax years in which we were an S Corp are audited
by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") and we are determined not to have qualified for, or to have violated,
our S Corp status, we will be obligated to pay back taxes, interest and penalties. The amounts that we would be
obligated to pay could include tax on all of our taxable income while we were an S Corp. Any such claims could
result  in  additional  costs  to  us  and  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  results  of  operations  and
financial condition.

We could become obligated to make payments to the pre-IPO stockholders for any additional federal,
state or local income taxes assessed against such pre-IPO stockholder for tax periods prior to the
completion of the IPO.

Prior to October 11, 2019, we were treated as an S Corp for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because we had
been an S Corp, our pre-IPO stockholders had been taxed on our income as individuals. Therefore each pre-
IPO stockholder has received certain distributions ("tax distributions") from us that were generally intended to
equal the amount of tax such was required to pay with respect to our income. In connection with the IPO, our S
Corp status terminated and we are now subject to federal and increased state income taxes. In the event of an
adjustment to our reported taxable income for periods prior to termination of our S Corp status, it is possible that
each  pre-IPO  stockholder  will  be  liable  for  additional  income  taxes  for  those  prior  periods.  Pursuant  to  the
Amended Restated Stockholder Agreement, upon our filing any tax return (amended or otherwise), in the event
of  any  restatement  of  our  taxable  income  or  pursuant  to  a  determination  by,  or  a  settlement  with,  a  taxing
authority, for any period during which we were an S Corp, depending on the nature of the adjustment we may
be  required  to  make  a  payment  to  each  of  the  pre-IPO  stockholders  in  an  amount  equal  to  such  pre-IPO
stockholder's incremental tax liability, which amount may be material. In addition, we agreed to indemnify each
pre-IPO  stockholder  with  respect  to  unpaid  income  tax  liabilities  to  the  extent  that  such  unpaid  income  tax
liabilities  are  attributable  to  an  adjustment  to  our  taxable  income  for  any  period  after  our  S  Corp  status
terminates.  In  both  cases,  the  amount  of  the  payment  will  be  based  on  the  assumption  that  such  pre-IPO
stockholder  is  taxed  at  the  highest  rate  applicable  to  individuals  for  the  relevant  periods.  We  also  agreed  to
indemnify  each  pre-IPO  stockholder  for  any  interest,  penalties,  losses,  costs  or  expenses  arising  out  of  any
claim  under  the  agreement.  However,  each  pre-IPO  stockholder  agreed  to  indemnify  us  with  respect  to  our
unpaid tax liabilities (including interest and penalties) to the extent that such unpaid tax liabilities are attributable
to a decrease in the shareholder's taxable income for any for tax period and a corresponding increase in the
Company's taxable income for any period.

We are subject to capital adequacy requirements and may be subject to more stringent capital
requirements and, if we fail to meet these requirements, we will be subject to restrictions on our ability
to make capital distributions and other restrictions.

The regulatory capital rules adopted by the U.S. banking agencies to implement the Basel III regulatory capital
framework developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (the "Basel III Capital Rules") increased
our  capital  requirements,  including  by  introducing  a  Common  Equity  Tier  1  ("CET1")  capital  ratio  and
establishing  additional  criteria  for  certain  capital  instruments  to  be  considered  Additional  Tier  1  and  Tier  2
capital. For example, trust preferred securities are generally excluded from being counted as Tier 1 capital

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under  the  Basel  III  Capital  Rules,  but  our  trust  preferred  securities  were  grandfathered  in  as  a  component  of
Tier 1 capital because we have less than $15 billion in total consolidated assets. If we were to pursue sufficient
balance  sheet  growth  through  acquisitions  or  mergers,  we  could  lose  Tier  1  capital  treatment  of  our
grandfathered  trust  preferred  securities,  although  such  trust  preferred  securities  likely  would  continue  to  be
included as a component of Tier 2 capital.

The Basel III Capital Rules require us to maintain a minimum CET1 capital ratio of 4.5%, a minimum total Tier 1
capital ratio of 6%, a minimum total capital ratio of 8% and a minimum Tier 1 leverage ratio of 4%, and a capital
conservation buffer of greater than 2.5% of risk-weighted assets (the "Capital Conservation Buffer"). Failure to
maintain the Capital Conservation Buffer would result in increasingly stringent restrictions on our ability to make
dividend  payments  and  other  capital  distributions  and  to  pay  discretionary  bonuses  to  our  executive  officers.
See  "Supervision  and  Regulation—Regulatory  Capital  Requirements"  for  more  information  on  the  capital
adequacy standards that we must meet and maintain.

While we currently meet the requirements of the Basel III Capital Rules, we may fail to do so in the future and
may be unable to raise additional capital to remediate any capital deficiencies. The failure to meet applicable
regulatory capital requirements could result in one or more of our regulators placing limitations or conditions on
our activities or restricting the commencement of new activities, including our growth initiatives, and could affect
customer and investor confidence, our costs of funds and level of required deposit insurance assessments to
the FDIC, our ability to pay dividends on our capital stock, our ability to make acquisitions, and our business,
results of operations and financial conditions generally.

Future legislative or regulatory change could impose higher capital standards on us or the Bank. The Federal
Reserve may also set higher capital requirements for holding companies whose circumstances warrant it. For
example,  holding  companies  experiencing  internal  growth  or  making  acquisitions  are  expected  to  maintain
strong  capital  positions  substantially  above  the  minimum  supervisory  levels,  without  significant  reliance  on
intangible assets.

The Federal Reserve may require us to commit capital resources to support the Bank.

Federal  law  requires  a  bank  holding  company  to  act  as  a  source  of  financial  and  managerial  strength  to  its
subsidiary  banks,  and  to  commit  resources  to  support  such  subsidiary  banks.  Under  the  "source  of  strength"
doctrine, the Federal Reserve may require a bank holding company to make capital injections into a troubled
subsidiary bank and may charge the bank holding company with engaging in unsafe and unsound practices for
failure  to  commit  resources  to  a  subsidiary  bank.  A  capital  injection  may  be  required  at  times  when  the
Company may not have the resources to provide it and therefore may be required to borrow the funds or raise
capital. Any loans by a holding company to its subsidiary banks are subordinate in right of payment to deposits
and  to  certain  other  indebtedness  of  such  subsidiary  bank.  In  the  event  of  a  bank  holding  company’s
bankruptcy,  the  bankruptcy  trustee  will  assume  any  commitment  by  the  holding  company  to  a  federal  bank
regulatory agency to maintain the capital of a subsidiary bank. Moreover, bankruptcy law provides that claims
based  on  any  such  commitment  will  be  entitled  to  a  priority  of  payment  over  the  claims  of  the  institution’s
general  unsecured  creditors,  including  the  holders  of  its  note  obligations.  Thus,  any  borrowing  that  must  be
done by the Company to make a required capital injection into the Bank could be more difficult and expensive to
obtain and could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our risk management framework may not be effective in mitigating risks and/or losses to us.

Our risk management framework is comprised of various processes, systems and strategies, and is designed to
manage the types of risk to which we are subject, including, among others, credit, market, liquidity, interest rate
and  compliance.  Our  framework  also  includes  financial  or  other  modeling  methodologies  that  involve
management  assumptions  and  judgment.  Our  risk  management  framework  may  not  be  effective  under  all
circumstances or that it will adequately mitigate any risk or loss to us. If our framework is not effective, we could
suffer unexpected losses and our business, financial condition, results of operations or growth prospects could
be materially and adversely affected. We may also be subject to potentially adverse regulatory consequences.

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Federal and state regulators periodically examine our business, and we may be required to remediate
adverse examination findings.

The Federal Reserve (with respect to us) and the FDIC and the IDFPR (with respect to the Bank) periodically
examine  our  business,  including  our  compliance  with  applicable  laws  and  regulations.  These  regulatory
agencies  have  extremely  broad  discretion  in  their  interpretation  of  regulations  and  laws,  and  in  their
interpretation  of  the  quality  of  our  loan  portfolio,  securities  portfolio  and  other  assets.  If,  as  a  result  of  an
examination, a banking agency were to determine that our financial condition, capital resources, asset quality,
lending  practices,  investment  practices,  earnings  prospects,  management,  liquidity  or  other  aspects  of  any  of
our operations had become unsatisfactory, or that we were in violation of any law or regulation, it may take a
number of different remedial actions as it deems appropriate. These actions include the power to enjoin "unsafe
or  unsound"  practices,  to  require  affirmative  action  to  correct  any  conditions  resulting  from  any  violation  or
practice, to issue an administrative order that can be judicially enforced, to direct an increase in our capital, to
restrict our growth, to assess civil money penalties, to fine or remove officers and directors and, if it is concluded
that  such  conditions  cannot  be  corrected  or  there  is  an  imminent  risk  of  loss  to  depositors,  to  terminate  our
deposit  insurance  and  place  us  into  receivership  or  conservatorship.  Any  regulatory  action  against  us  could
have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

Future consumer legislation or regulation could harm our performance and competitive position.

The  Dodd-Frank  Act  established  the  CFPB  as  an  independent  federal  agency  that  has  broad  rulemaking
authority over consumer financial products and services for all financial institutions, including deposit products,
residential  mortgages,  home-equity  loans  and  credit  cards.  In  addition,  the  CFPB  also  has  exclusive
supervisory  and  examination  authority  and  primary  enforcement  authority  with  respect  to  various  federal
consumer  financial  laws  and  regulations  for  insured  depository  institutions  with  more  than  $10  billion  in  total
consolidated assets. The Bank is not subject to the examination and supervisory authority of the CFPB because
it has less than $10 billion in total assets, but it is required to comply with the rules and regulations issued by
the CFPB. The FDIC has the primarily responsible for supervising and examining the Bank’s compliance with
federal consumer financial laws and regulations, including CFPB regulations. See "Supervision and Regulation
—Consumer Financial Protection" for additional information.

In addition to the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act, various state and local legislative bodies have adopted or
have been considering augmenting their existing framework governing consumers’ rights. These considerations
could also be impacted by the recent changes in federal administration. Such legislative or regulatory changes
to  consumer  financial  laws  and  regulations  could  result  in  changes  to  our  pricing,  practices,  products  and
procedures;  increases  in  our  costs  related  to  regulatory  oversight,  supervision  and  examination;  or  result  in
remediation efforts and possible penalties. We may be required to add additional compliance personnel or incur
other  significant  compliance-related  expenses  to  meet  the  demands  of  these  consumer  protection  laws.  We
cannot predict whether new legislation or regulation will be enacted and, if enacted, the effect that it would have
on our activities, financial condition, or results of operations.

We are subject to numerous laws and regulations designed to protect consumers, including the
Community Reinvestment Act and fair lending laws, and failure to comply with these laws could lead to
a wide variety of sanctions.

The  Community  Reinvestment  Act  of  1977  ("CRA")  requires  the  Bank,  consistent  with  safe  and  sound
operations,  to  ascertain  and  meet  the  credit  needs  of  their  entire  communities,  including  low  and  moderate
income  areas.  The  Bank’s  failure  to  comply  with  the  CRA  could,  among  other  things,  result  in  the  denial  or
delay  of  certain  corporate  applications  filed  by  us  or  the  Bank,  including  applications  for  branch  openings  or
relocations  and  applications  to  acquire,  merge  or  consolidate  with  another  banking  institution  or  holding
company.  In  addition,  the  Equal  Credit  Opportunity  Act,  the  Fair  Housing  Act  and  other  fair  lending  laws  and
regulations  prohibit  discriminatory  lending  practices  by  financial  institutions.  The  U.S.  Department  of  Justice,
federal banking agencies, and other federal agencies are responsible for enforcing these laws and regulations.
A challenge to an institution’s compliance with fair lending laws and regulations could result in a wide variety of

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sanctions,  including  damages  and  civil  money  penalties,  injunctive  relief,  restrictions  on  mergers  and
acquisitions activity, restrictions on expansion, and restrictions on entering new business lines. Private parties
may also challenge an institution’s performance under fair lending laws in private class action litigation. Such
actions  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and
growth prospects. See "Supervision and Regulation—Community Reinvestment Act".

The expanding body of federal, state and local regulations and/or the licensing of loan servicing,
collections or other aspects of our business and our sales of loans to third parties may increase the
cost of compliance and the risks of noncompliance and subject us to litigation.

Loan servicing is subject to extensive regulation by federal, state and local governmental authorities as well as
to  various  laws  and  judicial  and  administrative  decisions  imposing  requirements  and  restrictions  on  those
activities. The volume of new or modified laws and regulations has increased in recent years and, in addition,
some individual municipalities have begun to enact laws that restrict loan servicing activities including delaying
or temporarily preventing foreclosures or forcing the modification of certain mortgages. If regulators impose new
or  more  restrictive  requirements,  we  may  incur  significant  additional  costs  to  comply  with  such  requirements
which may adversely affect us. In addition, were we to be subject to regulatory investigation or regulatory action
regarding our loan modification and foreclosure practices, our financial condition and results of operation could
be adversely affected. We have also sold loans to third parties. In connection with these sales, we, or certain of
our subsidiaries, make or have made various representations and warranties, breaches of which may result in a
requirement that we repurchase the loans or otherwise make whole or provide other remedies to counterparties.
These aspects of our business or our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations could possibly lead
to, among other things, civil and criminal liability, loss of licensure, damage to our reputation in the industry or
with customers, fines and penalties, litigation (including class action lawsuits) and administrative enforcement
actions. Any of these outcomes could materially and adversely affect us.

Non-compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act, the Bank Secrecy Act (the "BSA"), or other laws and
regulations could result in fines or sanctions.

Financial  institutions  are  required  under  the  USA  PATRIOT  Act  of  2001  and  the  BSA  to  develop  programs  to
prevent financial institutions from being used for money-laundering, terrorist financing and other illicit activities.
Financial  institutions  are  also  obligated  to  file  suspicious  activity  reports  with  the  Office  of  Financial  Crimes
Enforcement  Network  ("FinCEN")  of  the  U.S.  Department  of  the  Treasury  ("Treasury")  if  such  activities  are
detected. These rules also require financial institutions to establish procedures for identifying and verifying the
identity  of  customers  seeking  to  open  new  financial  accounts.  Failure  or  the  inability  to  comply  with  these
regulations could result in fines or penalties, curtailment of expansion opportunities, intervention or sanctions by
regulators and costly litigation or expensive additional controls and systems. In recent years, several banking
institutions have received large fines for non-compliance with these laws and regulations. In addition, FinCEN
  requires  financial  institutions  to  enhance  their  Customer  Due  Diligence  programs,  including  verifying  the
identity  of  beneficial  owners  of  qualifying  business  customers.  We  have  developed  policies  and  continue  to
augment procedures and systems designed to assist in compliance with these laws and regulations, but these
policies  may  not  be  effective  to  provide  such  compliance.  If  we  violate  these  laws  and  regulations,  or  our
policies,  procedures  and  systems  are  deemed  deficient,  we  could  face  severe  consequences,  including
sanctions, fines, regulatory actions and reputational consequences. Any of these results could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and growth prospects.

Regulation in the areas of privacy and data security could increase our costs.

We are subject to various regulations related to privacy and data security, and we could be negatively impacted
by these regulations. For example, we are subject to the safeguards guidelines under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act ("GLBA"). The safeguards guidelines require that each financial institution develop, implement and maintain
a  written,  comprehensive  information  security  program  containing  safeguards  that  are  appropriate  to  the
financial  institution’s  size  and  complexity,  the  nature  and  scope  of  the  financial  institution’s  activities  and  the
sensitivity of any customer information at issue. Further, there are various other statutes and regulations

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relevant  to  the  direct  email  marketing,  debt  collection  and  text-messaging  industries  including  the  Telephone
Consumer Protection Act.

In addition to the foregoing enhanced data security requirements, various federal banking regulatory agencies,
and  all  50  states,  the  District  of  Columbia,  Puerto  Rico  and  the  Virgin  Islands,  have  enacted  data  security
regulations and laws requiring varying levels of consumer notification in the event of a security breach and/or
requirements to disclose to consumers information collected about them. Also, federal legislators and regulators
are  increasingly  pursuing  new  guidelines,  laws  and  regulations  that,  if  adopted,  could  further  restrict  how  we
collect,  use,  share  and  secure  consumer  information,  which  could  impact  some  of  our  current  or  planned
business initiatives. The interpretation of many of these statutes and regulations is evolving in the courts and
administrative  agencies  and  an  inability  or  failure  to  comply  with  them  may  have  an  adverse  impact  on  our
business.

FDIC deposit insurance assessments may materially increase in the future, which would have an
adverse effect on earnings.

As  an  institution  with  deposits  insured  by  the  FDIC,  the  Bank  is  assessed  a  quarterly  deposit  insurance
premium. The failure of banks nationwide during the financial crisis significantly depleted the DIF and reduced
the  ratio  of  reserves  to  insured  deposits.  The  Bank  could  be  required  to  pay  significantly  higher  premiums  or
additional  special  assessments  if,  among  other  reasons,  future  bank  failures  deplete  the  DIF.  This  would
adversely affect the Bank’s earnings, thereby reducing its availability of funds to pay dividends to us.

Litigation and regulatory actions, including possible enforcement actions, could subject us to
significant fines, penalties, judgments or other requirements resulting in increased expenses or
restrictions on our business activities.

Our  business  is  subject  to  increased  litigation  and  regulatory  enforcement  risks  due  to  a  number  of  factors,
including  the  highly  regulated  nature  of  the  financial  services  industry  and  the  focus  of  state  and  federal
prosecutors  on  banks  and  the  financial  services  industry  generally.  This  focus  has  only  intensified  in
recent  years,  with  regulators  and  prosecutors  focusing  on  a  variety  of  financial  institution  practices  and
requirements, 
laws,
classification  of  "held  for  sale"  assets  and  compliance  with  anti-money  laundering  statutes,  the  BSA  and
sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Treasury.

foreclosure  practices,  compliance  with  applicable  consumer  protection 

including 

In the normal course of business, from time to time, we have in the past and may in the future be named as a
defendant in various legal actions, including arbitrations, class actions and other litigation, arising in connection
with our current and/or prior business activities. Legal actions could include claims for substantial compensatory
or  punitive  damages  or  claims  for  indeterminate  amounts  of  damages.  In  addition,  while  the  arbitration
provisions  in  certain  of  our  customer  agreements  historically  have  limited  our  exposure  to  consumer  class
action litigation, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in enforcing our arbitration clause in the
future.  We  may  also,  from  time  to  time,  be  the  subject  of  subpoenas,  requests  for  information,  reviews,
investigations  and  proceedings  (both  formal  and  informal)  by  governmental  agencies  regarding  our  current
and/or  prior  business  activities.  Any  such  legal  or  regulatory  actions  may  subject  us  to  substantial
compensatory or punitive damages, significant fines, penalties, obligations to change our business practices or
other  requirements  resulting  in  increased  expenses,  diminished  income  and  damage  to  our  reputation.  Our
involvement  in  any  such  matters,  whether  tangential  or  otherwise  and  even  if  the  matters  are  ultimately
determined in our favor, could also cause significant harm to our reputation and divert management attention
from the operation of our business. Further, any settlement, consent order or adverse judgment in connection
with  any  formal  or  informal  proceeding  or  investigation  by  government  agencies  may  result  in  litigation,
investigations  or  proceedings  as  other  litigants  and  government  agencies  begin  independent  reviews  of  the
same  activities.  As  a  result,  the  outcome  of  legal  and  regulatory  actions  could  be  material  to  our  business,
results  of  operations,  financial  condition  and  cash  flows  depending  on,  among  other  factors,  the  level  of  our
earnings for that period, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results
of operations.

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RISKS RELATED TO OUR BUSINESS STRATEGY

We may not be able to continue growing our business, particularly if we cannot make acquisitions or
increase loans through organic loan growth, either because of an inability to find suitable acquisition
candidates, constrained capital resources or otherwise.

We  anticipate  that  much  of  our  future  growth  will  be  dependent  on  our  ability  to  successfully  implement  our
acquisition  growth  strategy  because  certain  of  our  market  areas  are  comprised  of  mature,  rural  communities
with  limited  population  growth.  A  risk  exists,  however,  that  we  will  not  be  able  to  identify  suitable  additional
candidates  for  acquisitions.  In  addition,  even  if  suitable  targets  are  identified,  we  expect  to  compete  for  such
businesses  with  other  potential  bidders,  many  of  which  may  have  greater  financial  resources  than  we  have,
which  may  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  make  acquisitions  at  attractive  prices.  In  light  of  the  foregoing,  our
ability to continue to grow successfully will depend to a significant extent on our capital resources. It also will
depend, in part, upon our ability to attract deposits, identify favorable loan and investment opportunities and on
whether  we  can  continue  to  fund  growth  while  maintaining  cost  controls  and  asset  quality,  as  well  on  other
factors beyond our control, such as national, regional and local economic conditions and interest rate trends.

Also, as our acquired loan portfolio, which produces higher yields than our originated loans due to loan discount
accretion,  is  paid  down,  we  expect  downward  pressure  on  our  income  to  the  extent  that  the  run-off  is  not
replaced with other high-yielding loans. The accretable yield represents the excess of the net present value of
expected  future  cash  flows  over  the  acquisition  date  fair  value  and  includes  both  the  expected  coupon  of  the
loan and the discount accretion. As a result of the foregoing, if we are unable to replace loans in our existing
portfolio with comparable high-yielding loans or a larger volume of loans, we could be adversely affected. We
could also be materially and adversely affected if we choose to pursue riskier higher-yielding loans that fail to
perform.

Our strategy of pursuing growth via acquisitions exposes us to financial, execution and operational
risks that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations
and growth prospects.

We  have  been  pursuing  a  strategy  of  leveraging  our  human  and  financial  capital  by  acquiring  other  financial
institutions  in  our  target  markets,  including  acquisitions  of  failed  insured  depository  institutions  with  the
assistance  of  the  FDIC.  We  continue  to  opportunistically  seek  acquisitions  that  are  either  located  within  our
market  footprint,  in  adjacent  markets  or  provide  a  new  growth  opportunity  that  is  strategically  and  financially
compelling and consistent with our culture.

Our acquisition activities could require us to use a substantial amount of cash, other liquid assets, and/or issue
debt  or  additional  equity.  In  addition  to  the  general  risks  associated  with  any  growth  plans,  acquiring  other
banks, businesses, or branches involves various risks commonly associated with acquisitions, including, among
other things:

● the time and expense associated with identifying and evaluating potential acquisitions and negotiating

potential transactions;

● inaccuracies  in  the  estimates  and  judgments  used  to  evaluate  credit,  operations,  management,  and
market risks with respect to the target institution. If the actual results fall short or exceed our estimates,
our earnings, capital and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected;

● the ability to finance an acquisition and possible dilution to existing stockholders;
● compliance and legal risks associated with acquiring unfamiliar customers, products and services, and

branches in new geographical markets; and

● risks  associated  with  integrating  the  operations  and  personnel  of  the  acquired  business  in  a  manner
that  permits  growth  opportunities  and  does  not  materially  disrupt  existing  customer  relationships  or
result in decreased revenues resulting from any loss of customers.

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With respect to the risks particularly associated with the integration of an acquired business, we may encounter
a  number  of  difficulties,  such  as:  (1)  customer  loss  and  revenue  loss;  (2)  the  loss  of  key  employees;  (3)  the
disruption  of  its  operations  and  business;  (4)  the  inability  to  maintain  and  increase  its  competitive  presence;
(5) possible inconsistencies in standards, control procedures and policies; and/or (6) unexpected problems with
costs,  operations,  personnel,  technology  and  credit.  In  addition  to  the  risks  posed  by  the  integration  process
itself,  the  focus  of  management’s  attention  and  effort  on  integration  may  result  in  a  lack  of  sufficient
management  attention  to  other  important  issues,  causing  harm  to  our  business.  Also,  general  market  and
economic  conditions  or  governmental  actions  affecting  the  financial  industry  generally  may  inhibit  our
successful integration of an acquired business.

Generally,  any  acquisition  of  financial  institutions,  banking  centers  or  other  banking  assets  by  us  will  require
approval  by,  and  cooperation  from,  a  number  of  governmental  regulatory  agencies,  including  the  Federal
Reserve, the IDFPR, and the FDIC. Such regulators could deny our applications based on various prescribed
criteria or other considerations, which would restrict our growth, or the regulatory approvals may not be granted
on terms that are acceptable to us. For example, we could be required to sell banking centers as a condition to
receiving regulatory approvals and such a condition may not be acceptable to us or may reduce the benefit of
any  acquisition.  These  regulatory  approvals  and  the  factors  considered  in  reviewing  such  applications  are
described in greater detail in "Supervision and Regulation—Acquisitions and Branching."

We cannot assure you that we will be successful in overcoming these risks or any other problems encountered
in  connection  with  acquisitions.  Our  inability  to  overcome  risks  associated  with  acquisitions  could  have  an
adverse effect on our ability to successfully implement our acquisition growth strategy and grow our business
and profitability.

Attractive acquisition opportunities may not be available to us in the future.

While  we  seek  continued  organic  growth,  we  anticipate  continuing  to  evaluate  merger  and  acquisition
opportunities  presented  to  us  in  our  core  markets  and  beyond.  We  expect  that  other  banking  and  financial
companies,  many  of  which  have  significantly  greater  resources,  will  compete  with  us  to  acquire  financial
services businesses. In addition, it has yet to be seen what impact the recent changes in federal administration
will  have  on  the  Economic  Growth,  Regulatory  Relief,  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  (the  "Regulatory  Relief
Act") and certain proposed regulations. Currently, there is a regulatory freeze until new department or regulatory
agency heads have an opportunity to review and approve new rules, and depending on whether certain rules
are ultimately published in the Federal Register. As a result, certain large bank holding companies could more
aggressively  pursue  expansion,  including  through  acquisitions.  This  competition  could  increase  prices  for
potential  acquisitions,  which  could  reduce  our  potential  returns  and  reduce  the  attractiveness  of  these
opportunities to us.

RISKS RELATED TO OWNERSHIP OF OUR COMMON STOCK

Our principal stockholder, Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Voting Trust U/A/D 5/4/2016, has significant influence
over us, and its interests could conflict with those of our other stockholders.

As of December 31, 2020, our principal stockholder, Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Voting Trust U/A/D 5/4/2016 (“the
Voting Trust”), owned approximately 62.7% of the outstanding shares of our common stock and its trustee is our
Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer.  As  a  result,  the  Voting  Trust  is  able  to  influence  matters  requiring
approval  by  our  stockholders,  including  the  election  of  directors  and  the  approval  of  mergers  or  other
extraordinary  transactions.  The  Voting  Trust  may  also  have  interests  that  differ  from  yours  and  may  vote  in  a
way with which you disagree and which may be adverse to your interests. The concentration of ownership may
also have the effect of delaying, preventing or deterring a change of control of the Company, could deprive our
stockholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their common stock as part of a sale of our company
and might ultimately affect the market price of our common stock.

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The Voting Trust could sell its interest in us to a third-party in a private transaction, which may not lead to your
realization  of  any  change  of  control  premium  on  shares  of  our  common  stock  and  would  subject  us  to  the
influence of a presently unknown third-party.

The  ability  of  the  Voting  Trust  to  sell  its  shares  of  our  common  stock  privately,  with  no  requirement  for  a
concurrent  offer  to  be  made  to  acquire  all  of  the  shares  of  our  outstanding  common  stock,  could  prevent  our
stockholders from realizing any change of control premium on shares of our common stock that they own that
may accrue to the Voting Trust on its private sale of our common stock.

Even if the Voting Trust’s ownership of our shares falls below a majority, the Voting Trust may continue to be
able to influence or effectively control out decisions.

We are classified as a "controlled company" for purposes of the Nasdaq Listing Rules and, as a result,
we qualify for certain exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements. You do not have the
same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to such requirements.

As of the date of this report, the Voting Trust controls a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common
stock. As a result, we are a "controlled company" within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of
the  Nasdaq  Listing  Rules.  Under  the  Nasdaq  Listing  Rules,  a  company  of  which  more  than  50%  of  the
outstanding voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and may
elect not to comply with certain stock exchange corporate governance requirements, including:

● the requirement that a majority of the board of directors consists of independent directors;
● the requirement that nominating and corporate governance matters be decided solely by independent

directors; and

● the  requirement  that  executive  and  officer  compensation  matters  be  decided  solely  by  independent

directors.

Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to
all of the Nasdaq corporate governance requirements.

Our  ability  to  continue  to  pay  dividends  to  our  stockholders  is  restricted  by  applicable  laws  and
regulations and by the ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us.

Holders  of  our  common  stock  are  only  entitled  to  receive  such  cash  dividends  as  our  board,  in  its  sole
discretion,  may  declare  out  of  funds  legally  available  for  such  payments.  Any  decision  to  declare  and  pay
dividends  will  be  dependent  on  a  variety  of  factors,  including  our  financial  condition,  earnings,  legal
requirements, our general liquidity needs, and other factors that our board deems relevant. As a bank holding
company,  our  ability  to  declare  and  pay  dividends  to  our  stockholders  is  subject  to  certain  banking  laws,
regulations,  and  policies,  including  minimum  capital  requirements  and,  as  a  Delaware  corporation,  we  are
subject  to  certain  restrictions  on  dividends  under  the  DGCL.  In  addition,  we  are  a  separate  legal  entity,  and,
accordingly,  our  ability  to  pay  dividends  depends  primarily  upon  the  receipt  of  dividends  or  other  capital
distributions from the Bank. The ability of the Bank to make distributions or pay dividends to us is subject to its
earnings,  financial  condition,  and  liquidity  needs,  as  well  as  federal  and  state  laws,  regulations,  and  policies
applicable to the Bank, which limit the amount the Bank can pay as dividends or other capital distributions to us.
Finally,  our  ability  to  pay  dividends  to  our  stockholders,  or  the  Bank’s  ability  to  pay  dividends  or  other
distributions to us, may be limited by covenants in any financing arrangements that we or the Bank may enter
into in the future. See "Dividend Policy" and "Supervision and Regulation—Dividends and Share Repurchases."

As a consequence of these various limitations and restrictions, we may not be able to make, or may have to
reduce or eliminate at any time, future dividends on our common stock. Any change in the level of our dividends
or  the  suspension  of  the  payment  thereof  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  market  price  of  our
common stock.

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We cannot guarantee that we will be able to pay dividends to our stockholders, or that the board of directors of
the Bank will be able to or will elect to pay dividends to us, nor can we guarantee the timing or amount of any
such dividends actually paid. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock
unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

Future sales of our common stock, or the perception in the public markets that these sales may occur,
may depress our stock price.

Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales could
occur, could adversely affect the price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through
the sale of additional shares. Following the expiration of the 180-day underwriter lock-up agreed to by each of
our executive officers and directors and the trustee of the Voting Trust in connection with our IPO, the shares of
our common stock held by these holders may be sold in accordance with the volume, manner of sale, and other
limitations under Rule 144, and holders of approximately 17,210,400 shares of our common stock will have the
right to require us to register the sales of their shares under the Securities Act, under the terms of an agreement
between us and the holders of these securities.

In the future, we may also issue securities in connection with acquisitions or investments. The number of shares
of our common stock issued in connection with an acquisition or investment could constitute a material portion
of our then-outstanding shares of our common stock.

We  are  an  “emerging  growth  company”  and  may  elect  to  comply  with  reduced  public  company
reporting requirements which could make our common stock less attractive to investors.

We  are  an  emerging  growth  company,  as  defined  in  the  JOBS  Act.  For  as  long  as  we  continue  to  be  an
emerging  growth  company,  we  may  choose  to  take  advantage  of  exemptions  from  various  public  company
reporting requirements. These exemptions include, but are not limited to, (i) not being required to comply with
the  auditor  attestation  requirements  of  Section  404  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act,  (ii)  reduced  disclosure
obligations  regarding  executive  compensation  in  our  periodic  reports,  proxy  statements  and  registration
statements,  and  (iii)  exemptions  from  the  requirements  of  holding  a  nonbinding  advisory  vote  on  executive
compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could
be an emerging growth company for up to five years after our IPO, which fifth anniversary will occur in 2024.
However,  if  certain  events  occur  prior  to  the  end  of  such  five-year  period,  including  if  we  become  a  "large
accelerated  filer,"  our  annual  gross  revenue  exceeds  $1.07  billion  or  we  issue  more  than  $1.0  billion  of  non-
convertible debt in any three-year period, we would cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end
of such five-year period. We have taken advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations regarding
executive  compensation  and  may  elect  to  take  advantage  of  other  reduced  disclosure  obligations  in  future
filings. As a result, the information that we provide to holders of our common stock may be different than you
might  receive  from  other  public  reporting  companies  in  which  you  hold  equity  interests.  We  cannot  predict  if
investors  will  find  our  common  stock  less  attractive  as  a  result  of  our  reliance  on  these  exemptions.  If  some
investors find our common stock less attractive as a result of any choice we make to reduce disclosure, there
may be a less active trading market for our common stock and the price for our common stock may be more
volatile.

Under  the  JOBS  Act,  emerging  growth  companies  may  also  elect  to  delay  adoption  of  new  or  revised
accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We have elected to use
this extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, we will
not be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies.

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Anti-takeover  provisions  in  our  charter  documents  and  Delaware  law,  and  the  banking  laws  and
regulations  to  which  we  are  subject,  might  discourage  or  delay  acquisition  attempts  for  us  that  you
might consider favorable.

Our  restated  certificate  of  incorporation  and  amended  and  restated  bylaws  will  contain  provisions  that  may
make  the  acquisition  of  the  Company  more  difficult  without  the  approval  of  our  board  of  directors.  These
provisions:

● authorize the issuance of undesignated preferred stock, the terms of which may be established and
the  shares  of  which  may  be  issued  without  stockholder  approval,  and  which  may  include  super
voting, special approval, dividend or other rights or preferences superior to the rights of the holders
of common stock;

● prohibit  stockholder  action  by  written  consent,  requiring  all  stockholder  actions  be  taken  at  a
meeting of our stockholders, if the Voting Trust ceases to own more than 35% of our outstanding
common stock;

● provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our amended and

restated bylaws;

● establish advance notice requirements for nominations for elections to our board of directors or for

proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at stockholder meetings; and

● prohibit stockholders from calling special meetings of stockholders.

These anti-takeover provisions and other provisions under Delaware law could discourage, delay or prevent a
transaction  involving  a  change  in  control  of  the  Company,  even  if  doing  so  would  benefit  our  stockholders.
These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders
to elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take other corporate actions you desire.

Furthermore, banking laws impose notice, approval and ongoing regulatory requirements on any stockholder or
other party that seeks to acquire direct or indirect "control," as defined under applicable law, of an FDIC-insured
depository institution. These laws include the BHCA and the CBCA. These laws could, among other things, limit
the equity held by certain stockholders, restrain a stockholder’s ability to influence proxy matters, or prevent an
acquisition  of  the  Company,  in  each  case  without  first  obtaining  regulatory  approval.  See  "Supervision  and
Regulation—Acquisition of Control."

Our restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as
the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our
stockholders,  which  could  limit  our  stockholders'  ability  to  obtain  a  favorable  judicial  forum  for
disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our restated certificate of incorporation provides that, subject to limited exceptions, the Court of Chancery of the
State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District
of  Delaware)  will  be  the  sole  and  exclusive  forum  for  (i)  any  derivative  action  or  proceeding  brought  on  our
behalf,  (ii)  any  action  asserting  a  claim  of  breach  of  a  fiduciary  duty  owed  by  any  of  our  directors,  officers  or
other employees to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors,
officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or our
by-laws or (iv) any other action asserting a claim against us or any of our directors, officers or other employees
that  is  governed  by  the  internal  affairs  doctrine.  Any  person  or  entity  purchasing  or  otherwise  acquiring  any
interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions
of  our  certificate  of  incorporation  described  above.  This  choice  of  forum  provision  may  limit  a  stockholder's
ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or
other  employees,  which  may  discourage  such  lawsuits  against  us  and  our  directors,  officers  and  employees.
Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our restated certificate of incorporation inapplicable to, or
unenforceable  in  respect  of,  one  or  more  of  the  specified  types  of  actions  or  proceedings,  we  may  incur
additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our
business and financial condition.

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EXTERNAL RISKS

Adverse changes in local economic conditions and adverse conditions in an industry on which a local
market in which we do business depends could hurt our business in a material way.

Our financial performance generally, and in particular the ability of our borrowers to pay interest on and repay
principal of outstanding loans and the value of collateral securing those loans, as well as demand for loans and
other  products  and  services  we  offer,  is  highly  dependent  upon  the  business  environment  in  the  markets  in
which  we  operate  and  in  the  United  States  as  a  whole.  Unlike  larger  banks  that  are  more  geographically
diversified,  we  provide  banking  and  financial  services  to  customers  primarily  in  the  State  of  Illinois.  The
economic conditions in our local markets may be different from, or worse than, the economic conditions in the
United  States  as  a  whole.  Some  elements  of  the  business  environment  that  affect  our  financial  performance
include short-term and long-term interest rates, the prevailing yield curve, inflation and price levels, tax policy,
monetary  policy,  unemployment  and  the  strength  of  the  domestic  economy  and  the  local  economy  in  the
markets in which we operate.

Unfavorable  market  conditions  can  result  in  a  deterioration  in  the  credit  quality  of  our  borrowers  and  the
demand for our products and services, an increase in the number of loan delinquencies, defaults and charge-
offs, additional provisions for loan losses, adverse asset values and an overall material adverse effect on the
quality  of  our  loan  portfolio.  Unfavorable  or  uncertain  economic  and  market  conditions  can  be  caused  by,
among  other  factors,  declines  in  economic  growth,  business  activity  or  investor  or  business  confidence;
limitations on the availability or increases in the cost of credit and capital; changes in inflation or interest rates;
increases in real estate and other state and local taxes; high unemployment; natural disasters; pandemics, such
as COVID-19; severe weather; acts of terrorism or war; or a combination of these or other factors.

The State of Illinois has experienced significant financial difficulties, and this could adversely impact
certain borrowers and our business.

The State of Illinois is experiencing significant financial difficulties, including material pension funding shortfalls
and  large  budget  deficits.  In  addition,  the  State’s  debt  ratings  have  been  downgraded.  These  issues  could
impact  the  economic  vitality  of  the  State  of  Illinois  and  our  customers,  and  could  specifically  encourage
businesses  to  relocate,  and  discourage  new  employers  from  starting  or  moving  businesses  to  Illinois.  These
issues  could  also  result  in  delays  in  the  payment  of  accounts  receivable  owed  to  borrowers  that  conduct
business with the State of Illinois and Medicaid payments to nursing homes and other healthcare providers in
Illinois and impair their ability to repay their loans when due.

Our business is significantly dependent on the real estate markets in which we operate, as a
significant percentage of our loan portfolio is secured by real estate.

Many of the loans in our portfolio are secured by real estate as a primary or secondary component of collateral,
with substantially all of these real estate loans concentrated in the State of Illinois. Real property values in our
market may be different from, and in some instances worse than, real property values in other markets or in the
United States as a whole and may be affected by a variety of factors outside of our control and the control of
our borrowers. Cook County, in particular, has experienced volatility in real estate values over the past decade.
Declines  in  real  estate  values,  including  prices  for  homes  and  commercial  properties,  could  result  in  a
deterioration  of  the  credit  quality  of  our  borrowers,  an  increase  in  the  number  of  loan  delinquencies,  defaults
and  charge-offs,  and  reduced  demand  for  our  products  and  services,  generally.  Our  CRE  loans  may  have  a
greater risk of loss than residential mortgage loans, in part because these loans are generally larger or more
complex to underwrite. In particular, real estate construction and land development loans have certain risks not
present  in  other  types  of  loans,  including  risks  associated  with  construction  cost  overruns,  project  completion
risk,  general  contractor  credit  risk  and  risks  associated  with  the  ultimate  sale  or  use  of  the  completed
construction.  In  addition,  declines  in  real  property  values  in  the  states  in  which  we  operate  could  reduce  the
value  of  any  collateral  we  realize  following  a  default  on  these  loans  and  could  adversely  affect  our  ability  to
continue to grow our loan portfolio consistent with our underwriting standards. We may have to foreclose on

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real estate assets if borrowers default on their loans, in which case we are required to record the related asset
to the then fair market value of the collateral, which may ultimately result in a loss. An increase in the level of
nonperforming  assets  increases  our  risk  profile  and  may  affect  the  capital  levels  regulators  believe  are
appropriate in light of the ensuing risk profile. Our failure to effectively mitigate these risks could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our future growth and success will depend on our ability to compete effectively in a highly competitive
environment.

We  face  substantial  competition  in  all  phases  of  our  operations  from  a  variety  of  different  competitors.  Our
future  growth  and  success  will  depend  on  our  ability  to  compete  effectively  in  this  highly  competitive
environment. To date, our competitive strategies have focused on attracting deposits in our local markets and
growing our loan portfolio by emphasizing specific loan products in which we have significant experience and
expertise,  identifying  and  targeting  markets  in  which  we  believe  we  can  effectively  compete  with  larger
institutions  and  other  competitors,  and  offering  highly  competitive  pricing  to  borrowers  with  appropriate  risk
profiles.  We  compete  for  loans,  deposits  and  other  financial  services  with  other  commercial  banks,  credit
unions,  brokerage  houses,  mutual  funds,  insurance  companies,  real  estate  conduits,  mortgage  brokers  and
specialized finance companies. Many of our competitors offer products and services that we do not offer, and
some  offer  loan  structures  and  have  underwriting  standards  that  are  not  as  restrictive  as  our  required  loan
structures  and  underwriting  standards.  Some  larger  competitors  have  substantially  greater  resources  and
lending limits, name recognition and market presence that benefit them in attracting business. In addition, larger
competitors  may  be  able  to  price  loans  more  aggressively  than  we  do,  and  because  of  their  larger  capital
bases, their underwriting practices for smaller loans may be subject to less regulatory scrutiny than they would
be for smaller banks. Newer competitors may be more aggressive in pricing their products in order to increase
their market share.

Some of the financial institutions and financial services organizations with which we compete are not subject to
the  extensive  regulations  imposed  on  banks  insured  by  the  FDIC  and  their  holding  companies.  As  a  result,
these  nonbank  competitors  have  certain  advantages  over  us  in  accessing  funding  and  in  providing  various
financial  services.  Additionally,  technology  and  other  changes  are  allowing  consumers  and  businesses  to
complete financial transactions through alternative methods that historically have involved banks. For example,
the wide acceptance of Internet-based commerce has resulted in a number of alternative payment processing
systems  and  lending  platforms  in  which  banks  play  only  minor  roles.  Customers  can  now  maintain  funds  in
prepaid debit cards or digital currencies and pay bills and transfer funds directly without the direct assistance of
banks. The diminishing role of banks as financial intermediaries has resulted and could continue to result in the
loss  of  fee  income,  as  well  as  the  loss  of  customer  deposits  and  the  related  income  generated  from  those
deposits. The loss of these revenue streams and the potential loss of lower cost deposits as a source of funds
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to maintain our reputation is critical to the success of our business, and the failure to do so
may materially adversely affect our business and the value of our stock.

We  are  a  community  bank,  and  our  reputation  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  components  of  our  business.  As
such,  we  strive  to  conduct  our  business  in  a  manner  that  enhances  our  reputation.  This  is  done,  in  part,  by
recruiting,  hiring  and  retaining  employees  who  share  our  core  values  of  being  an  integral  part  of  the
communities  we  serve,  delivering  superior  service  to  our  customers  and  caring  about  our  customers  and
associates. Maintenance of our reputation depends not only on our success in maintaining our service-focused
culture, but also on our success in identifying and appropriately addressing issues that may arise in areas such
as  potential  conflicts  of  interest,  anti-money  laundering,  customer  personal  information  and  privacy  issues,
employee, customer and other third-party fraud, record-keeping, regulatory investigations, and any litigation that
may  arise  from  the  failure  or  perceived  failure  of  us  to  comply  with  legal  and  regulatory  requirements.  If  our
reputation  is  negatively  affected,  by  the  intentional,  inadvertent  or  unsubstantiated  misconduct  of  our
employees, directors, customers, third parties, or otherwise, our business and, therefore, our operating results
and the value of our stock may be materially adversely affected.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

HBT  Financial  and  Heartland  Bank’s  headquarters  are 
located  at  401  North  Hershey  Road,
Bloomington, Illinois. The Company owns these headquarters, and it also owns or leases other facilities, such
as banking centers of Heartland Bank, for business operations.

HBT  Financial  and  its  subsidiaries  own  or  lease  all  of  the  real  property  and/or  buildings  on  which  each
respective entity is located. The Company considers its properties to be suitable and adequate for its present
needs.

ITEM 3. 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 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

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PART II.

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND
ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market Information and Holders of Record

HBT  Financial,  Inc.’s  common  stock  is  listed  on  the  Nasdaq  Global  Select  Market  (the  “Nasdaq”)  under  the
symbol “HBT.”

As  of  February  28,  2021,  HBT  Financial,  Inc.  had  approximately  36  shareholders  of  record.  A  substantially
greater number of holders of our common stock are “street name” or beneficial holders, whose shares are held
by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.

Dividends

During 2020, we paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.15 per share on our common stock. We expect to continue
our policy of paying quarterly cash dividends. Our board of directors may change or eliminate the payment of
future  dividends  at  its  discretion,  without  notice  to  our  stockholders.  Any  future  determination  relating  to  our
dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors,
including general and economic conditions, industry standards, our financial condition and operating results, our
available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, banking regulations, contractual,
legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or
by our subsidiaries to us, and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

On November 2, 2020, the Company’s board of directors approved a stock repurchase program that authorizes
the  Company  to  repurchase  up  to  $15  million  of  its  common  stock.  The  stock  repurchase  program  will  be  in
effect  until  December  31,  2021  with  the  timing  of  purchases  and  number  of  shares  repurchased  dependent
upon  a  variety  of  factors  including  price,  trading  volume,  corporate  and  regulatory  requirements,  and  market
conditions. The Company is not obligated to purchase any shares under the stock repurchase program, and the
stock repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time without notice.

The following table sets forth information about the Company’s purchases of its common stock during the fourth
quarter of 2020:

Total Number
of Shares
Purchased as
Part of Publicly

Average
Price Paid Announced Plans

Total Number
of Shares

or Programs

Approximate
Dollar Value of Shares
That May Yet be
Purchased Under the
 Plans or Programs
(in thousands)

 — $
 —
 —
 — $

 —
 15,000
 15,000
 15,000

Period
October 1 - 31, 2020
November 1 - 30, 2020
December 1 - 31, 2020

Total

     Purchased     Per Share    
 — $
 —
 —
 — $

 —
 —
 —
 —

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

None.

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Stock Performance Graph

The performance graph and table below compares the cumulative total return on the Company’s common stock
from  October  11,  2019  (the  date  of  the  Company’s  initial  public  offering  and  listing  on  the  Nasdaq)  through
December 31, 2020, with the cumulative total return of: (a) the Russell 2000 Index which reflects a broad equity
market  index,  and  (b)  the  S&P  600  Small  Cap  Bank  Index  and  (c)  the  ABA  Nasdaq  Community  Bank  Index
which reflect published industry or line-of-business indexes. Beginning with this annual report, we are including
the  S&P  600  Small  Cap  Bank  Index  in  our  comparison  of  cumulative  total  return.  This  index  will  replace  the
ABA Nasdaq Community Bank Index in future filings because the ABA Nasdaq Community Bank Index is not
available from our service provider. The performance graph and table assume an initial investment of $100 and
reinvestment of dividends. Returns are presented on a total return basis.

Index
HBT Financial, Inc.
Russell 2000 Index
S&P 600 Small Cap Bank Index
ABA Nasdaq Community Bank Index

$

October 11,
2019
 100.00
 100.00
 100.00
 100.00

$

December 31, 
2019
 122.20
 110.36
 110.27
 110.44

$

December 31, 
2020
 101.97
 130.62
 100.90
 98.69

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The performance graph and table represent past performance and should not be considered to be an indication
of  future  performance.  The  information  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  stock  performance  graph,  and  table  shall
not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, other
than as provided in Item 201 of Regulation S-K, or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, except to
the  extent  that  we  specifically  request  that  such  information  be  treated  as  soliciting  material  or  specifically
incorporate it by reference into a filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

Consolidated  financial  information  reflecting  a  summary  of  the  results  of  operations  and  financial  condition  of
the Company for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016 is presented in the following
table.  This  summary  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  and
accompanying notes thereto, and other financial information included in Item 7, "Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," of this Form 10-K.

Statement of Income Information
Total interest and dividend income
Total interest expense
Net interest income
Provision for loan losses
Net income after provision for loan losses
Total noninterest income
Total noninterest expense
Income before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net income
C Corp equivalent net income (2)
Adjusted net income (1)

Net interest income (tax-equivalent basis) (1)

Share and Per Share Information
Earnings per share - Diluted
C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Diluted (2)
Adjusted earnings per share - Diluted (1)

Book value per share
Tangible book value per share (1)
Closing stock price

Ending number shares of common stock
outstanding
Weighted average number shares of common
stock outstanding

Summary Ratios
Net interest margin
Net interest margin (tax-equivalent basis) (1)
Yield on loans
Yield on interest-earning assets
Cost of interest-bearing liabilities
Cost of total deposits

Efficiency ratio
Efficiency ratio (tax-equivalent basis) (1)

Return on average assets
Return on average stockholders' equity
Return on average tangible common equity

C Corp equivalent return on average assets (2)
C Corp equivalent return on average
stockholders' equity (2)
C Corp equivalent return on average tangible
common equity (2)

Adjusted return on average assets (1)
Adjusted return on average stockholders' equity
(1)
Adjusted return on average tangible common
equity (1)

$

$

$

$

$

$

2020

 124,065
 6,460
 117,605
 10,532
 107,073
 34,456
 91,956
 49,573
 12,728
 36,845
N/A
 39,734

 119,548

 1.34
N/A
 1.44

 13.25
 12.29
 15.15

$

$

2019

2017

As of or for the Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
 127,593
$
 6,595
 120,998
 3,139
 117,859
 33,171
 94,057
 56,973
 870
 56,103
 37,294
 39,758

 137,432
 7,990
 129,442
 5,697
 123,745
 31,240
 90,317
 64,668
 869
 63,799
 48,297
 50,252

 143,735
 9,935
 133,800
 3,404
 130,396
 32,751
 91,026
 72,121
 5,256
 66,865
 53,372
 57,427

$
$

$
$

$
$

$

$

$

 136,109

 3.33
 2.66
 2.86

 12.12
 11.12
 18.99

$

$

$

 132,103

 3.54
 2.68
 2.78

 18.88
 17.27
N/A

$

$

$

 126,525

 3.10
 2.06
 2.20

 17.92
 16.23
N/A

$

$
$

$

$

$

2016

 127,705
 6,604
 121,101
 6,434
 114,667
 39,354
 94,434
 59,587
 1,041
 58,546
 39,249
 39,054

 126,569

 3.24
 2.17
 2.16

 18.05
 16.25
N/A

   27,457,306

   27,457,306

   18,027,512

   18,070,692

   18,070,692

   27,457,306

   20,090,270

   18,047,332

   18,070,692

   18,053,600

 3.54 %   
 3.60
 4.69
 3.74
 0.29
 0.14

 4.31 %   
 4.38
 5.51
 4.63
 0.45
 0.29

 4.16 %   
 4.25
 5.35
 4.42
 0.36
 0.21

 3.83 %   
 4.01
 5.09
 4.04
 0.29
 0.17

 59.66 %   
 58.91

 53.80 %   
 53.06

 55.24 %   
 54.34

 59.77 %   
 57.70

 1.07 %   

 2.07 %   

 1.96 %   

 1.69 %   

 10.51
 11.38

N/A

N/A

N/A

 19.58
 21.35

 19.32
 21.24

 16.58
 18.29

 1.65 %   

 1.49 %   

 1.12 %   

 15.63

 17.04

 14.63

 16.08

 11.02

 12.16

 3.87 %
 4.04
 5.17
 4.08
 0.28
 0.18

 57.49 %
 55.60

 1.76 %

 16.93
 18.75

 1.18 %

 11.35

 12.57

 1.15 %   

 1.78 %   

 1.55 %   

 1.20 %   

 1.17 %

 11.33

 12.28

 16.81

 18.34

 15.22

 16.73

 11.75

 12.96

 11.29

 12.51

49

 
    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents

Balance Sheet Information
Cash and cash equivalents
Securities available-for-sale, at fair value
Securities held-to-maturity
Equity securities
Loans held for sale

Loans, before allowance for loan losses
Allowance for loan losses
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses

Goodwill
Core deposit intangible assets, net
Other assets

Total Assets

Total deposits
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Borrowings
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures
Other liabilities

Total Liabilities
Total Stockholders' Equity
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

2020

$  312,451
 922,869
 68,395
 4,844
 14,713

2019

2017

As of or for the Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)
$  186,879
 679,526
 121,715
 3,261
 2,800

$  165,683
 769,571
 129,322
 3,203
 4,863

$  283,971
 592,404
 88,477
 4,389
 4,531

2016

$  238,741
 687,120
 140,254
 3,145
 7,826

   2,247,006
 (31,838)
 2,215,168

   2,163,826
 (22,299)
 2,141,527

   2,144,257
 (20,509)
 2,123,748

   2,115,946
 (19,765)
 2,096,181

   2,106,515
 (19,708)
 2,086,807

 23,620
 2,798
 101,709
$ 3,666,567

 23,620
 4,030
 102,154
$ 3,245,103

 23,620
 5,453
 102,567
$ 3,249,569

 23,620
 7,012
 113,420
$ 3,312,875

$ 3,130,534
 45,736

$ 2,776,855
 44,433

$ 2,795,970
 46,195

 —  

 39,238
 37,648
 49,494
   3,302,650
 363,917
$ 3,666,567

 —  
 —
 37,583
 53,314
   2,912,185
 332,918
$ 3,245,103

 —  
 —
 37,517
 29,491
   2,909,173
 340,396
$ 3,249,569

$ 2,855,685
 37,838
 29,000
 —
 37,451
 28,985
   2,988,959
 323,916
$ 3,312,875

 23,620
 8,928
 120,683
$  3,317,124

$  2,877,181
 39,081
 4,000
 —
 37,386
 33,230
   2,990,878
 326,246
$  3,317,124

Loans, before allowance for loan losses (originated) (1)
Loans, before allowance for loan losses (acquired) (1)

$ 2,126,323
 120,683

$ 1,998,496
 165,330

$ 1,923,859
 220,398

$ 1,825,129
 290,817

$  1,689,186
 417,329

Core deposits (1)

$ 3,103,847

$ 2,732,101

$ 2,759,095

$ 2,812,855

$  2,839,109

Credit Quality Ratios
Allowance for loan losses to loans, before allowance for
loan losses
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans
Nonperforming loans to loans, before allowance for loan
losses
Nonperforming assets to total assets
Nonperforming assets to loans, before allowance for
loan losses and foreclosed assets
Net charge-offs to average loans, before allowance for
loan losses

Balance Sheet Ratios
Loan to deposit ratio
Core deposits to total deposits (1)
Total stockholders' equity to total assets
Tangible common equity to tangible assets (1)

Regulatory Capital Ratios (Company)
Total capital (to risk weighted assets)
Tier 1 capital (to risk weighted assets)
Common Equity Tier 1 capital (to risk weighted assets)
Tier 1 capital (to average assets)

 1.42 %   

 1.03 %   

 0.96 %   

 0.93 %   

 319.66

 117.06

 128.88

 89.43

 0.94 %

 88.62

 0.44
 0.39

 0.63

 0.04

 0.88
 0.74

 1.11

 0.07

 0.74
 0.78

 1.18

 0.23

 1.04
 1.17

 1.81

 0.15

 71.78 %   
 99.15
 9.93
 9.27

 17.40 %   
 14.55
 13.06
 9.94

 77.92 %   
 98.39
 10.26
 9.49

 14.54 %   
 13.64
 12.15
 10.38

 76.69 %   
 98.68
 10.48
 9.67

 14.99 %   
 14.17
 12.71
 10.80

 74.10 %   
 98.50
 9.78
 8.94

 14.40 %   
 13.58
 12.09
 9.94

 1.06
 1.16

 1.81

 0.23

 73.21 %
 98.68
 9.84
 8.94

 14.54 %
 13.72
 12.21
 9.93

(1) See  “Non-GAAP  Financial  Information”  below  for  reconciliation  of  non-GAAP  financial  measures  to  their  most  comparable  GAAP

financial measures.

(2) Reflects  adjustment  to  our  historical  net  income  for  each  period  to  give  effect  to  the  C  Corp  equivalent  provision  for  income  tax  for

such year.
N/A Not applicable.

50

    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents

SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA

Selected quarterly financial data is presented in the following tables.

Statement of Income Information
Total interest and dividend income
Total interest expense
Net interest income
Provision for loan losses
Net income after provision for loan losses
Total noninterest income
Total noninterest expense
Income before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net income

Earnings per share - Basic
Earnings per share - Diluted
Weighted average number shares of common stock outstanding

Statement of Income Information
Total interest and dividend income
Total interest expense
Net interest income
Provision for loan losses
Net income after provision for loan losses
Total noninterest income
Total noninterest expense
Income before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net income

Earnings per share - Basic
Earnings per share - Diluted
Weighted average number shares of common stock outstanding

C Corp Equivalent Information (1)
Historical income before income tax expense
C Corp equivalent income tax expense
C Corp equivalent net income

C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Basic
C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Diluted

Three Months Ended 2020

     December      September     

June

March

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

$

$

$
$

 30,746
 1,582
 29,164
 430
 28,734
 11,092
 22,665
 17,161
 4,519
 12,642

 0.46
 0.46
 27,457,306

$

$

$
$

 30,238
 1,367
 28,871
 2,174
 26,697
 10,052
 22,485
 14,264
 3,701
 10,563

 0.38
 0.38
 27,457,306

$

$

$
$

 30,361
 1,453
 28,908
 3,573
 25,335
 8,060
 23,499
 9,896
 2,477
 7,419

 0.27
 0.27
 27,457,306

$

$

$
$

 32,720
 2,058
 30,662
 4,355
 26,307
 5,252
 23,307
 8,252
 2,031
 6,221

 0.23
 0.23
 27,457,306

Three Months Ended 2019

     December      September     

June

March

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

$

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

 34,600
 2,324
 32,276
 138
 32,138
 10,336
 21,950
 20,524
 4,437
 16,087

 0.61
 0.61
 26,211,282

 20,524
 5,436
 15,088

 0.58
 0.58

$

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

 35,636
 2,495
 33,141
 684
 32,457
 7,582
 22,303
 17,736
 299
 17,437

 0.97
 0.97
 18,027,512

 17,736
 4,614
 13,122

 0.73
 0.73

$

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

 36,550
 2,619
 33,931
 1,806
 32,125
 7,346
 24,561
 14,910
 305
 14,605

 0.81
 0.81
 18,027,512

 14,910
 3,784
 11,126

 0.62
 0.62

$

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

 36,949
 2,497
 34,452
 776
 33,676
 7,487
 22,212
 18,951
 215
 18,736

 1.04
 1.04
 18,027,512

 18,951
 4,915
 14,036

 0.78
 0.78

(1) Reflects  adjustment  to  our  historical  net  income  for  each  period  to  give  effect  to  the  C  Corp  equivalent  provision  for  income  tax  for

such year.

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NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INFORMATION

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains certain financial information determined by methods other than in
accordance with GAAP. Management believes that it is a standard practice in the banking industry to present
these non-GAAP financial measures, and accordingly believes that providing these measures may be useful for
peer comparison purposes. These disclosures should not be viewed as substitutes for the results determined to
be in accordance with GAAP; nor are they necessarily comparable to non-GAAP financial measures that may
be presented by other companies. See our reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly
comparable GAAP financial measures below.

Non-GAAP
Financial Measure
Adjusted Net Income

Definition

● Net income, with the following adjustments:
- adds additional C Corp equivalent tax

expense for periods prior to October 11,
2019,

- excludes net earnings (losses) from closed

or sold operations,

- excludes charges related to termination of

certain employee benefit plans,

- excludes certain non-cash charges such as
impairment losses related to the closure of
branches and a nonrecurring charge related
to an employee benefits policy change,
- excludes expenses related to terminated

FDIC Indemnification agreements,

- excludes realized gains (losses) on sales of

securities,

- excludes mortgage servicing rights fair value

-

adjustment, and
the income tax effect of these pre-tax
adjustments.

Net Interest Income
(Tax Equivalent Basis)

● Net interest income adjusted for the tax-
favored status of tax-exempt loans and
securities. (1)

How the Measure Provides Useful
Information to Investors

● Enhances comparisons to prior periods

and, accordingly, facilitates the
development of future projections and
earnings growth prospects.

● We also sometimes refer to ratios that
include Adjusted Net Income, such as:
- Adjusted Return on Average Assets,
which is Adjusted Net Income divided
by average assets.

- Adjusted Return on Average Equity,

which is Adjusted Net Income divided
by average equity.

- Adjusted Earnings Per Share - Basic,

which is Adjusted Net Income allocated
to common shares divided by weighted
average common shares outstanding.
- Adjusted Earnings Per Share – Diluted,
which is Adjusted Net Income allocated
to common shares divided by weighted
average common shares outstanding,
including all dilutive potential shares.
● We believe the tax equivalent basis is the
preferred industry measurement of net
interest income.

● Enhances comparability of net interest
income arising from taxable and tax-
exempt sources.

● We also sometimes refer to Net Interest
Margin (Tax Equivalent Basis), which is
Net Interest Income (Tax Equivalent
Basis) divided by average interest-
earning assets.

Efficiency Ratio (Tax
Equivalent Basis)

● Noninterest expense less amortization of

● Provides a measure of productivity in the

intangible assets divided by the sum of net
interest income (tax equivalent basis) and
noninterest income. (1)

banking industry.

● Calculated to measure the cost of

generating one dollar of revenue. That is,
the ratio is designed to reflect the
percentage of one dollar which must be
expended to generate that dollar of
revenue.

(1) Tax-equivalent basis assuming a federal income tax rate of 21% and a state tax rate of 9.50% during the years ended December 31, 
2020, 2019 and 2018, a federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 8.63% for the year ended December 31, 2017, and a 
federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 7.75% for the year ended December  31, 2016.

52

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Non-GAAP
Financial Measure
Tangible Common
Equity to Tangible
Assets

Definition
● Tangible Common Equity is total stockholders’

equity less goodwill and other intangible
assets.

● Tangible Assets is total assets less goodwill

and other intangible assets.

Core Deposits

● Total deposits, excluding:

- Time deposits of $250,000 or more, and
- Brokered deposits

How the Measure Provides Useful
Information to Investors

● Generally used by investors, our

management, and banking regulators to
evaluate capital adequacy.

● Facilitates comparison of our earnings
with the earnings of other banking
organization with significant amounts of
goodwill or intangible assets.

● We also sometimes refer to ratios that
include Tangible Common Equity, such
as:
- Tangible Book Value Per Share, which
is Tangible Common Equity divided by
shares of common stock outstanding.
- Return on Average Tangible Common
Equity, which is net income divided by
average Tangible Common Equity.
- Adjusted Return on Average Tangible

Common Equity, which is Adjusted Net
Income divided by average Tangible
Common Equity.

● Provides investors with information

regarding the stability of the Company’s
sources of funds.

● We also sometimes refer to the ratio of

Core Deposits to total deposits.

Originated Loans and
Acquired Loans

● Originated Loans represent loans initially

● Provides investors and our management

originated by the Company and acquired loans
that were refinanced using the Company’s
underwriting criteria.

● Acquired Loans represent loans originated

under the underwriting criteria used by a bank
that was acquired by the Company.

with information regarding the credit
quality of loans underwritten using the
Company’s policies and procedures.
● We also sometimes refer to ratios that
include Originated Loans and Acquired
Loans, such as:
- Net Charge-offs to Average Loans

(Originated and Acquired).

- Nonperforming Loans to Loans, Before
Allowance for Loan Losses (Originated
and Acquired).

- Nonperforming Assets to Loans, Before

Allowance for Loan losses and
Foreclosed Assets (Originated and
Acquired).

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Return on Average
Assets

Net income
C Corp equivalent adjustment (2)
C Corp equivalent net income (2)
Adjustments:

Net earnings (losses) from closed or sold operations,
including gains on sale (1)
Charges related to termination of certain employee
benefit plans
Impairment losses related to closure of branches
Nonrecurring charge related to an employee benefits
policy change
Expenses related to FDIC Indemnification assets and
liabilities
Realized gains (losses) on sales of securities
Mortgage servicing rights fair value adjustment

Total adjustments
Tax effect of adjustments
Less adjustments after tax effect
Adjusted net income

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2018

2019

2017

(dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
 56,103
$
 (18,809)
 37,294

 63,799
 (15,502)
 48,297

 66,865
 (13,493)
 53,372

 36,845
 —
 36,845

$

$

$

2016

$

 58,546
 (19,297)
 39,249

 —  

 524

 (822)

 1,712

 1,043

 (1,457)
 —

 (3,796)
 —

 —

 —
 —  

 —

 —
 —  

 (2,584)
 (4,041)
 1,152
 (2,889)
 39,734

$

 (2,400)
 (5,672)
 1,617
 (4,055)
 57,427

$

$

 —
 —

 —

 —
 (2,541)
 629
 (2,734)
 779
 (1,955)
 50,252

$

 —
 (1,936)

 (1,336)

 (999)
 (1,275)
 (315)
 (4,149)
 1,685
 (2,464)
 39,758

$

 —
 —

 —

 (1,021)
 106
 197
 325
 (130)
 195
 39,054

Average assets

$ 3,447,500

$ 3,233,386

$ 3,247,598

 3,320,239

 3,325,483

Return on average assets
C Corp equivalent return on average assets (2)
Adjusted return on average assets

 1.07 %   
N/A
 1.15

 2.07 %   
 1.65
 1.78

 1.96 %
 1.49
 1.55

 1.69 %
 1.12
 1.20

 1.76 %
 1.18
 1.17

(1) Closed or sold operations include HB Credit Company, HBT Insurance, and First Community Title Services, Inc.
(2) Reflects  adjustment  to  our  historical  net  income  for  each  period  to  give  effect  to  the  C  Corp  equivalent  provision  for  income  tax  for

such year.
N/A  Not applicable.

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Adjusted Earnings Per Share

Numerator:
Net income
Earnings allocated to unvested restricted stock units (1)
Numerator for earnings per share - basic and diluted

C Corp equivalent net income (3)
Earnings allocated to unvested restricted stock units (1)(3)
Numerator for C Corp equivalent earnings per share -
basic and diluted (3)

Adjusted net income
Earnings allocated to unvested restricted stock units (1)
Numerator for adjusted earnings per share - basic and
diluted

Denominator:

Weighted average common shares outstanding
Dilutive effect of outstanding restricted stock units (2)
Weighted average common shares outstanding, including
all dilutive potential shares

Earnings per share - Basic
Earnings per share - Diluted

C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Basic (3)
C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Diluted (3)

Adjusted earnings per share - Basic
Adjusted earnings per share - Diluted

$

$

$

$

$
$

$
$

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2017

2019

 36,845
 (93)
 36,752

$

$

 66,865
 —
 66,865

N/A $
N/A

 53,372
 —

N/A $

 53,372

 39,734
 (101)

$

 57,427
 —

$

$

$

$

$

 63,799
 —
 63,799

 48,297
 —

 48,297

 50,252
 —

$

$

$

$

$

 56,103
 —
 56,103

 37,294
 —

 37,294

 39,758
 —

$

$

$

$

$

2016

 58,546
 —
 58,546

 39,249
 —

 39,249

 39,054
 —

 39,633

$

 57,427

$

 50,252

$

 39,758

$

 39,054

 27,457,306
 —

 20,090,270
 —

 18,047,332
 —

 18,070,692
 —

 18,053,600
 —

 27,457,306

 20,090,270

 18,047,332

 18,070,692

 18,053,600

 1.34
 1.34

$
$

N/A $
N/A $

 1.44
 1.44

$
$

 3.33
 3.33

 2.66
 2.66

 2.86
 2.86

$
$

$
$

$
$

 3.54
 3.54

 2.68
 2.68

 2.78
 2.78

$
$

$
$

$
$

 3.10
 3.10

 2.06
 2.06

 2.20
 2.20

$
$

$
$

$
$

 3.24
 3.24

 2.17
 2.17

 2.16
 2.16

(1) The Company has granted restricted stock units that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividend equivalents. Such restricted stock units
are considered participating securities. As such, we have included these restricted stock units in the calculation of basic earnings per
share and calculate basic earnings per share using the two-class method. The two-class method of computing earnings per share is
an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating security according
to dividends declared (or accumulated) and participation rights in undistributed earnings.

(2) Restricted  stock  units  were  anti-dilutive  and  excluded  from  the  calculation  of  common  stock  equivalents  during  the  year  ended
December 31, 2020. There were no restricted stock units outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, 2017, and
2016.

(3) Reflects adjustment to our historical net income for each period to give effect to the C Corp equivalent income tax expense for such

period. No such adjustment is necessary for periods subsequent to 2019.

N/A  Not applicable.

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Net Interest Margin (Tax Equivalent Basis)

Net interest income (tax equivalent
basis)

Net interest income
Tax-equivalent adjustment (1)
Net interest income (tax equivalent basis)
(1)

Net interest margin (tax equivalent
basis)

Net interest margin
Tax-equivalent adjustment (1)
Net interest margin (tax equivalent basis)
(1)

2020

2019

Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

$  117,605
 1,943

$  133,800
 2,309

$  129,442
 2,661

$  120,998
 5,527

$  121,101
 5,468

$  119,548

$  136,109

$  132,103

$  126,525

$  126,569

 3.54 %  
 0.06

 4.31 %  
 0.07

 4.16 % 
 0.09

 3.60 %  

 4.38 %  

 4.25 % 

 3.83 % 
 0.18

 4.01 % 

 3.87 % 
 0.17

 4.04 % 

Average interest-earning assets

$ 3,318,764

$ 3,105,863

$ 3,109,289

$ 3,157,195

$ 3,131,763

(1) On  a  tax-equivalent  basis  assuming  a  federal  income  tax  rate  of  21%  and  a  state  tax  rate  of  9.50%  during  the  years  ended
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, a federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 8.63% for the year ended December 31,
2017, and a federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 7.75% for the year ended December  31, 2016.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Efficiency Ratio (Tax Equivalent Basis)

2020

2019

Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

Efficiency ratio (tax equivalent basis)

Total noninterest expense
Less: amortization of intangible assets

Adjusted noninterest expense

$  91,956
 1,232
$  90,724

$  91,026
 1,423
$  89,603

$  90,317
 1,559
$  88,758

$  94,057
 1,916
$  92,141

$  94,434
 2,183
$  92,251

Net interest income
Total noninterest income
Operating revenue
Tax-equivalent adjustment (1)

Operating revenue (tax-equivalent basis) (1)

$ 117,605
 34,456
   152,061
 1,943
$ 154,004

$ 133,800
 32,751
   166,551
 2,309
$ 168,860

$ 129,442
 31,240
   160,682
 2,661
$ 163,343

$ 120,998
 33,171
 154,169
 5,527
$ 159,696

$  121,101
 39,354
 160,455
 5,468
$  165,923

Efficiency ratio
Efficiency ratio (tax equivalent basis) (1)

 59.66 %   
 58.91

 53.80 %   
 53.06

 55.24 %  
 54.34

 59.77 %  
 57.70

 57.49 %  
 55.60

(1) On  a  tax-equivalent  basis  assuming  a  federal  income  tax  rate  of  21%  and  a  state  tax  rate  of  9.50%  during  the  years  ended
December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, a federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 8.63% for the year ended December 31,
2017, and a federal tax rate of 35% and state income tax rate of 7.75% for the year ended December  31, 2016.

56

 
    
    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
    
    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Reconciliation  of  Non-GAAP  Financial  Measure  -  Tangible  Common  Equity  to  Tangible  Assets  and
Tangible Book Value Per Share

Tangible Common Equity
Total stockholders' equity
Less: Goodwill
Less: Core deposit intangible assets, net

Tangible common equity

Tangible Assets
Total assets
Less: Goodwill
Less: Core deposit intangible assets, net

Tangible assets

2020

2019

December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

$

$

 363,917
 23,620
 2,798
 337,499

$

$

 332,918
 23,620
 4,030
 305,268

$

$

 340,396
 23,620
 5,453
 311,323

$

$

 323,916
 23,620
 7,012
 293,284

$

$

 326,246
 23,620
 8,928
 293,698

$  3,666,567
 23,620
 2,798
$  3,640,149

$  3,245,103
 23,620
 4,030
$  3,217,453

$  3,249,569
 23,620
 5,453
$  3,220,496

$  3,312,875
 23,620
 7,012
$  3,282,243

$  3,317,124
 23,620
 8,928
$  3,284,576

Total stockholders' equity to total assets
Tangible common equity to tangible assets

 9.93 %
 9.27

 10.26 %  

 9.49

 10.48 %
 9.67

 9.78 %  
 8.94

 9.84 %
 8.94

Ending number shares of common stock outstanding

 27,457,306

   27,457,306

   18,027,512

   18,070,692

 18,070,692

Book value per share

Tangible book value per share

$

$

 13.25

 12.29

$

 12.12

 11.12

 18.88

 17.27

$

 17.92

 16.23

 18.05

 16.25

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure – Adjusted Return on Average Stockholders’ Equity and
Adjusted Return on Tangible Common Equity

Average Tangible Common Equity

Total stockholders' equity
Less: Goodwill
Less: Core deposit intangible assets, net
Average tangible common equity

Net income
C Corp equivalent net income (1)
Adjusted net income

Return on average stockholders' equity
C Corp equivalent return on average
stockholders' equity (1)
Adjusted return on average stockholders' equity

Return on average tangible common equity
C Corp equivalent return on average tangible
common equity (1)
Adjusted return on average tangible common
equity

2020

2019

Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

$

$

$

$

$

$

 350,703
 23,620
 3,436
 323,647

 36,845
N/A
 39,734

 341,544
 23,620
 4,748
 313,176

 66,865
 53,372
 57,427

$

$

$

 330,214
 23,620
 6,256
 300,338

 63,799
 48,297
 50,252

$

$

$

 338,317
 23,620
 7,943
 306,754

 56,103
 37,294
 39,758

$

$

$

 345,895
 23,620
 10,072
 312,203

 58,546
 39,249
 39,054

 10.51 %   

 19.58 %  

 19.32 %  

 16.58 %  

 16.93 %

N/A
 11.33

 15.63
 16.81

 14.63
 15.22

 11.02
 11.75

 11.35
 11.29

 11.38 %   

 21.35 %  

 21.24 %  

 18.29 %  

 18.75 %

N/A

 12.28

 17.04

 18.34

 16.08

 16.73

 12.16

 12.96

 12.57

 12.51

(1) Reflects  adjustment  to  our  historical  net  income  for  each  period  to  give  effect  to  the  C  Corp  equivalent  provision  for  income  tax  for

such period.

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Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measure - Core Deposits

2020

2019

December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

Core Deposits
Total deposits
Less: time deposits of $250,000 or more
Less: brokered deposits

Core deposits

$ 3,130,534
 26,687
 —
$ 3,103,847

$ 2,776,855
 44,754
 —
$ 2,732,101

$ 2,795,970
 36,875
 —
$ 2,759,095

$  2,855,685
 42,830

$  2,812,855

$  2,877,181
 38,072
 —
$  2,839,109

 —  

Core deposits to total deposits

 99.15 %

 98.39 %

 98.68 %   

 98.50 %

 98.68 %

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS

Unless the context requires otherwise, references in this report to the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to
HBT Financial, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Management’s  discussion  and  analysis  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  following  parts  of  this  Annual
Report  on  Form  10-K:  Part  I,  Item  1  “Business”,  Part  II,  Item  6  “Selected  Financial  Data”,  Part  II,  Item  7A,
“Quantitative  and  Qualitative  Disclosures  About  Market  Risk”,  and  Part  II,  Item  8  “Financial  Statements  and
Supplementary Data”

OVERVIEW

HBT Financial, Inc. is headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois and is the holding  company for Heartland Bank.
The  Bank  provides  a  comprehensive  suite  of  business,  commercial,  wealth  management,  and  retail  banking
products  and  services  to  businesses,  families,  and  local  governments  throughout  Central  and  Northeastern
Illinois.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  had  total  assets  of  $3.7  billion,  loans  held  for  investment  of
$2.2 billion, and total deposits of $3.1 billion. HBT Financial, Inc. is a longstanding Central Illinois company, with
banking roots that can be traced back 100 years.

Market Area

We  currently  operate  60  full-service  and  three  limited-service  branch  locations  across  18  counties  in  Central
and Northeastern Illinois. We hold a leading deposit share in many of our markets in Central Illinois, which we
define  as  a  top  three  deposit  share  rank,  providing  the  foundation  for  our  strong  deposit  base.  The  stability
provided by this low-cost funding is a key driver of our strong track record of financial performance.

Below is a summary of the loan and deposit balances by the metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas in
which we operate.

    December 31, 2020    December 31, 2019     December 31, 2018

(dollars in thousands)

Loans, before allowance for loan losses

Bloomington-Normal
Champaign-Urbana
Chicago
Lincoln
Ottawa-Peru
Peoria

Loans, before allowance for loan losses

Total deposits

Bloomington-Normal
Champaign-Urbana
Chicago
Lincoln
Ottawa-Peru
Peoria

Total deposits

 523,418
 214,646
 1,132,893
 103,614
 107,098
 165,337
 2,247,006

 774,082
 174,653
 1,077,691
 201,012
 347,211
 555,885
 3,130,534

$

$

$

$

 552,787
 209,317
 1,020,524
 107,162
 103,665
 170,371
 2,163,826

 694,519
 152,108
 911,916
 194,784
 290,138
 533,390
 2,776,855

$

$

$

$

 588,127
 208,925
 941,028
 105,150
 110,730
 190,297
 2,144,257

 690,899
 148,839
 916,631
 255,958
 291,694
 491,949
 2,795,970

$

$

$

$

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The  Bloomington-Normal  metropolitan  statistical  area  includes  our  branches  within  McLean  and  De  Witt
counties.  The  Champaign-Urbana  metropolitan  statistical  area  includes  our  branches  within  Champaign  and
Ford  counties.  The  Chicago  metropolitan  statistical  area  includes  our  branches  within  Cook,  DeKalb,  Grundy,
Kane,  Kendall,  Lake,  and  Will  counties.  The  Lincoln  micropolitan  statistical  area  includes  our  branches  within
Logan county. The Ottawa-Peru micropolitan statistical area includes our branches within Bureau and LaSalle
counties. The Peoria metropolitan statistical area includes our branches within Peoria, Marshall, Tazewell, and
Woodford counties.

COVID-19 Response and Impact Overview

The  Company  has  taken  a  number  of  steps  to  support  our  employees  and  customers  while  maintaining  the
health and safety of all involved, including, but not limited to:

● Enabling work from home for many employees and social distancing for employees who need to report

to the office;

● Maintaining  regular  business  hours  at  branches  for  drive-up  services  and  the  call  center  to  serve

customers while branch lobby service was closed due to mitigation efforts;

● Branch  lobby  service  was  reopened  for  all  locations,  when  permitted  by  resurgence  mitigation
guidelines, except one location which was permanently closed and consolidated with an existing branch
on June 30, 2020;

● Offering loan payment modifications to customers experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19;
● Waiving  or  refunding  overdraft  and  ATM  fees,  as  well  as  time  deposit  early  withdrawal  penalties,  to

customers experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19;

● Participating  in  the  Small  Business  Administration’s  (SBA)  Paycheck  Protection  Program  (PPP)  with
$185 million of PPP loans approved and funded to 2,329 businesses supporting approximately 24,000
employees in our communities.

The Company operates primarily in Illinois which has established a five-phase reopening plan. Illinois entered
Phase  4  of  its  reopening  plan  on  June  26,  2020  which  includes  occupancy  restrictions  on  indoor  dining  at
restaurants and bars, among other restrictions. Additionally, a three-tiered resurgence mitigation plan is used to
implement  additional  restrictions  for  specific  regions  of  Illinois,  when  the  test  positivity  rate  or  other  metrics
exceed defined thresholds. Illinois is only likely to transition to Phase 5 of its reopening plan, a full reopening,
when a vaccine or highly effective COVID-19 treatment is available.

Paycheck Protection Program Loans

The  Coronavirus  Aid,  Relief  and  Economic  Security  Act  (CARES  Act)  established  the  Paycheck  Protection
Program (PPP) which provides small businesses with funds to pay payroll costs, including benefits, and certain
non-payroll  costs  such  as  mortgage  interest,  rent,  and  utilities.  Administered  by  the  SBA,  program  funds  are
provided to eligible businesses in the form of loans which may be fully forgiven when loan proceeds are used
for payroll costs and allowable non-payroll costs. PPP loans are unsecured, have a two-year or five-year term,
bear a fixed contractual interest rate of 1.00%, and are 100% guaranteed by the SBA.

Additionally,  the  SBA  pays  lenders  fees  for  processing  PPP  loans,  based  on  a  set  percentage  of  the  loan
amount.  In  accordance  with  ASC  310-20,  these  fees,  along  with  direct  origination  costs  are  deferred  and
recognized  over  the  life  of  the  loan  as  an  adjustment  of  yield  (included  in  taxable  loan  interest  income).
Recognition  of  net  deferred  origination  fees  are  accelerated  upon  loan  forgiveness  or  repayment  prior  to
contractual maturity.

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The following table summarizes PPP loans originated, along with the origination fees received from the SBA,
during the year ended December 31, 2020:

Range of Loan Amounts

     Number

Loan
Amount

Fee
     Percentage     

Origination
Fee

(dollars in thousands)

Less than $350,000
Over $350,000, but less than $2,000,000
Over $2,000,000

Total

 2,233   $  109,063
 69,254
 7,085
$  185,402

 94  
 2  

 2,329

5.0%   $
3.0%  
1.0%  

$

 5,453
 2,078
 71
 7,602

As of December 31, 2020, PPP loans, net of deferred origination fees, were $163.5 million or 7.3% of loans,
before  allowance  for  loan  losses.  The  deferred  origination  fees  were  reduced  by  direct  origination  costs,
primarily  salaries  and  benefits  costs,  of  $0.5  million  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020.  Net  deferred
origination fees on PPP loans of $3.0 million were recognized as taxable loan interest income during the year
ended  December  31,  2020.  Remaining  net  deferred  origination  fees  on  PPP  loans  totaled  $4.1  million  as  of
December 31, 2020.

Payment Modifications Related to COVID-19

Loan payment modifications have been made for borrowers experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19,
with  substantially  all  modifications  in  the  form  of  a  three-month  interest-only  period  or  a  one-month  payment
deferral.  Some  borrowers  have  received  more  than  one  loan  payment  modification.  Consistent  with  the
applicable  accounting  and  regulatory  guidance,  short-term  loan  payment  modifications  such  as  these  are
generally not considered a TDR.

Following the phased reopening of Illinois businesses and federal economic stimulus received by commercial
and retail customers during the second quarter of 2020, the volume of loan modifications requests related to a
COVID-19 financial hardship slowed significantly. Additionally, many loans that received a short-term payment
modification  returned  to  regular  payments  during  the  third  and  fourth  quarters  of  2020.  The  following  table
presents  the  number  and  balance  of  loans  granted  a  payment  modification  that  have  not  returned  to  regular
payments.

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-
owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land
development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

December 31, 2020

September 30, 2020

June 30, 2020

March 31, 2020

    Number     Balance     Number     Balance     Number     Balance     Number     Balance

 12   $  6,926
 3,178

 3  

 10   $  4,739
 3,178

 3  

 69   $  23,949
 4,175

 7  

 55   $  21,529
 143

 1  

(dollars in thousands)

 10

 1
 —

 1  
 9  
 4  

15,522

 1,171
 —

 383
 664
 142

 7

 15
 2

 1  
 17  
 2  

 7,294

18,021
 992

 361
 1,779
 30

 61

 98
 17

 40,104

 102,407
 12,031

 6  
 124  
 13  

 5,148
 15,048
 370

 43

 48
 8

 2  
 29  
 5  

 38,648

 61,353
 2,981

 612
 3,806
 69

Total

 40   $

27,986

 57   $

36,394

 395   $ 203,232

 191   $  129,141

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Industries Adversely Impacted by COVID-19

While many industries have and will continue to be adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail,
restaurant, and hotel industries are considered particularly susceptible to significant adverse impacts. Adverse
impacts  in  these  and  other  industries  may  result  in  a  deterioration  of  the  loan  portfolio’s  credit  quality  or  an
increase  in  provision  for  loan  losses.  The  below  table  summarizes  loan  balances  within  the  retail,  restaurant,
and hotel industries along with select credit quality information as of December 31, 2020.

Retail

Commercial and industrial
Commercial real estate -
owner occupied
Commercial real estate -
non-owner occupied
Construction and land
development

Total

Restaurants

Commercial and industrial
Commercial real estate -
owner occupied
Commercial real estate -
non-owner occupied

Total

Hotels

Commercial and industrial
Commercial real estate -
non-owner occupied
Construction and land
development

Total

Carrying Balance

Modified Payments (1)

    Non-PPP Loans    PPP Loans    

Total

     Pass     Pass-Watch     Substandard     Total

Substandard
     Risk Rating (2)

(dollars in thousands)

$

 9,667

$  11,120

$  20,787

$

 — $

 177

$

 — $  177

$

 3,274

 17,408

 126,425

 —

 —

 17,408

 126,425

 —

 —

 —

 —

 —

 —

 —

 —

 7,266
 160,766

 —
$  11,120

 7,266
$ 171,886

$

 —
 — $

 —
 177

$

 —
 —
 — $  177

$

 2,279

 690

 —
 6,243

 2,729   $  11,006

$  13,735

$  391

$

 — $

 330

$  721   $

 330

 15,773

 —

 15,773

 —

 —

 2,062

 2,062  

 6,060

 —
 24,562   $  11,006

 6,060
$  35,568

 —
$  391

$

 —
 — $

 —
 2,392

 —  
$ 2,783   $

 2,749

 469
 3,548

 250   $  1,490

$

 1,740

$

 — $

 — $

 — $

 —   $

 —

 22,172

 —

 22,172

 1,171

 —

 —

 1,171  

 785

 —
 23,207   $  1,490

 785
$  24,697

 —
$ 1,171

$

 —
 — $

 —
 — $ 1,171   $

 —

 6,662

 —
 6,662

$

$

$

$

$

(1) Borrowers that were granted a loan payment modification related to a COVID-19 financial hardship that have not returned to regular

payments as of December 31, 2020.
Includes those loans shown as Modified Payments – Substandard.

(2)

Subordinated Note Issuance

On September 3, 2020, to further enhance the Company’s strong capital and liquidity positions, we successfully
completed  a  private  placement  of  $40.0  million  4.50%  Fixed-to-Floating  Rate  Subordinated  Notes  due  2030.
This issuance of subordinated notes, which qualify as Tier 2 regulatory capital, contributed to an increase in the
Company’s  total  risk  based  capital  ratio,  which  was  17.40%  at  December  31,  2020,  compared  to  14.54%  at
December 31, 2019, while also significantly bolstering the cash reserves held at the holding company.

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FACTORS AFFECTING OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Economic Conditions

Our business and financial performance are affected by the general economic conditions in the United States
and  more  directly  in  the  Illinois  markets  where  we  operate.  The  significant  economic  factors  that  are  most
relevant to our business and our financial performance include the general economic conditions, unemployment
rates, real estate markets, and interest rates in the U.S. and in our markets.

COVID-19 Pandemic

Although the Company has maintained business operations with appropriate social distancing procedures since
the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has caused significant economic disruption throughout the United
States and the communities that we serve. While the duration, severity, and ultimate impact of the COVID-19
pandemic is unknown at this time, it may adversely impact the businesses we serve and impair the ability of our
customers to fulfill their contractual obligations to us. This could adversely affect our asset valuations, financial
condition,  liquidity  and  results  of  operations,  and  the  impacts  may  be  material.  We  experienced,  and  we  may
continue to experience, the following adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic:

● Decrease  in  net  interest  income  and  net  interest  margin,  as  a  result  of  the  lower  interest  rate

environment;

● Increase in provision for loan losses due to deterioration in the loan portfolio’s credit quality, as a result

of the economic slow-down caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;

● Decrease in debit and credit card interchange income, as a result of a lower level of consumer activity

and lower associated volume of debit and credit card transactions;

● Decrease in service charge income on deposit accounts, such as overdraft fees, as a result of federal

economic stimulus payments received by customers and an increase in waived or refunded fees;

● Decrease  in  demand  for  loans,  as  a  result  of  the  economic  slow-down  caused  by  the  COVID-19

pandemic.

Adverse  impacts  may  also  include  valuation  impairments  on  our  goodwill,  intangible  assets,  investment
securities, loans, mortgage servicing rights, deferred tax assets or counter-party risk derivatives.

The Company’s executive management continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. As of the date of
this filing, we anticipate we will continue to take actions to support our customers in a manner consistent with
the current guidance provided by federal banking regulatory authorities.

Interest Rates

Net interest income is our primary source of revenue. Net interest income equals the excess of interest income
earned on interest earning assets (including discount accretion on purchased loans plus certain loan fees) over
interest  expense  incurred  on  interest-bearing  liabilities.  The  level  of  interest  rates  as  well  as  the  volume  of
interest-earning  assets  and  interest-bearing  liabilities  both  impact  net  interest  income.  Net  interest  income  is
also  influenced  by  both  the  pricing  and  mix  of  interest-earning  assets  and  interest-bearing  liabilities  which,  in
turn,  are  impacted  by  external  factors  such  as  local  economic  conditions,  competition  for  loans  and  deposits,
the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve Board and market interest rates.

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The  cost  of  our  deposits  and  short-term  wholesale  borrowings  is  largely  based  on  short-term  interest  rates,
which  are  primarily  driven  by  the  Federal  Reserve  Board’s  actions.  The  yields  generated  by  our  loans  and
securities  are  typically  driven  by  short-term  and  long-term  interest  rates,  which  are  set  by  the  market  and,  to
some degree, by the Federal Reserve Board’s actions. The level of net interest income is therefore influenced
by movements in such interest rates and the pace at which such movements occur. During 2019, overall market
interest rates started to decline. The Federal Open Markets Committee lowered Federal Funds target rates for
the first time in 11 years on July 31, 2019 and then again in September 2019 and October 2019, for a combined
decrease of 75 basis points during 2019. In March 2020, the Federal Open Markets Committee lowered Federal
Funds target rates twice, for a combined decrease of 150 basis points in response to the economic downturn
related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We expect these rate cuts and potential increases in nonperforming loans as a result of the economic downturn
related to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to put downward pressure on our net interest margin. In general,
we believe that rate increases will lead to improved net interest margins while rate decreases will result in lower
net interest margins.

Credit Trends

We focus on originating loans with appropriate risk / reward profiles. We have a detailed loan policy that guides
our overall loan origination philosophy and a well-established loan approval process that requires experienced
credit  officers  to  approve  larger  loan  relationships.  Although  we  believe  our  loan  approval  process  and  credit
review  process  are  strengths  that  allow  us  to  maintain  a  high  quality  loan  portfolio,  we  recognize  that  credit
trends in the markets in which we operate and in our loan portfolio can materially impact our financial condition
and  performance  and  that  these  trends  are  primarily  driven  by  the  economic  conditions  in  our  markets.  In
addition, the economic slow-down caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may result in decreases in loan demand
and  increases  in  provision  for  loan  losses  due  to  increased  net  charge-offs  and  deterioration  in  the  loan
portfolio’s credit quality.

Competition

Our profitability and growth are affected by the highly competitive nature of the financial services industry. We
compete with community banks in all our markets and, to a lesser extent, with money center banks, primarily in
the  Chicago  MSA.  Additionally,  we  compete  with  non-bank  financial  services  companies  and  other  financial
institutions operating within the areas we serve. We compete by emphasizing personalized service and efficient
decision-making  tailored  to  individual  needs.  We  do  not  rely  on  any  individual,  group,  or  entity  for  a  material
portion  of  our  loans  or  our  deposits.  We  continue  to  see  increased  competitive  pressures  on  loan  rates  and
terms  and  increased  competition  for  deposits.  Continued  loan  and  deposit  pricing  pressure  may  affect  our
financial results in the future.

Regulatory Environment and Trends

We  are  subject  to  federal  and  state  regulation  and  supervision,  which  continue  to  evolve  as  the  legal  and
regulatory  framework  governing  our  operations  continues  to  change.  The  current  operating  environment
includes extensive regulation and supervision in areas such as consumer compliance, the BSA and anti-money
laundering  compliance,  risk  management  and  internal  audit.  We  anticipate  that  this  environment  of  extensive
regulation and supervision will continue for the industry. As a result, changes in the regulatory environment may
result in additional costs for additional compliance, risk management and audit personnel or professional fees
associated  with  advisors  and  consultants.  For  additional  information,  please  refer  to  “Supervision  and
Regulation” as well as “Risk Factors – Legal and Regulatory Compliance Risks.”

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FACTORS AFFECTING COMPARABILITY OF FINANCIAL RESULTS

S Corp Status

Prior to the initial public offering, the Company, with the consent of its then current stockholders, elected to be
taxed under sections of federal and state income tax law as an "S Corporation" which provides that, in lieu of
Company income taxes, except for state replacement taxes, the stockholders separately account for their pro
rata shares of the Company’s items of income, deductions, losses and credits. As a result of this election, no
income  taxes,  other  than  state  replacement  taxes,  had  been  recognized  in  the  accompanying  consolidated
financial statements prior to October 11, 2019.

Effective  October  11,  2019,  the  Company  voluntarily  revoked  its  S  Corporation  status  and  became  a  taxable
entity  (C  Corporation).  As  such,  any  periods  prior  to  October  11,  2019  will  only  reflect  an  effective  state
replacement tax rate. In connection with the conversion of tax status, the Company recognized a deferred tax
asset, and the associated income tax benefit, of $0.5 million.

The following table illustrates the impact of being taxed as a C Corporation:

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

2018

2020

As Reported

Income before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net income

Earnings per share - Basic
Earnings per share - Diluted

Effective tax rate

Unaudited Pro Forma C Corp Equivalent

Historical income before income tax expense
C Corp equivalent income tax expense
C Corp equivalent net income

C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Basic
C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Diluted

Effective tax rate

$

$

$
$

 49,573
 12,728
 36,845

 1.34
 1.34

$

$

$
$

 72,121
 5,256
 66,865

 3.33
 3.33

$

$

$
$

 64,668
 869
 63,799

 3.54
 3.54

 25.7 %   

 7.3 %   

 1.3 %

N/A
N/A
N/A

N/A
N/A

N/A

$

$

$
$

 72,121
 18,749
 53,372

 2.66
 2.66

$

$

$
$

 64,668
 16,371
 48,297

 2.68
 2.68

 26.0 %   

 25.3 %

The C Corp equivalent effective rates reflect a federal tax rate of 21% and state income tax rate of 9.5%.

Public Company Costs

Following  the  completion  of  the  initial  public  offering  in  2019,  the  Company  has  incurred,  and  expects  to
continue to incur, additional costs associated with operating as a public company, hiring additional personnel,
enhancing  technology  and  expanding  capabilities.  The  Company  expects  that  these  costs  will  include  legal,
regulatory,  accounting,  investor  relations  and  other  expenses  that  were  not  incurred  as  a  private  company.
Sarbanes-Oxley  and  rules  adopted  by  the  SEC,  the  FDIC  and  national  securities  exchanges  require  public
companies to implement specified corporate governance practices that were inapplicable as a private company.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview of Recent Financial Results

The  following  table  presents  selected  financial  results  and  measures  as  of  and  for  the  year  ended
December 31.

Statement of Income Information
Total interest and dividend income
Total interest expense
Net interest income
Provision for loan losses
Net income after provision for loan losses
Total noninterest income
Total noninterest expense
Income before income tax expense
Income tax expense
Net income

C Corp equivalent net income (1)
Adjusted net income (2)

Net interest income (tax-equivalent basis) (2) (3)

Share and Per Share Information
Earnings per share - Diluted
C Corp equivalent earnings per share - Diluted (1)
Adjusted earnings per share - Diluted (2)

As of or for the Year Ended December 31, 
2018
2019
2020
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

 124,065
 6,460
 117,605
 10,532
 107,073
 34,456
 91,956
 49,573
 12,728
 36,845

N/A
 39,734

 119,548

 1.34
N/A
 1.44

$

$

$

$

$

 143,735
 9,935
 133,800
 3,404
 130,396
 32,751
 91,026
 72,121
 5,256
 66,865

 53,372
 57,427

 136,109

 3.33
 2.66
 2.86

 137,432
 7,990
 129,442
 5,697
 123,745
 31,240
 90,317
 64,668
 869
 63,799

 48,297
 50,252

 132,103

 3.54
 2.68
 2.78

Weighted average number shares of common stock outstanding

 27,457,306

 20,090,270

 18,047,332

Summary Ratios
Net interest margin
Net interest margin (tax-equivalent basis) (2) (3)
Yield on loans
Yield on interest-earning assets
Cost of interest-bearing liabilities
Cost of total deposits

Efficiency ratio
Efficiency ratio (tax-equivalent basis) (2) (3)

Return on average assets
Return on average stockholders' equity
Return on average tangible common equity (2)

C Corp equivalent return on average assets (1)
C Corp equivalent return on average stockholders' equity (1)
C Corp equivalent return on average tangible common equity (1) (2)

Adjusted return on average assets (2)
Adjusted return on average stockholders' equity (2)
Adjusted return on average tangible common equity (2)

 3.54 %   
 3.60
 4.69
 3.74
 0.29
 0.14

 4.31 %   
 4.38
 5.51
 4.63
 0.45
 0.29

 59.66 %   
 58.91

 53.80 %   
 53.06

 1.07 %   

 2.07 %   

 10.51
 11.38

N/A
N/A
N/A

 19.58
 21.35

 1.65 %   

 15.63
 17.04

 1.15 %   

 1.78 %   

 11.33
 12.28

 16.81
 18.34

 4.16 %
 4.25
 5.35
 4.42
 0.36
 0.21

 55.24 %
 54.34

 1.96 %

 19.32
 21.24

 1.49 %

 14.63
 16.08

 1.55 %

 15.22
 16.73

(1) Reflects  adjustment  to  our  historical  net  income  for  each  period  to  give  effect  to  the  C  Corp  equivalent  provision  for  income  tax  for

such period.

(2) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

(3) On a tax-equivalent basis assuming a federal tax rate of 21% and state income tax rate of 9.5%.
N/A  Not applicable.

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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

For  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020,  net  income  was  $36.8  million  decreasing  by  $30.0  million,  or
44.9%,when compared to net income for the year ended December 31, 2019, or a decrease of $16.5 million, or
31.0%, when compared to C Corp equivalent net income for the year ended December 31, 2019. Net income
declined  primarily  due  to  lower  net  interest  income  and  higher  provision  for  loan  losses.  Net  interest  income
declined  by  $16.2  million,  primarily  as  a  result  of  a  lower  interest  rate  environment.  Provision  for  loan  losses
increased  by  $7.1  million,  primarily  due  to  the  economic  weakness  resulting  from  the  COVID-19  pandemic.
Partially offsetting these declines was a $5.7 million increase in gains on sale of mortgage loans attributable to
a strong mortgage refinancing environment and higher premiums received on mortgage loans sold.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

For the year ended December 31, 2019, net income was $66.9 million increasing by $3.1 million, or 4.8%, from
the year ended December 31, 2018. Net income increased primarily due to increases in net interest income as
a  result  of  increases  in  asset  yields  offset  by  a  smaller  increase  in  the  cost  of  interest-bearing  liabilities.
Provision for loan losses for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $2.3 million lower than the provision for
the year ended December 31, 2018. The increases in net interest income were partially offset by a $3.0 million
decline in the mortgage servicing rights fair value adjustment and a charge of $3.8 million associated with the
termination of the supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) included in employee benefits expense.

Income tax expense increased during the year ended December 31, 2019 as a result of the change in tax status
to  become  a  C  Corporation  effective  October  11,  2019.  In  connection  with  the  change  of  tax  status,  the
Company recorded a nonrecurring income tax benefit of $0.5 million to recognize an initial deferred tax asset of
the  same  amount.  The  C  Corp  equivalent  net  income  increased  $5.1  million,  or  10.5%,  reflecting  the
improvements in income before income tax expense previously discussed, partially offset by a slightly higher C
Corp  equivalent  effective  tax  rate  as  a  result  of  declines  in  federally  tax-exempt  interest  income.  See  the
“Factors Affecting Comparability of Financial Results: S Corp Status” section and Note 16 to the consolidated
financial statements for additional information related to the change in tax status.

Net Interest Income

Net interest income equals the excess of interest income (including discount accretion on acquired loans) plus
fees earned on interest earning assets over interest expense incurred on interest-bearing liabilities. Interest rate
spread and net interest margin are utilized to measure and explain changes in net interest income. Interest rate
spread  is  the  difference  between  the  yield  on  interest-earning  assets  and  the  rate  paid  for  interest-bearing
liabilities that fund those assets. The net interest margin is expressed as the percentage of net interest income
to  average  interest-earning  assets.  The  net  interest  margin  exceeds  the  interest  rate  spread  because
noninterest-bearing sources of funds, principally noninterest-bearing demand deposits and stockholders’ equity,
also support interest-earning assets.

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Table of Contents

The following tables sets forth average balances, average yields and costs, and certain other information for the
years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. Average balances are daily average balances. Nonaccrual
loans  are  included  in  the  computation  of  average  balances  but  have  been  reflected  in  the  table  as  loans
carrying  a  zero  yield.  The  yields  set  forth  below  include  the  effect  of  deferred  fees  and  costs,  discounts  and
premiums, and purchase accounting adjustments that are accreted or amortized to interest income or expense.

December 31, 2020

     Average     
Balance

Interest   Yield/Cost

     Average     
Balance

Year Ended
December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

Interest
(dollars in thousands)

Yield/Cost 

     Average     
Balance

Interest

  Yield/Cost

ASSETS

Loans
Securities
Deposits with banks
Other

Total interest-earning assets

Allowance for loan losses
Noninterest-earning assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities

Interest-bearing deposits:

Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings
Time

Total interest-bearing deposits

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Borrowings
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital
trusts

Total interest-bearing liabilities

Noninterest-bearing deposits
Noninterest-bearing liabilities

Total liabilities
Stockholders' Equity

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

Net interest income/Net interest margin (3)
Tax-equivalent adjustment (2)
Net interest income (tax-equivalent basis)/ Net
interest margin (tax-equivalent basis) (1) (2)

Net interest rate spread (4)
Net interest-earning assets (5)
Ratio of interest-earning assets to interest-bearing
liabilities
Cost of total deposits

$ 2,245,093
 789,062
 282,130
 2,479

$

105,196  
 17,875  
 938  
 56  

 4.69 %  $ 2,178,897
 759,479
 2.27
 164,986
 0.33
 2,501
 2.28

$

120,142  
 20,582  
 2,951  
 60  

 5.51 %  $  2,131,512
 860,804
 2.71
 114,202
 1.79
 2,771
 2.41

$  114,034  
 21,613  
 1,717  
 68  

 5.35 %
 2.51
 1.50
 2.47

   3,318,764
 (27,661)
 156,397
$ 3,447,500

$  873,060
 474,033
 477,260
 317,308
   2,141,661
 49,714
 1,080
 12,869

 37,613
   2,242,937
 807,864
 45,996
   3,096,797
 350,703
$ 3,447,500

$ 1,075,827

 1.48

$

124,065  

 3.74 %  

$

143,735  

 3,105,863
 (21,704)
 149,227
$ 3,233,386

 4.63 %     3,109,289
 (20,046)
 158,355
$  3,247,598

$  137,432  

 4.42 %

$

 647  
 697  
 196  
 2,681  
 4,221  
 48  
 2  

 616

 0.07 %  $  821,480
 463,233
 0.15
 430,220
 0.04
 396,560
 0.84
 2,111,493
 0.20
 41,177
 0.10
 351
 0.22
 —
 4.79

 1,573  
 6,460  

$

 4.18
 0.29 %  

 37,553
 2,190,574
 666,055
 35,213
 2,891,842
 341,544
$ 3,233,386

$

 1,474  
 1,837  
 278  
 4,343  
 7,932  
 72  
 9  
 —

 1,922  
 9,935  

$

 0.18 %  $  824,910
 442,872
 0.40
 433,661
 0.06
 442,569
 1.10
   2,144,012
 0.38
 40,725
 0.18
 14,946
 2.60
 —
 —

 37,487
 5.12
 0.45 %     2,237,170
 653,885
 26,329
   2,917,384
 330,214
$  3,247,598

$

 1,378  
 685  
 283  
 3,541  
 5,887  
 48  
 260  
 —

 1,795  
 7,990  

$

 0.17 %
 0.15
 0.07
 0.80
 0.27
 0.12
 1.74
 —

 4.79
 0.36 %

$

117,605
 1,943

$

119,548

 3.54 %  
 0.06

 3.60 %  
 3.45 %  

 0.14 %  

$  915,289

 1.42

$

133,800
 2,309

$

136,109

 4.31 %  
 0.07

 4.38 %   
 4.18 %   

$  129,442
 2,661

$  132,103

$  872,119

 1.39

 0.29 %   

 4.16 %  
 0.09

 4.25 %  
 4.06 %  

 0.21 %  

(1) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

(2) On a tax-equivalent basis assuming a federal tax rate of 21% and state income tax rate of 9.5%.
(3) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
(4) Net  interest  rate  spread  represents  the  difference  between  the  yield  on  average  interest-earning  assets  and  the  cost  of  average

interest-bearing liabilities.

(5) Net interest-earning assets represents total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.

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The following table sets forth the components of loan interest income. Loan interest income includes contractual
interest on loans, loan fees, accretion of acquired loan discounts and net earnings on cash flow hedges.

2020

Yield

Year Ended December 31, 
2019

Yield

2018

Yield

Interest

Contribution

Interest

Contribution

Interest

Contribution

Contractual interest
Loan fees (excluding PPP loans)
PPP loan fees
Accretion of acquired loan discounts
Net cash flow hedge earnings
Total loan interest income

$

$

 97,529
 3,926
 2,953
 724
 64
 105,196

(dollars in thousands)

 4.34 % $
 0.19
 0.13
 0.03
 —
 4.69 % $

 114,025
 3,746
 —
 2,255
 116
 120,142

 5.23 % $
 0.17
 —
 0.10
 0.01
 5.51 % $

 106,522
 3,304
 —
 4,033
 175
 114,034

 5.00 %
 0.15
 —
 0.19
 0.01
 5.35 %

The  following  table  sets  forth  the  components  of  net  interest  income.  Total  interest  income  consists  of
contractual interest on loans, contractual interest on securities, contractual interest on interest-bearing deposits
in  banks,  loan  fees,  accretion  of  acquired  loan  discounts,  securities  amortization,  net,  and  other  interest  and
dividend  income.  Total  interest  expense  consists  of  contractual  interest  on  deposits,  contractual  interest  on
other interest-bearing liabilities and other interest expense.

Interest income:
Contractual interest on loans
Contractual interest on securities
Contractual interest on deposits with banks
Loan fees (excluding PPP loans)
PPP loan fees
Accretion of acquired loan discounts
Securities amortization, net
Other

Total interest income

Interest expense:
Contractual interest on deposits
Contractual interest on other interest-bearing liabilities
Other

Total interest expense
Net interest income
Tax equivalent adjustment (1)
Net interest income (tax equivalent) (1) (2)

2020

     Net Interest     
Margin
Contribution

Interest

Year Ended December 31, 
2019

Interest

Net Interest
Margin
Contribution

(dollars in thousands)

2018

     Net Interest

Margin
Contribution

Interest

$

$

 97,529  
 22,920  
 938  
 3,926  
 2,953

 724  
 (5,045) 
 120  
 124,065  

 4,201  
 1,846  
 413  
 6,460  
 117,605  
 1,943  
 119,548  

 2.94 %  $
 0.69
 0.03
 0.12
 0.09
 0.02
 (0.15)
 —
 3.74

 0.13
 0.06
 0.01
 0.20
 3.54
 0.06
 3.60 %  $

 114,025  
 24,032  
 2,951  
 3,746  
 —
 2,255  
 (3,450) 
 176  
 143,735  

 7,934  
 1,909  
 92  
 9,935  
 133,800  
 2,309  
 136,109  

 3.67 % $
 0.77
 0.10
 0.12
 —
 0.07
 (0.11)
 0.01
 4.63

 0.26
 0.06

 —  

 0.32
 4.31
 0.07
 4.38 % $

 106,522  
 26,658  
 1,717  
 3,304  
 —
 4,033  
 (5,045) 
 243  
 137,432  

 5,910  
 2,038  
 42  
 7,990  
 129,442  
 2,661  
 132,103  

 3.42 %
 0.86
 0.05
 0.11
 —
 0.13
 (0.16)
 0.01
 4.42

 0.19
 0.07
 —
 0.26
 4.16
 0.09
 4.25 %

(1) On a tax-equivalent basis assuming a federal income tax rate of 21% and a state income tax rate of 9.5%.
(2) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

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Rate/Volume Analysis

The following table sets forth the dollar amount of changes in interest income and interest expense for the major
categories  of  our  interest-earning  assets  and  interest-bearing  liabilities.  Information  is  provided  for  each
category  of  interest-earning  assets  and  interest-bearing  liabilities  with  respect  to  changes  attributable  to
changes in volume (i.e., changes in average balances multiplied by the prior-period average rate), and changes
attributable to rate (i.e., changes in average rate multiplied by prior-period average balances). For purposes of
this  table,  changes  attributable  to  both  volume  and  rate  that  cannot  be  segregated  have  been  allocated
proportionately to the change due to volume and the change due to rate.

Year Ended December 31, 2020
vs.
Year Ended December 31, 2019

Increase (Decrease) Due to

     Volume

Rate

Year Ended December 31, 2019
vs.
Year Ended December 31, 2018

Increase (Decrease) Due to

Total

     Volume
(dollars in thousands)

Rate

Total

Interest-earning assets:

Loans
Securities
Deposits with banks
Other

Total interest-earning assets

Interest-bearing liabilities:
Interest-bearing deposits:
Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings
Time

Total interest-bearing deposits

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Borrowings
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital trusts

Total interest-bearing liabilities

Change in net interest income

$

 3,558
 744
 1,308
 (1)
 5,609

$  (18,504) $ (14,946) $

 (3,451)
 (3,321)
 (3)
 (25,279)

 (2,707)
 (2,013)
 (4)
   (19,670)

$

 2,573
 (2,644)
 835
 (6)
 758

 3,535
 1,613
 399
 (2)
 5,545

$  6,108
 (1,031)
 1,234
 (8)
 6,303

 88
 42
 27
 (775)
 (618)
 13
 6
 616
 3
 20
 5,589

$

 (915)
 (1,182)
 (109)
 (887)
 (3,093)
 (37)
 (13)
 —
 (352)
 (3,495)

 (827)
 (1,140)
 (82)
 (1,662)
 (3,711)
 (24)
 (7)
 616
 (349)
 (3,475)

$  (21,784) $ (16,195) $

 (6)
 56
 (2)
 (435)
 (387)
 1
 (317)
 —
 3
 (700)
 1,458

$

 102
 1,096
 (3)
 1,237
 2,432
 23
 66
 —
 124
 2,645
 2,900

 96
 1,152
 (5)
 802
 2,045
 24
 (251)
 —
 127
 1,945
$  4,358

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2020 decreased $16.2 million, or 12.1%, to $117.6 million
from $133.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease is primarily attributable to declines in
benchmark  interest  rates,  which  drove  lower  yields  on  interest-earning  assets.  Partially  offsetting  this  decline
were an increase in interest-earning asset balances, lower costs on deposits, and a decrease in time deposit
balances.

Net interest margin decreased as well to 3.54% for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to 4.31% for
the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease was primarily attributable to the decline in the average yield
on  earning  assets.  The  contribution  of  acquired  loan  discount  accretion  to  net  interest  income  declined  to
$0.7 million or 2 basis points of the net interest margin, for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $2.3 million
or 7 basis points of the net interest margin, for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Additionally,  the  $40  million  of  subordinated  notes  issued  during  the  third  quarter  of  2020  is  expected  to  add
downward  pressure  to  net  interest  income  and  net  interest  margin  in  subsequent  periods.  However,  the
proceeds  from  the  issuance,  which  were  primarily  invested  in  debt  securities,  provide  additional  regulatory
capital to buffer against higher than estimated credit losses and support organic or acquisitive growth.

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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

Net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased $4.4 million, or 3.4%, to $133.8 million
from $129.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase was primarily driven by higher rates in
the first half of 2019. Average rates on loans, securities, and interest-bearing deposits all increased in 2019, but
asset yield increases exceeded deposit cost increases. Organic loan growth also contributed to the increase in
net interest income, funded primarily through decreases in the securities portfolio, shifting our earning asset mix
from the securities portfolio to the higher yielding loan portfolio. Net interest margin increased as well to 4.31%
for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019  compared  to  4.16%  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2018.  The
contribution of acquired loan discount accretion to net interest income declined to $2.3 million, or 7 basis points
of the net interest margin, for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $4.0 million, or 13 basis points of the net
interest margin, for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The quarterly net interest margins were as follows:

Three months ended

March 31,
June 30,
September 30,
December 31,

2020

2019

2018

 4.03 %  
 3.51
 3.39
 3.31

 4.50 %  
 4.37
 4.27
 4.09

 4.07 %
 4.15
 4.19
 4.25

As the table above illustrates, net interest margin rose during 2018, peaked in the first quarter of 2019, and then
declined during the remainder of 2019 and throughout 2020. During 2019, overall market interest rates started
to  decline.  The  Federal  Open  Markets  Committee  lowered  Federal  Funds  target  rates  for  the  first  time  in
11 years on July 31, 2019 and then again in September 2019 and October 2019, for a combined decrease of 75
basis points during 2019. In March 2020, the Federal Open Markets Committee lowered Federal Funds target
rates twice, for a combined decrease of 150 basis points in response to the economic downturn related to the
COVID-19 pandemic.

We expect these rate cuts and potential increases in nonperforming loans as a result of the economic downturn
related to the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to put downward pressure on our net interest margin. In general,
we believe that rate increases will lead to improved net interest margins while rate decreases will result in lower
net interest margins.

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Provision for Loan Losses

Provisions for loan losses are charged to operations in order to maintain the allowance for loan losses at a level
we consider necessary to absorb probable incurred credit losses in the loan portfolio. In determining the level of
the  allowance  for  loan  losses,  management  considers  past  and  current  loss  experience,  evaluations  of
collateral,  current  economic  conditions,  volume  and  type  of  lending,  adverse  situations  that  may  affect  a
borrower’s ability to repay a loan and the levels of nonperforming and other classified loans. The amount of the
allowance  is  based  on  estimates  and  the  ultimate  losses  may  vary  from  such  estimates  as  more  information
becomes available or events change. We assess the allowance for loan losses on a quarterly basis and make
provisions for loan losses in order to maintain the allowance. The provision for loan losses is a function of the
allowance  for  loan  loss  methodology  we  use  to  determine  the  appropriate  level  of  the  allowance  for  inherent
loan losses after net charge-offs have been deducted.

The deterioration of economic conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected, and may
continue to adversely affect, the communities that we serve. As a result, our provision for loan losses increased
in 2020. If future economic conditions deteriorate, or if the COVID-19 pandemic is prolonged or intensifies, our
provision  for  loan  losses  may  remain  elevated,  or  increase,  possibly  materially,  and  adversely  affect  our
financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

The provision for loan losses was $10.5 million and $3.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and
2019, respectively. The increase in provision for loan losses was primarily due to $5.8 million of reserve build
related  to  adjustments  to  qualitative  factors  to  reflect  the  economic  weakness  resulting  from  the  COVID-19
pandemic  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020.  Also  contributing  to  the  increase  was  a  $3.8  million
increase  in  specific  reserves  on  loans  individually  evaluated  for  impairment  from  December  31,  2019  to
December 31, 2020.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

The  provision  for  loan  losses  was  $3.4  million  and  $5.7  million  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2019  and
2018,  respectively.  Net  charge-offs  to  average  loans  decreased  from  0.23%  during  the  year  ended
December  31,  2018  to  0.07%  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  reducing  the  need  to  provide  for
additional  allowance  for  loan  losses.  The  allowance  for  loan  losses  as  a  percentage  of  loans  increased  from
0.96% at December 31, 2018 to 1.03% at December 31, 2019, primarily due to an increase in qualitative factor
adjustments applied to certain categories of loans collectively evaluated for impairment.

72

Table of Contents

Noninterest Income

The following table outlines the amount of and changes to the various noninterest income line items as of the
dates indicated.

2020

     $ Change     

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

     $ Change

Card income
Service charges on deposit accounts
Wealth management fees
Mortgage servicing
Mortgage servicing rights fair value adjustment
Gains on sale of mortgage loans
Gains (losses) on securities
Gains (losses) on foreclosed assets
Gains (losses) on other assets
Title insurance activity
Other noninterest income

Total noninterest income

$

 8,087
 5,987
 7,237
 2,978
 (2,584)
 8,835
 33
 142
 (71)
 —
 3,812
$  34,456

$

$

 322
 (1,883)
 410
 (165)
 (184)
 5,743
 38
 (798)
 (1,315)
 (167)
 (296)
 1,705

$

 7,765
 7,870
 6,827
 3,143
 (2,400)
 3,092
 (5)
 940
 1,244
 167
 4,108
$  32,751

$

$

 384
 (271)
 (575)
 (118)
 (3,029)
 220
 2,658
 2,277
 457
 (1,040)
 548
 1,511

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

2018

$

 7,381
 8,141
 7,402
 3,261
 629
 2,872
 (2,663)
 (1,337)
 787
 1,207
 3,560
$  31,240

Total  noninterest  income  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  increased  by  $1.7  million,  or  5.2%,  to
$34.5 million from $32.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase is primarily attributable to
a  $5.7  million  increase  in  gains  on  sale  of  mortgage  loans,  attributable  to  a  strong  mortgage  refinancing
environment  and  higher  premiums  received  on  mortgage  loans  sold.  A  lower  level  of  mortgage  refinancing
activity  is  anticipated  in  2021  and  is  expected  to  result  in  lower  mortgage  banking  profits,  relative  to  2020.
Partially  offsetting  this  increase  were  a  $1.9  million  decrease  in  service  charges  on  deposit  accounts,
associated  with  lower  overdraft  incidences  and  fee  waivers,  and  nonrecurring  gains  contained  in  the  2019
results, including gains on sales of First Community Title Services, Inc. and HBT insurance of $0.8 million and
gains on sales of bank premises held for sale of $0.4 million.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

Total  noninterest  income  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019  increased  by  $1.5  million,  or  4.8%,  to  $32.8
million from $31.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. The increase is primarily due to a $2.7 million
decrease in losses on securities, as a result of targeted security sales for tax purposes during the year ended
December 31, 2018 with no sales of securities during the year ended December 31, 2019. Gains (losses) on
foreclosed assets, which vary based on property specific circumstances, also contributed to an increase in total
noninterest income, increasing from a loss of a $1.3 million to a gain of $0.9 million. Fees on customer-related
interest  rate  swaps  of  $0.9  million  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019,  included  in  other  noninterest
income,  also  contributed  to  noninterest  income  growth.  There  were  no  fees  on  customer-related  interest  rate
swaps during the year ended December 31, 2018.

Partially  offsetting  these  improvements  were  the  mortgage  servicing  rights  fair  value  adjustment  and  title
insurance  activity  income.  The    mortgage  servicing  rights  fair  value  adjustment  declined  from  a  gain  of  $0.6
million  to  a  loss  of  $2.4  million,  primarily  due  to  actual  and  expected  increases  in  mortgage  refinances  of
serviced  loans  driven  by  declines  in  mortgage  interest  rates.  Title  insurance  activity  income  declined  $1.0
million, due to the sale of First Community Title Services, Inc. on February 15, 2019.

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Noninterest Expense

The following table outlines the amount of and changes to the various noninterest expense line items as of the
dates indicated.

Salaries
Employee benefits
Occupancy of bank premises
Furniture and equipment
Data processing
Marketing and customer relations
Amortization of intangible assets
FDIC insurance
Loan collection and servicing
Foreclosed assets
Other noninterest expense

Total noninterest expense

2020

$  50,616
 8,045
 6,580
 2,447
 6,742
 3,476
 1,232
 707
 1,755
 557
 9,799
$  91,956

     $ Change     

     $ Change

2018

$

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$  49,003
 9,883
 6,867
 2,813
 5,570
 3,873
 1,423
 198
 2,633
 676
 8,087
$  91,026

 1,613
 (1,838)
 (287)
 (366)
 1,172
 (397)
 (191)
 509
 (878)
 (119)
 1,712
 930

$

$

$

 (120) $  49,123
 6,759
 7,352
 3,000
 5,234
 4,211
 1,559
 942
 2,710
 772
 8,655
$  90,317

 3,124
 (485)
 (187)
 336
 (338)
 (136)
 (744)
 (77)
 (96)
 (568)
 709

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Total  noninterest  expense  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  increased  by  $0.9  million,  or  1.0%,  to
$92.0 million from $91.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in salaries expense was
primarily  driven  by  higher  bonuses  for  mortgage  lenders  and  overtime  and  bonuses  for  mortgage  support
personnel, as a result of increased residential mortgage origination volume. Partially offsetting this increase was
a reduction in employee count occurred as a result of the sale of First Community Title Services, Inc. and HBT
Insurance during the first quarter of 2019. Salaries and employee benefits expenses for First Community Title
Services,  Inc.  and  HBT  Insurance  was  $0.4  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019.  There  were  no
salaries and employee benefits expenses for First Community Title Services, Inc. or HBT Insurance subsequent
to 2019.

The  decrease  in  employee  benefits  expense  was  primarily  the  result  of  smaller  charges  related  to  the
supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) which was terminated in June 2019 and paid out in June 2020.
The  charge  related  to  termination  of  the  SERP  was  $1.5  million  and  $3.8  million  during  the  years  ended
December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The remaining $0.5 million increase in employee benefits expense
was primarily related to higher medical benefit expenses.

The  increase  in  data  processing  expense  includes  $0.2  million  of  nonrecurring  costs  related  to  systems
conversion  for  the  consolidation  of  State  Bank  of  Lincoln  into  Heartland  Bank  and  Trust  Company  as  well  as
upgrades  to  certain  ancillary  systems.  Increased  other  noninterest  expenses  include  higher  legal  and
professional fees associated with public company costs not incurred prior to the fourth quarter of 2019.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

Total noninterest expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 increased by $0.7 million, or 0.8%, to $91.0
million  from  $90.3  million  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2018.  The  increase  was  primarily  due  to  a  $3.3
million  increase  in  employee  benefits  expense  driven  by  a  $3.8  million  charge  during  the  year  ended
December  31,  2019  related  to  the  termination  of  the  SERP.  The  SERP  liability  varied  inversely  with  interest
rates and was paid out in June 2020.

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This  increase  in  total  noninterest  expense  was  partially  offset  by  a  $0.7  million  decrease  in  FDIC  insurance
expense due in part to the application of small bank assessment credits. The remaining small bank assessment
credits available to the Bank was $0.4 million as of December 31, 2019, and may be applied, as determined by
the  FDIC,  against  future  FDIC  insurance  assessments  which  are  paid  quarterly,  in  arrears.  Routine  salary
increases were offset by a reduction in employee count as a result of the sale of First Community Title Services,
Inc.  and  HBT  Insurance  during  the  first  quarter  of  2019.  Salaries  and  employee  benefits  expenses  for  First
Community  Title  Services,  Inc.  and  HBT  Insurance  totaled  $0.4  million  and  $1.3  million  for  the  years  ended
December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Income Taxes

The  Company  has  historically  been  taxed  under  sections  of  federal  and  state  tax  law  as  an  "S  corporation"
which  provides  that  with  the  exception  of  certain  state  replacement  and  franchise  taxes,  current  stockholders
account  separately  for  their  share  of  the  Company’s  income,  deductions,  losses  and  credits.  For  additional
information, see “Factors Affecting Comparability of Financial Results: S Corp Status”.

Effective  October  11,  2019,  the  Company  voluntarily  revoked  its  S  Corporation  status  and  became  a  taxable
entity  (C  Corporation).  As  such,  any  periods  prior  to  October  11,  2019  will  only  reflect  an  effective  state
replacement tax rate. In connection with the conversion of tax status, the Company recognized a deferred tax
asset, and the associated income tax benefit, of $0.5 million.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

We  recorded  income  tax  expense  of  $12.7  million,  or  25.7%  effective  tax  rate,  during  the  year  ended
December 31, 2020 compared to $5.3 million, or 7.3% effective tax rate, on a historical basis and $18.7 million,
or 26.0% effective tax rate, on a pro forma C Corp equivalent basis during the year ended December 31, 2019.
The  effective  income  tax  rate  was  lower  than  the  combined  federal  and  state  statutory  rate  of  approximately
28.5%  primarily  due  to  tax  exempt  interest  income.  Relative  to  the  pro  forma  C  Corp  equivalent  effective  tax
rate,  the  effective  income  tax  rate  decreased  primarily  due  to  tax  exempt  interest  income  making  up  a  larger
portion  of  pre-tax  net  income  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2020  compared  to  the  year  ended
December 31, 2019.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

We  recorded  income  tax  expense  of  $5.3  million,  or  7.3%  effective  tax  rate,  during  the  year  ended
December 31, 2020 compared to $0.9 million, or 1.3% effective tax rate, during the year ended December 31,
2019. The increase was primarily due to the transition to a C Corporation effective October 11, 2019. On a pro
forma C Corp equivalent basis, the effective tax rate increased to 26.0% during the year ended December 31,
2019, from 25.3% during the year ended December 31, 2018, due to tax exempt interest income making up a
smaller portion of pre-tax net income during the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended
December 31, 2018.

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FINANCIAL CONDITION

Balance Sheet Information
Cash and cash equivalents
Debt securities available-for-sale, at fair value
Debt securities held-to-maturity
Equity securities
Loans held for sale

Loans, before allowance for loan losses
Less: allowance for loan losses
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses

Goodwill
Core deposit intangible assets, net
Other assets

Total Assets

2020

December 31, 
2019

2018

     $ Change     % Change     $ Change     % Change

2020 vs. 2019

2019 vs. 2018

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

$

 312,451
 922,869
 68,395
 4,844
 14,713

 2,247,006
 31,838
 2,215,168

$

 283,971
 592,404
 88,477
 4,389
 4,531

 2,163,826
 22,299
 2,141,527

$

 186,879
 679,526
 121,715
 3,261
 2,800

$  28,480
   330,465
 (20,082)
 455
 10,182

 10.0 %  $  97,092
 (87,122)
 55.8
 (33,238)
 (22.7)
 1,128
 10.4
 1,731
 224.7

 2,144,257
 20,509
 2,123,748

 83,180
 9,539
 73,641

 23,620
 2,798
 101,709
$  3,666,567

 23,620
 4,030
 102,154
$  3,245,103

 23,620
 5,453
 102,567
$  3,249,569

 3.8
 42.8
 3.4

 —
 (30.6)
 (0.4)
 13.0

 19,569
 1,790
 17,779

 —
 (1,423)
 (413)
 (4,466)

 12.7 % $  (19,115)
 (1,762)
 —
 66
 23,823
 3,012
 (7,478)
 (4,466)

 2.9
NM
 0.2
 (7.2)
 13.4
 9.3
 13.0

 —
 (1,232)
 (445)
   421,464

$  353,679
 1,303
 39,238
 65
 (3,820)
 390,465
 30,999
 421,464

 52.0 %
 (12.8)
 (27.3)
 34.6
 61.8

 0.9
 8.7
 0.8

 —
 (26.1)
 (0.4)
 (0.1)

 (0.7)%
 (3.8)
NM
 0.2
 80.8
 0.1
 (2.2)
 (0.1)

 (0.1)%
 (2.0)

 (1.0)%

Total deposits
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures
Other liabilities

Total Liabilities
Total Stockholders' Equity
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

$  3,130,534
 45,736
 39,238
 37,648
 49,494
 3,302,650
 363,917
$  3,666,567

$  2,776,855
 44,433
 —
 37,583
 53,314
 2,912,185
 332,918
$  3,245,103

$  2,795,970
 46,195
 —
 37,517
 29,491
 2,909,173
 340,396
$  3,249,569

Tangible assets (1)
Tangible common equity (1)

$  3,640,149
 337,499

$  3,217,453
 305,268

$  3,220,496
 311,323

$  422,696
 32,231

 13.1 % $  (3,043)
 (6,055)
 10.6

Core deposits (1)

$  3,103,847

$  2,732,101

$  2,759,095

$  371,746

 13.6 % $  (26,994)

Share and Per Share Information
Book value per share
Tangible book value per share

Ending number shares of common stock
outstanding

Balance Sheet Ratios
Loan to deposit ratio
Core deposits to total deposits (1)
Stockholders' equity to total assets
Tangible common equity to tangible assets (1)

$

 13.25
 12.29

$

 12.12
 11.12

$

 18.88
 17.27

 27,457,306

 27,457,306

 18,027,512

 71.78 %   
 99.15
 9.93
 9.27

 77.92 %  
 98.39
 10.26
 9.49

 76.69 %   
 98.68
 10.48
 9.67

(1) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

NM  Not meaningful.

Balance Sheet Analysis

Comparison of December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2019

Total  assets  were  $3.67  billion  at  December  31,  2020,  an  increase  of  $421.5  million,  or  13.0%,  from
December 31, 2019, which was primarily a result of an increase in total deposits that were invested primarily in
debt securities and loans. Loans, before allowance for loan losses increased $83.2 million, primarily due to the
origination of PPP loans which totaled $163.5 million as of December 31, 2020. Loans held for sale increased
$10.2 million, primarily due to a strong mortgage refinancing environment.

Total  deposits  were  $3.13  billion  at  December  31,  2020,  an  increase  of  $353.7  million,  or  12.7%,  from
December  31,  2019.  This  increase  is  primarily  due  to  PPP  loan  proceeds  received  by  commercial  customers
and federal economic stimulus received by retail customers.

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Core  deposits  to  total  deposits  remained  very  high  at  99.1%  at  December  31,  2020  compared  to  98.4%  at
December 31, 2019, as we managed our deposit portfolio to retain higher value core deposit relationships and
maintain  the  lowest  practicable  cost  of  funds.  The  loan  to  deposit  ratio  was  71.8%  at  December  31,  2020,
decreasing from 77.9% at December 31, 2019.

Comparison of December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2018

Total  assets  remained  almost  unchanged  from  December  31,  2018  to  December  31,  2019,  decreasing  $4.5
million,  or  0.1%,  to  $3.25  billion  as  of  December  31,  2019.  Although  total  assets  remained  steady,  the
Company’s  asset  mix  shifted  with  a  $120.4  million  decrease  in  the  debt  securities  portfolio,  a  $97.1  million
increase in cash and cash equivalents, and a $19.6 million increase in loans, before allowance for loan losses.

Total  deposits  were  $2.78  billion  at  December  31,  2019,  a  decrease  of  $19.1  million,  or  0.7%,  from
December 31, 2018. This slight decrease is primarily due to decreases in higher cost deposit categories such
as time deposits, partially offset by increases in money market accounts. The decline in total deposits was also
partially  offset  by  deposit  growth  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2019  which  included  approximately  $40.2  million  in
increased balances in a small number of retail deposit accounts. The Company expected some outflow in these
deposits during the first quarter of 2020.

Core  deposits  to  total  deposits  remained  very  high  at  98.4%  at  December  31,  2019  compared  to  98.7%  at
December  31,  2018,  as  we  managed  our  deposit  portfolio  to  retain  and  increase  higher  value  core  deposit
relationships  and  maintain  the  lowest  practicable  cost  of  funds.  The  loan  to  deposit  ratio  was  77.9%  at
December 31, 2019, increasing from 76.7% at December 31, 2018.

Loan Portfolio

The Company focuses on originating loans with appropriate risk / reward profiles. The Company has a detailed
loan policy that guides the overall loan origination philosophy and a well-established loan approval process that
requires experienced credit officers to approve larger loan relationships. The Company also has an active credit
department that underwrites and prepares annual reviews for larger and more complex loan relationships.

Management monitors credit quality closely with a series of monthly reports and a quarterly Credit Committee
meeting  where  performance  and  trends  within  the  loan  portfolio  are  reviewed.  Portfolio  diversification  at  the
borrower, industry, and product levels is actively managed to mitigate concentration risk. In addition, credit risk
management  includes  an  independent  loan  review  process  that  assesses  compliance  with  loan  policy,
compliance with loan documentation standards, accuracy of the risk rating and overall credit quality of the loan
portfolio.

Loan Categories

The principal categories of our loan portfolio are described below:

Commercial  and  Industrial:  Consists  of  loans  typically  granted  for  working  capital,  asset  acquisition
and other business purposes. These loans are underwritten primarily based on the borrower’s cash flow
with most loans secondarily supported by collateral. Most commercial and industrial loans are secured
by  the  assets  being  financed  or  other  business  assets,  such  as  accounts  receivable,  inventory,  and
equipment, and are typically supported by personal guarantees of the owners. Cash flows and collateral
values  may  fluctuate  based  on  general  economic  conditions,  specific  industry  conditions  and  specific
borrower circumstances.

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Table of Contents

Agricultural  and  Farmland:  Consists  of  loans  typically  secured  by  farmland,  agricultural  operating
assets,  or  a  combination  of  both,  and  are  generally  underwritten  to  existing  cash  flows  of  operating
agricultural  businesses.  Debt  repayment  is  provided  by  business  cash  flows.  Economic  trends
influenced by unemployment rates and other key economic indicators are not closely correlated to the
credit quality of agricultural and farmland loans. The credit quality of these loans is most correlated to
changes  in  prices  of  corn  and  soybeans  and,  to  a  lesser  extent,  weather,  which  has  been  partially
mitigated by federal crop insurance programs.

Commercial Real Estate - Owner Occupied: Consists of loans secured by commercial real estate that
is both owned and occupied by the same or a related borrower. These loans are primarily underwritten
based on the cash flow of the business occupying the property. As with commercial and industrial loans,
cash flows and collateral values may fluctuate based on general economic conditions, specific industry
conditions, and specific borrower circumstances.

Commercial  Real  Estate  -  Non-owner  Occupied:  Consists  of  loans  secured  by  commercial  real
estate for which the primary source of repayment is the sale or rental cash flows from the underlying
collateral. These loans are underwritten based primarily on the historic or projected cash flow from the
underlying  collateral.  Adverse  economic  developments  or  an  overbuilt  market  typically  impact
commercial real estate projects. Trends in rental and vacancy rates of commercial properties impact the
credit quality of these loans.

Multi-family: Consists of loans secured by five or more unit apartment buildings. Multi-family loans may
be  affected  by  demographic  and  population  trends,  unemployment  or  underemployment,  and
deteriorating market values of real estate.

Construction  and  Land  Development:  Consists  of  loans  for  speculative  and  pre-sold  construction
projects for developers intending to either sell upon completion or hold for long term investment, as well
as construction of projects to be owner occupied. In addition, loans in this segment generally possess a
higher  inherent  risk  of  loss  than  other  portfolio  segments  due  to  risk  of  non-completion,  changes  in
budgeted costs, and changes in market forces during the term of the construction period.

One-to-four Family Residential: Consists of loans secured by one-to-four family residences, including
both  first  and  junior  lien  mortgage  loans  for  owner  occupied  and  non-owner  occupied  properties  and
home  equity  lines  of  credit.  The  degree  of  risk  in  residential  mortgage  lending  depends  on  the  local
economy, including the local real estate market and unemployment rates.

Municipal, Consumer and Other: Loans to municipalities include obligations of municipal entities and
loans sponsored by municipal entities for the benefit of a private entity where that private entity, rather
than the municipal entity, is responsible for repayment of the obligation. Consumer loans include loans
to  individuals  for  consumer  purposes  and  typically  consist  of  small  balance  loans.  Economic  trends
determined  by  unemployment  rates  and  other  key  economic  indicators  are  closely  correlated  to  the
credit  quality  of  the  consumer  loans.  Loans  to  other  financial  institutions,  as  well  as  leases,  are  also
included.

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Table of Contents

Loans by Type

The following table sets forth the composition of the loan portfolio, excluding loans held-for-sale, by type of loan
as of December 31.

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-
owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land
development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Loans, before allowance for loan
losses

Allowance for loan losses

Loans, net of allowance for
loan losses

Loans, before allowance for loan
losses (originated) (1)
Loans, before allowance for loan
losses (acquired) (1)

Loans, before allowance for
loan losses

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

Balance

    Percent

Balance

    Percent

Balance

    Percent
(dollars in thousands)

Balance

    Percent

Balance

    Percent

$  393,312  
 222,723  

 17.5 %$  307,175  
 207,776  

 9.9

 14.2 %$  360,501  
 209,875  

 9.6

 16.8 %$  371,452  
 208,349  

 9.8

 17.5 %$  372,588  
 207,604  

 9.8

 17.7 %
 9.9

 222,360  

 9.9

 231,162  

 10.7

 255,074  

 11.9

 276,883  

 13.1

 297,818  

 14.1

 520,395  
 236,391  

 225,652  
 306,775  
 119,398  

 23.2
 10.5

 10.0
 13.7
 5.3

 579,757  
 179,073  

 224,887  
 313,580  
 120,416  

 26.8
 8.3

 10.4
 14.5
 5.5

 533,910  
 135,925  

 237,275  
 313,108  
 98,589  

 24.9
 6.3

 11.1
 14.6
 4.6

 488,442  
 137,055  

 170,513  
 358,659  
 104,593  

 23.1
 6.5

 8.1
 17.0
 4.9

 433,939  
 127,132  

 182,023  
 393,399  
 92,012  

 20.6
 6.0

 8.6
 18.7
 4.4

2,247,006  
 (31,838) 

 100.0 % 

2,163,826  
 (22,299) 

 100.0 % 

2,144,257  
 (20,509) 

 100.0 % 

2,115,946  
 (19,765) 

 100.0 % 

2,106,515  
 (19,708) 

 100.0 %

$

2,215,168

$

2,141,527  

   $

2,123,748  

   $

2,096,181  

   $

2,086,807  

$

2,126,323

 94.6 %$

1,998,496  

 92.4 %$

1,923,859  

 89.7 %$

1,825,129  

 86.3 %$

1,689,186  

 80.2 %

 120,683

 5.4

 165,330  

 7.6

 220,398  

 10.3

 290,817  

 13.7

 417,329  

 19.8

$

2,247,006

 100.0 %$

2,163,826  

 100.0 %$

2,144,257  

 100.0 %$

2,115,946  

 100.0 %$

2,106,515  

 100.0 %

PPP loans (included above)
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total PPP loans

$  153,860
 3,049
 6,587
$  163,496

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —

(1) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

Comparison of December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2019

Loans, before allowance for loan losses increased by $83.2 million, or 3.8%, to $2.25 billion as of December 31,
2020  from  $2.16  billion  as  of  December  31,  2019.  The  increase  was  primarily  due  to  PPP  loan  originations
during  the  second  and  third  quarters  of  2020.  The  $80.3  million  decrease  in  loans  before  allowance  for  loan
losses net of PPP loans from December 31, 2019 was primarily due to a $43.2 million reduction in balances on
existing lines of credit and a $19.0 million decrease in balances of participation loans purchased.

Comparison of December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2018

Loans,  before  the  allowance  for  loan  losses,  increased  by  $19.5  million,  or  0.9%,  to  $2.16  billion  as  of
December 31, 2019 as compared to $2.14 billion as of December 31, 2018. Loan growth during the year ended
December 31, 2019 was primarily attributable to continued organic loan growth in the commercial real estate –
non-owner  occupied  and  multi-family  categories  in  our  northern  Illinois  markets.  Offsetting  the  organic  loan
growth was a $59.7 million reduction in the loan participations resulting primarily from the payoff of seven loans
during the year ended December 31, 2019. The seven loan participations that paid off predominantly included
$21.2 million in commercial and industrial, $4.8 million in commercial real estate – owner occupied, $4.9 million
in  commercial  real  estate  –  non-owner  occupied,  $18.4  million  in  multi-family,  and  $4.7  million  in  municipal,
consumer, and other. Loan participations make up a small portion of the Company’s loan portfolio totaling $71.7
million and $131.4 million as of December 31, 2019, and 2018, respectively.

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Loan Portfolio Maturities

The  following  table  summarizes  the  scheduled  maturities  of  the  loan  portfolio  as  of  December  31,  2020.
Demand  loans  (loans  having  no  stated  repayment  schedule  or  maturity)  and  overdraft  loans  are  reported  as
being due in one year or less.

Scheduled Maturities of Loans:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Loans Maturing After One Year:
Floating interest rates:

Repricing within one year or less
Repricing in more than one year

Total floating interest rates
Predetermined (fixed) interest rates

Total loans maturing after one year

Nonperforming Assets

As of December 31, 2020

One Year or Less 

    One Year Through    
Five Years

After Five Years

Total

(dollars in thousands)

$

$

 148,207
 101,160
 20,929
 77,736
 44,466
 118,431
 48,914
 14,556
 574,399

$

$

 233,952
 88,423
 137,998
 326,544
 127,558
 103,568
 120,712
 26,887
 1,165,642

$

$

 11,153
 33,140
 63,433
 116,115
 64,367
 3,653
 137,149
 77,955
 506,965

$

 393,312
 222,723
 222,360
 520,395
 236,391
 225,652
 306,775
 119,398
$  2,247,006

$

 357,598
 82,131
 439,729
 1,232,878
$  1,672,607

Nonperforming  loans  consist  of  all  loans  past  due  90  days  or  more  or  on  nonaccrual.  Nonperforming  assets
consist of all nonperforming loans and foreclosed assets. Typically, loans are placed on nonaccrual when they
reach 90 days past due, or when, in management’s opinion, there is reasonable doubt regarding the collection
of the amounts due through the normal means of the borrower. Interest accrued and unpaid at the time a loan is
placed on nonaccrual status is reversed from interest income. Interest payments received on nonaccrual loans
are  recognized  in  accordance  with  our  significant  accounting  policies.  Once  a  loan  is  placed  on  nonaccrual
status, the borrower must generally demonstrate at least six months of payment performance and we believe
that all remaining principal and interest is fully collectible, before the loan is eligible to return to accrual status.
Management believes the Company’s lending practices and active approach to managing nonperforming assets
has resulted in timely resolution of problem assets.

Loans  acquired  with  deteriorated  credit  quality  are  considered  past  due  or  delinquent  when  the  contractual
principal or interest due in accordance with the terms of the loan agreement remains unpaid after the due date
of  the  scheduled  payment.  However,  these  loans  are  considered  performing,  even  though  they  may  be
contractually past due, as any non-payment of contractual principal or interest is considered in the periodic re-
estimation  of  expected  cash  flows  and  is  included  in  the  resulting  recognition  of  current  period  loan  loss
provision  or  future  period  yield  adjustments.  The  accrual  of  interest  is  discontinued  on  loans  acquired  with
deteriorated  credit  quality  if  management  can  no  longer  estimate  future  cash  flows  on  the  loan.  Therefore,
interest revenue, through accretion of the difference between the carrying value of the loans and the expected
cash flows, is being recognized on all loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality, except those management
can no longer estimate future cash flows.

When it appears likely that we will obtain title to real estate collateral, we develop an exit strategy by assessing
overall market conditions, the current use and condition of the asset, and its highest and best use. If determined
necessary to maximize value, we complete the necessary improvements or tenant stabilization tasks, with the
applicable  time  value  discount  and  improvement  expenses  incorporated  into  our  estimates  of  the  expected
costs to sell. Substantially all foreclosed real estate is valued on an "as-is" basis.

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Estimates of the net realizable value of real estate collateral also include a deduction for the expected selling
costs. For most real estate collateral and foreclosed real estate, we apply a 7.0% deduction to the value of the
asset to account for the expected costs to sell the asset. This estimate includes sales commissions and closing
costs. Expenses for real estate taxes are accrued and repairs are expensed when incurred.

The following table sets forth information concerning nonperforming loans and nonperforming assets as of each
of the dates indicated.

NONPERFORMING ASSETS
Nonaccrual
Past due 90 days or more, still accruing (1)
Total nonperforming loans
Foreclosed assets
Total nonperforming assets

NONPERFORMING ASSETS (Originated) (2)
Nonaccrual
Past due 90 days or more, still accruing
Total nonperforming loans
Foreclosed assets
Total nonperforming (originated)

NONPERFORMING ASSETS (Acquired) (2)
Nonaccrual
Past due 90 days or more, still accruing (1)
Total nonperforming loans
Foreclosed assets
Total nonperforming assets (acquired)

Allowance for loan losses

Loans, before allowance for loan losses
Loans, before allowance for loan losses (originated) (2)
Loans, before allowance for loan losses (acquired) (2)

CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS
Allowance for loan losses to loans, before allowance for loan losses
Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans
Nonperforming loans to loans, before allowance for loan losses
Nonperforming assets to total assets
Nonperforming assets to loans, before allowance for loan losses and foreclosed
assets

CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS (Originated) (2)
Nonperforming loans to loans, before allowance for loan losses
Nonperforming assets to loans, before allowance for loan losses and foreclosed
assets

CREDIT QUALITY RATIOS (Acquired) (2)
Nonperforming loans to loans, before allowance for loan losses
Nonperforming assets to loans, before allowance for loan losses and foreclosed
assets

2020

2019

As of December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

 9,939
 21
 9,960
 4,168
 14,128

 2,908
 21
 2,929
 674
 3,603

$

$

$

$

 19,019  
 30  
 19,049  
 5,099  

 24,148

 10,811
 30
 10,841
 1,022
 11,863

$

$

$

$

 15,876  
 37  
 15,913  
 9,559  

 25,472

 10,329
 37
 10,366
 1,395
 11,761

$

$

$

$

 22,074  
 28  
 22,102  
 16,545  
 38,647

 15,505
 28
 15,533
 5,950
 21,483

$

$

$

$

 7,031

$
 —  

 8,208

$
 —  

 5,547

$
 —  

 6,569

$
 —  

 7,031
 3,494
 10,525

 31,838

 2,247,006
 2,126,323
 120,683

$

$

$

 8,208
 4,077
 12,285

 22,299

 2,163,826
 1,998,496
 165,330

$

$

$

 5,547
 8,164
 13,711

 20,509

 2,144,257
 1,923,859
 220,398

$

$

$

 6,569
 10,595
 17,164

 19,765

 2,115,946
 1,825,129
 290,817

$

$

$

 20,494
 1,745
 22,239
 16,224
 38,463

 9,511
 1,745
 11,256
 4,595
 15,851

 10,983
 —
 10,983
 11,629
 22,612

 19,708

 2,106,515
 1,689,186
 417,329

 1.42 %   

 1.03 %   

 0.96 %   

 0.93 %   

 0.94 %

 319.66
 0.44
 0.39

 0.63

 117.06
 0.88
 0.74

 1.11

 128.88
 0.74
 0.78

 1.18

 89.43
 1.04
 1.17

 1.81

 88.62
 1.06
 1.16

 1.81

 0.14 %   

 0.54 %   

 0.54 %   

 0.85 %   

 0.67 %

 0.17

 0.59

 0.61

 1.17

 0.94

 5.83 %   

 4.96 %   

 2.52 %   

 2.26 %   

 2.63 %

 8.48

 7.25

 6.00

 5.69

 5.27

(1) Excludes  loans  acquired  with  deteriorated  credit  quality  that  are  past  due  90  or  more  days  totaling  $0.6  million,  $0.1  million,

$2.7 million, $0.3 million, and $4.6 million as of December 31, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

(2) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

Comparison of December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2018

Total nonperforming assets were $14.1 million as of December 31, 2020, a decrease of $10.0 million, or 41.5%,
from $24.1 million as of December 31, 2019. The decline in nonperforming loans was primarily attributable to
the  pay  down  and  subsequent  return  to  accrual  status  of  one  agriculture  credit  which  totaled  $3.8  million  at
December  31,  2020  and  $5.0  million  at  December  31,  2019,  as  well  as  the  pay  off  or  pay  down  of  5  loan
relationships that totaled approximately $4.2 million since December 31, 2019.

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Comparison of December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2018

Total nonperforming assets were $24.1 million as of December 31, 2019, a decrease of $1.3 million, or 5.2%,
from $25.5 million as of December 31, 2018, due primarily to a $4.5 million reduction in foreclosed assets as a
result of sales, partially offset by a $3.1 million increase in nonaccrual loans. The increase in nonaccrual loans
consisted primarily of a $4.3 million increase in agricultural and farmland nonaccrual loans, related primarily to
one  acquired  loan  relationship,  partially  offset  by  smaller  variations  in  other  loan  categories.  The  one
agricultural  and  farmland  loan  relationship  placed  on  nonaccrual  previously  mentioned  was  individually
evaluated for impairment and no specific reserves were required as of December 31, 2019.

Troubled Debt Restructurings

In  general,  if  the  Company  grants  a  troubled  debt  restructuring  (TDR)  that  involves  either  the  absence  of
principal  amortization  or  a  material  extension  of  an  existing  loan  amortization  period  in  excess  of  our
underwriting standards, the loan will be placed on nonaccrual status. However, if a TDR is well secured by an
abundance of collateral and the collectability of both interest and principal is probable, the loan may remain on
accrual  status.  A  nonaccrual  TDR  in  full  compliance  with  the  payment  requirements  specified  in  the  loan
modification for at least six months may return to accrual status, if the collectability of both principal and interest
is probable. All TDRs are individually evaluated for impairment.

The following table presents TDRs by loan category.

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total accrual troubled debt restructurings

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total nonaccrual troubled debt restructurings

Total troubled debt restructurings

2020

2019

As of December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)

2017

2016

$

$

 296
 —
 6,491
 1,354
 —
 —
 454
 —
 8,595

 75
 —
 141
 —
 —
 —
 139
 —
 355
 8,950

$

$

 867
 —
 5,746
 1,427
 —
 —
 517
 —
 8,557

 135
 283
 149
 —
 —
 —
 191
 —
 758
 9,315

$

 467

$
 —  

 620

$
 —  

 6,244
 2,061

 —  
 —  

 556

 —  

 9,328

 206
 166
 3,112

 —  
 —  
 —  

 550

 —  

 1,811
 2,099

 —  
 —  

 340

 —  

 4,870

 194

 —  

 5,126
 468

 —  
 —  
 74
 —  

 4,034
$  13,362

 5,862
 10,732

$

$

 13
 —
 7,576
 559
 —
 —
 109
 —
 8,257

 329
 —
 161
 —
 —
 417
 —
 —
 907
 9,164

TDRs have remained a small portion of our loan portfolio as loan modifications to borrowers with deteriorating
financial condition are generally offered only as a part of an overall workout strategy to minimize losses to the
Company.

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Risk Classification of Loans

Our policies, consistent with regulatory guidelines, provide for the classification of loans and other assets that
are considered to be of lesser quality as pass-watch, substandard, doubtful, or loss.

A pass-watch loan is still considered a "pass" credit and is not a classified or criticized asset, but is a reflection
of  a  borrower  who  exhibits  credit  weaknesses  or  downward  trends  warranting  close  attention  and  increased
monitoring. These potential weaknesses may result in deterioration of the repayment prospects for the loan. No
loss of principal or interest is expected, and the borrower does not pose sufficient risk to warrant classification.

A substandard loan is inadequately protected by the current sound worth and paying capacity of the obligor or
of the collateral pledged, if any. Assets so classified must have a well-defined weakness, or weaknesses, that
jeopardize the liquidation of the debt. They are characterized as probable that the borrower will not pay principal
and interest in accordance with the contractual terms.

An asset classified as doubtful has all the weaknesses inherent in one classified as substandard with the added
characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently existing facts,
conditions,  and  values,  highly  questionable  and  improbable.  Assets  classified  as  loss  are  those  considered
uncollectible  and  of  such  little  value  that  their  continuance  as  assets  is  not  warranted;  such  balances  are
promptly charged-off as required by applicable federal regulations.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, our risk classifications of loans were as follows:

December 31, 2020

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Pass

$  368,843
 191,662
 176,823
 432,752
 204,449
 193,646
 280,198
 105,539

$  18,258
 25,540
 31,990
 58,699
 31,066
 28,193
 14,526
 312

 6,211
 5,521
 13,547
 28,944
 876
 3,813
 12,051
 13,547

     Pass-Watch     Substandard     Doubtful     
(dollars in thousands)
$

$

Total

 — $  393,312
 222,723
 —
 222,360
 —
 520,395
 —
 236,391
 —
 225,652
 —
 306,775
 —
 119,398
 —

Total

December 31, 2019

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

$ 1,953,912

$

208,584

$  84,510

$

 — $ 2,247,006

Pass

$  267,645
 180,735
 198,710
 531,694
 175,807
 217,120
 287,036
 106,063

Total

     Pass-Watch     Substandard     Doubtful     
(dollars in thousands)
$
$  12,416
 14,774
 10,707
 1,971
 1,495
 4,185
 12,998
 13,874

$  27,114
 12,267
 21,745
 46,092
 1,771
 3,582
 13,546
 479

 — $  307,175
 207,776
 —
 231,162
 —
 579,757
 —
 179,073
 —
 224,887
 —
 313,580
 —
 120,416
 —

Total

$ 1,964,810

$

126,596

$  72,420

$

 — $ 2,163,826

Pass-watch  loans  increased  $82.0  million,  or  64.8%  from  December  31,  2019  to  December  31,  2020.
Additionally, substandard loans increased $12.1 million, or 16.7%, from December 31, 2019 to December 31,
2020. This downward credit migration was primarily due to current or emerging credit weaknesses exhibited by
borrowers negatively impacted by the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Allowance for Loan Losses

The  allowance  for  loan  losses  is  an  estimate  of  loan  losses  inherent  in  the  Company’s  loan  portfolio.  The
allowance for loan losses represents amounts that have been established to recognize incurred credit losses in
the  loan  portfolio  that  are  both  probable  and  reasonably  estimable  at  the  date  of  the  consolidated  financial
statements. The allowance for loan losses is established through a provision for loan losses which is charged to
expense. Additions to the allowance are expected to maintain the adequacy of the total allowance. Loan losses
are  charged  off  against  the  allowance  when  the  Company  determines  the  loan  balance  to  be  uncollectible.
Cash received on previously charged off amounts is recorded as a recovery to the allowance for loan losses.

The  allowance  for  loan  losses  consists  of  two  primary  components,  general  reserves  and  specific  reserves
related to impaired loans. The general component covers non-impaired loans and is based on historical losses
adjusted for qualitative factors. The historical loss experience is determined by portfolio segment and is based
on the actual loss history experienced by the Company over the most recent 16-quarter period. This actual loss
experience  is  adjusted  for  qualitative  factors  based  on  the  risks  present  for  each  portfolio  segment.  These
qualitative  factors  include  consideration  of  the  following:  levels  of  and  trends  in  delinquencies  and  impaired
loans; levels of and trends in charge-offs and recoveries; trends in volume and terms of loans; effects of any
changes  in  risk  selection  and  underwriting  standards;  other  changes  in  lending  policies,  procedures,  and
practices;  experience,  ability,  and  depth  of  lending  management  and  other  relevant  staff;  national  and  local
economic trends and conditions; industry conditions; and effects of changes in credit concentrations.

These qualitative factors are inherently subjective and are driven by the repayment risk associated with each
portfolio segment.

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company
will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual
terms  of  the  loan  agreement.  The  Company  reviews  the  loan  portfolio  on  an  ongoing  basis  to  determine
whether any loans require classification and impairment testing in accordance with applicable regulations and
accounting  principles.  When  a  loan  is  classified  as  either  substandard  or  doubtful  and  in  certain  other  cases,
such as troubled debt restructurings, the Company generally measures impairment based on the fair value of
the  collateral,  but  also  may  use  the  present  value  of  expected  future  cash  flows  discounted  at  the  original
contractual interest rate, when practical.

The  Company  evaluates  the  allowance  for  loan  losses  based  upon  the  combined  total  of  the  specific  and
general components. Generally, when the loan portfolio increases, absent other factors, the allowance for loan
loss methodology results in a higher dollar amount of estimated probable incurred credit losses than would be
the  case  without  the  increase.  Conversely,  when  the  loan  portfolio  decreases,  absent  other  factors,  the
allowance  for  loan  loss  methodology  generally  results  in  a  lower  dollar  amount  of  estimated  probable  losses
than would be the case without the decrease.

While  the  Company  uses  the  best  information  available  to  make  evaluations,  future  adjustments  to  the
allowance for loan losses may become necessary if conditions change substantially from the conditions used in
previous evaluations. Determinations as to the risk classification of loans and the amount of the allowance for
loan  losses  are  subject  to  review  by  regulatory  agencies,  which  can  require  that  the  Company  establish
additional loss allowances.

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Table of Contents

Net Charge-offs and Recoveries

The following table sets forth activity in the allowance for loan losses.

Balance, beginning of year

$

 22,299

$

2020

2019

Year Ended December 31, 
2018
(dollars in thousands)
$

 19,765

$

 20,509

Charge-offs:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total charge-offs

Recoveries:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total recoveries

Net charge-offs
Provision for loan losses
Balance, end of year

Net charge-offs
Net charge-offs (originated) (1)
Net charge-offs (acquired) (1)

 (1,784)
 (27)
 (39)
 (349)

 —  
 (27)
 (155)
 (587)
 (2,968)

 (886)
 (30)
 (407)
 (111)
 (41)
 (9)
 (1,105)
 (684)
 (3,273)

 595

 —  

 440
 75
 —  

 440

 —  
 56
 20
 —  

 250
 310
 305
 1,975

 (993)
 10,532
 31,838

 993
 345
 648

$

$

 450
 350
 343
 1,659

 (1,614)
 3,404
 22,299

 1,614
 732
 882

$

$

$

$

 (1,446)
 —
 (2,352)
 (237)
 (194)
 (58)
 (1,415)
 (783)
 (6,485)

 315
 —
 54
 141
 —
 260
 490
 272
 1,532

 (4,953)
 5,697
 20,509

 4,953
 3,137
 1,816

2017

2016

 19,708

$

 18,248

 (1,780)
 (3)
 (32)
 (940)
 (153)
 (503)
 (787)
 (818)
 (5,016)

 188

 —  
 38
 958

 —  
 27
 414
 309
 1,934

 (1,322)
 (83)
 (753)
 (1,134)
 —
 (442)
 (1,848)
 (989)
 (6,571)

 890
 —
 9
 95
 6
 19
 258
 320
 1,597

$

$

 (3,082)
 3,139
 19,765

 3,082
 2,500
 582

$

$

 (4,974)
 6,434
 19,708

 4,974
 1,245
 3,729

Average loans, before allowance for loan losses
Average loans, before allowance for loan losses
(originated) (1)
Average loans, before allowance for loan losses
(acquired) (1)

$ 2,245,093

$ 2,178,897

$ 2,131,512

$ 2,091,863

$  2,132,405

   2,102,904

   1,981,658

   1,873,623

 1,748,418

   1,611,846

 142,189

 197,239

 257,889

 343,445

 520,559

Net charge-offs to average loans, before allowance for
loan losses
Net charge-offs to average loans, before allowance for
loan losses (originated) (1)
Net charge-offs to average loans, before allowance for
loan losses (acquired) (1)

 0.04 %   

 0.07 %   

 0.23 %  

 0.15 % 

 0.23 %

 0.02

 0.46

 0.04

 0.45

 0.17

 0.70

 0.14

 0.17

 0.08

 0.72

(1) See "Non-GAAP Financial Information" in Part II, Item 6 “Selected Financial Data” for reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to their

most comparable GAAP measures.

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

Net charge-offs to average total loans before allowance for loan losses have remained low during each of the
years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. This ratio has remained low for several years, due primarily to the
favorable economic conditions prior to the economic weakness resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and our
continuous credit monitoring and collection efforts.

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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

Net  charge-offs  and  the  ratio  of  net  charge-offs  to  average  loans,  before  allowance  for  loan  losses  were
$1.6  million  and  0.07%,  respectively,  for  the  year  ended  December  31,  2019  compared  to  $5.0  million  and
0.23%, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2018. This ratio has remained low for several years, due
primarily to favorable economic conditions and our continuous credit monitoring and collection efforts.

Allocation of Allowance for Loan Losses

The following table sets forth the allocation of allowance for loan losses by major loan categories.

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2017

December 31, 2016

    Allowance    
for Loan
Losses

Loan 
Balances  

    Allowance    
for Loan
Losses

Loan 
Balances  

    Allowance    
for Loan
Losses

Loan 

Balances  

    Allowance    
for Loan
Losses

Loan 
Balances

Loan 

    Allowance    
for Loan
Losses
(dollars in thousands)
$  360,501
 209,875

 3,748
 2,650

Balances  

$

$

 3,929
 793

$  393,312
 222,723

$

 4,441
 2,766

$  307,175
 207,776

$

 5,411
 2,385

$  371,452
 208,349

$

 4,870
 3,455

$

 372,588
 207,604

 3,141

 222,360

 1,779

 231,162

 2,506

 255,074

 1,510

 276,883

 1,622

 297,818

 11,251
 1,957
 4,232
 1,801
 4,734
$  31,838

 520,395
 236,391
 225,652
 306,775
 119,398
$ 2,247,006

 3,663
 1,024
 2,977
 2,540
 3,109
$  22,299

 579,757
 179,073
 224,887
 313,580
 120,416
$ 2,163,826

 2,644
 912
 4,176
 2,782
 1,091
$  20,509

 533,910
 135,925
 237,275
 313,108
 98,589
$  2,144,257

 2,476
 997
 2,981
 2,723
 1,282
$  19,765

 488,442
 137,055
 170,513
 358,659
 104,593
$  2,115,946

 2,701
 1,282
 1,983
 2,720
 1,075
$  19,708

 433,939
 127,132
 182,023
 393,399
 92,012
$  2,106,515

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner
occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Securities

The Company’s investment policy is established by management and approved by the board of directors. The
policy  emphasizes  safety  of  the  investment,  liquidity  requirements,  potential  returns,  cash  flow  targets  and
consistency with our interest rate risk management strategy. As of December 31, 2020, the Company did not
have  any  non-U.S.  Treasury  or  non-U.S.  government  agency  debt  securities  that  exceeded  10%  of  the
Company’s total stockholders’ equity.

The  following  table  sets  forth  the  composition,  amortized  cost  and  fair  values  of  debt  securities  available-for-
sale and held-to-maturity.

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

December 31, 2018

    Amortized    
     Cost

    Amortized    

Amortized

    Fair Value     Cost

    Fair Value     Cost

     Fair Value

Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial
Private-label

Corporate

Total available-for-sale

Held-to-maturity:

Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total held-to-maturity
Total debt securities

(dollars in thousands)

$  118,282
   265,309

$ 121,993
   274,261

$  49,113
   131,241

$  49,615
   133,738

$  46,977
 161,957

$  46,866
   161,450

   198,543
   246,649

   203,252
   250,766

   198,184
   133,730

 —  

 —  

 —  

 70,917
 899,700

 72,597
   922,869

 72,239
   584,507

   200,678
   134,954
 —
 73,419
   592,404

 235,903
 151,878
 254
 87,118
 684,087

   234,303
   150,081
 256
 86,570
 679,526

 22,484

 23,874

 45,239

 46,579

 73,176

 74,283

 13,031
 32,880
 68,395
$  968,095

 13,483
 35,084
 72,441
$ 995,310

 19,072
 24,166
 88,477
$  672,984

 19,063
 24,887
 90,529
$ 682,933

 23,192
 25,347
 121,715
$  805,802

 22,194
 25,029
 121,506
$  801,032

We  evaluate  securities  with  significant  declines  in  fair  value  on  a  quarterly  basis  to  determine  whether  they
should be considered other-than-temporarily impaired. There were no other-than-temporary impairments during
the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.

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Portfolio Maturities and Yields

The composition and maturities of the debt securities portfolio as of December 31, 2020 is summarized in the
following  table.  Maturities  are  based  on  the  final  contractual  payment  dates,  and  do  not  reflect  the  impact  of
prepayments or early redemptions that may occur. Security yields have not been adjusted to a tax-equivalent
basis.

One Year or Less

More Than One Year   More than Five Years  
through Five Years  

through Ten Years

    Weighted    

    Weighted    

    Weighted    

December 31, 2020

  Amortized   Average   Amortized  Average   Amortized  Average   Amortized

Cost

Yield

Cost

Yield

Cost

Yield

(dollars in thousands)

Cost

More than Ten Years

Total

     Weighted
Weighted    
Average   Amortized   Average
Cost

Yield

Yield

$

 4,519  

 2.18 % $

 5,003  

 1.91 %  $  65,847  

 1.92 %  $  42,913  

 1.31 % $  118,282

 1.71 %

 14,150  

 2.58

 49,950  

 2.44

113,695  

 — 
 12,922  
 9,663  

 —  

 2.32
 2.31

 5,370  
 44,710  
 27,825  

 2.12
 2.71
 2.86

 72,244  
 97,262  
 31,429  

 1.92

 2.22
 1.57
 4.27

 87,514  

 1.92

 265,309  

   120,929  
 91,755  
 2,000  

 1.09
 1.68
 4.50

 198,543  
 246,649  
 70,917  

Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency

Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Corporate

Total available-for-sale

 41,254  

 2.39

132,858  

 2.58

380,477  

 2.08

   345,111  

 1.51

 899,700  

Held-to-maturity:

Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial
Total held-to-maturity

 1,396  

 2.45

 13,895  

 3.69

 6,302  

 3.55

 891  

 — 
 — 
 1,396  

 —  
 —  

 2.45

 — 
 5,301  
 19,196  

 —  

 2.51
 3.36

 — 
 16,655  
 22,957  

 —  

 2.59
 2.85

 13,031  
 10,924  
 24,846  

 3.76

 2.35
 2.89
 2.64

 22,484  

 13,031  
 32,880  
 68,395  

Total debt securities

$

 42,650  

 2.39 %  $

152,054  

 2.68 %  $

403,434  

 2.13 %  $  369,957  

 1.58 %  $  968,095  

 2.02 %

87

 2.05

 1.53
 1.86
 3.45

 1.95

 3.57

 2.35
 2.68
 2.91

 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
 
   
  
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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SOURCES OF FUNDS

Deposits

Management continues to focus on growing non-maturity deposits, through the Company’s relationship driven
banking  philosophy  and  community-focused  marketing  programs,  and  to  deemphasize  higher  cost  deposit
categories, such as time deposits. Additionally, the Bank continues to add and improve ancillary convenience
services  tied  to  deposit  accounts,  such  as  mobile,  remote  deposits  and  peer-to-peer  payments,  to  solidify
deposit relationships.

The following tables set forth the distribution of average deposits, by account type.

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Percent
Change in

Noninterest-bearing
Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings

Total non-maturity deposits

Time

Total deposits

Noninterest-bearing
Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings

Total non-maturity deposits

Time

Total deposits

Noninterest-bearing
Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings

Total non-maturity deposits

Time

Total deposits

$

$

$

$

$

$

     Weighted      Average Balance

Average
Balance

     Percent of
  Total Deposits  Average Cost  
(dollars in thousands)
 27.4 %  
 29.6
 16.1
 16.2
 89.3
 10.7

 — %  

 0.07
 0.15
 0.04
 0.06
 0.84
 0.14 %  

 100.0 %  

 807,864  
 873,060  
 474,033  
 477,260  
 2,632,217  
 317,308  
 2,949,525  

2020 vs. 2019

 21.3 %
 6.3
 2.3
 10.9
 10.6
 (20.0)

 6.2 %

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Percent
Change in

     Weighted      Average Balance

Average
Balance

     Percent of
  Total Deposits  Average Cost  
(dollars in thousands)
 24.0 %  
 29.5
 16.7
 15.5
 85.7
 14.3

 — %  

 0.18
 0.40
 0.06
 0.15
 1.10
 0.29 %  

 100.0 %  

 666,055  
 821,480  
 463,233  
 430,220  
 2,380,988  
 396,560  
 2,777,548  

2019 vs. 2018

 1.9 %
 (0.4)
 4.6
 (0.8)
 1.1
 (10.4)

 (0.7)%

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Average
Balance

     Weighted     

     Percent of
  Total Deposits  Average Cost  
(dollars in thousands)
 23.4 %  
 29.5
 15.8
 15.5
 84.2
 15.8

 0.17
 0.15
 0.07
 0.10
 0.80
 0.21 %  

 100.0 %  

 — %  

 653,885  
 824,910  
 442,872  
 433,661  
 2,355,328  
 442,569  
 2,797,897  

Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2020 to the Year Ended December 31, 2019

The average balances of non-maturity deposits increased 10.6% from the year ended December 31, 2019 to
the year ended December 31, 2020, with the increase primarily attributable to PPP loan proceeds received by
commercial  customers  and  federal  economic  stimulus  received  by  retail  customers.  Partially  offsetting  the
increase in non-maturity deposits was a 20.0% decline in the average balances of time deposits, which resulted
in a 6.2% increase in average balances of total deposits from the year ended December 31, 2019 to the year
ended December 31, 2020.

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Comparison of the Year Ended December 31, 2019 to the Year Ended December 31, 2018

The average balances of non-maturity deposits increased 1.1% from the year ended December 31, 2018 to the
year  ended  December  31,  2019,  with  the  increase  primarily  attributable  to  an  increase  in  money  market
accounts  due  to  interest  rate  specials  promoted  for  new  money  market  accounts.  Partially  offsetting  the
increase in non-maturity deposits was a 10.4% decline in the average balances of time deposits, which resulted
in a 0.7% decrease in average balances of total deposits from the year ended December 31, 2018 to the year
ended December 31, 2019.

The following table sets forth time deposits by remaining maturity as of December 31, 2020.

    3 Months or    Over 3 through    Over 6 through     

 Less

6 Months

12 Months

Over
12 Months

Total

(dollars in thousands)

Time deposits:

Amounts less than $100,000

$  45,174

$

 38,193

$

 57,420

$

59,038

$  199,825

Amounts of $100,000 but less than $250,000
Amounts of $250,000 or more

   14,732
 6,361

 11,407
 1,759

 28,274
 15,058

18,549
 3,509

 72,962
 26,687

Total time deposits

$  66,267

$

 51,359

$  100,752

$

81,096

$  299,474

Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase

All  securities  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase  are  sweep  instruments,  maturing  daily.  The  securities
underlying  the  agreements  are  held  under  our  control  in  safekeeping  at  third-party  financial  institutions,  and
include debt securities.

The following table sets forth information concerning balances and interest rates on our securities sold under
agreements to repurchase.

Balance at end of year
Average balance during year
Maximum outstanding at any month end

2020

As of or for the Years Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$  44,433
 41,177
 52,085

$  46,195
 40,725
 52,303

$  45,736
 49,714
 58,839

2018

Weighted average interest rate at end of year
Average interest rate during year

 0.06 % 
 0.10

 0.20 % 
 0.18

 0.12 %
 0.12

Borrowings

Deposits are the primary source of funds for our lending activities and general business purposes. However, we
may also obtain advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLB), purchase federal funds, and
engage in overnight borrowing from the Federal Reserve. We may also use these sources of funds as part of
our  asset  liability  management  process  to  control  our  long-term  interest  rate  risk  exposure,  even  if  it  may
increase  our  short-term  cost  of  funds.  Our  level  of  short-term  borrowing  can  fluctuate  on  a  daily  basis
depending on funding needs and the source of funds to satisfy the needs.

Our use of FHLB advances and federal funds purchased has been infrequent and has had a nominal impact on
our total funding for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.

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The following table sets forth information concerning balances and interest rates on our borrowings.

     As of or for the Years Ended December 31,   
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

2020

Average balance during year

FHLB Advances
Federal funds purchased

Total borrowings

Maximum outstanding at any month end

FHLB Advances
Federal funds purchased

Total borrowings

Average interest rate during year

FHLB Advances
Federal funds purchased

Total borrowings

IMPACT OF INFLATION

$

$

$

$

$

$

 656
 424
 1,080

 4,000
 —
 4,000

 151
 200
 351

$  14,518
 428
$  14,946

 5,000
 —
 5,000

$  74,000
 —
 74,000

 0.02 % 
 0.52
 0.22

 2.52 % 
 2.66
 2.60

 1.73 %
 2.08
 1.74

The  consolidated  financial  statements  and  the  related  notes  have  been  prepared  in  conformity  with  GAAP.
GAAP  generally  requires  the  measurement  of  financial  position  and  operating  results  in  terms  of  historical
dollars without considering changes in the relative purchasing power of money over time due to inflation. The
impact of inflation, if any, is reflected in the increased cost of our operations. Unlike industrial companies, our
assets  and  liabilities  are  primarily  monetary  in  nature.  As  a  result,  changes  in  market  interest  rates  have  a
greater impact on performance than the effects of inflation.

LIQUIDITY

Bank Liquidity

The overall objective of bank liquidity management is to ensure the availability of sufficient cash funds to meet
all  financial  commitments  and  to  take  advantage  of  investment  opportunities.  The  Bank  manages  liquidity  in
order to meet deposit withdrawals on demand or at contractual maturity, to repay borrowings as they mature,
and to fund new loans and investments as opportunities arise.

The  Bank  continuously  monitors  its  liquidity  position  to  ensure  that  assets  and  liabilities  are  managed  in  a
manner  that  will  meet  all  of  our  short-term  and  long-term  cash  requirements.  The  Bank  manages  its  liquidity
position to meet the daily cash flow needs of clients, while maintaining an appropriate balance between assets
and liabilities to meet the return on investment objectives. The Bank also monitors liquidity requirements in light
of interest rate trends, changes in the economy and the scheduled maturity and interest rate sensitivity of the
securities and loan portfolios and deposits.

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As part of the Bank’s liquidity management strategy, the Bank is also focused on minimizing costs of liquidity
and  attempts  to  decrease  these  costs  by  promoting  noninterest  bearing  and  low-cost  deposits  and  replacing
higher cost funding including time deposits and borrowed funds. While the Bank does not control the types of
deposit instruments our clients choose, those choices can be influenced with the rates and the deposit specials
offered.

Additional sources of liquidity include unpledged securities, federal funds purchased, and borrowings from the
Federal  Home  Loan  Bank  of  Chicago  (FHLB).  Unpledged  securities  may  be  sold  or  pledged  as  collateral  for
borrowings to meet liquidity needs. Interest is charged at the prevailing market rate on federal funds purchased
and FHLB borrowings. Funds obtained from federal funds purchased and FHLB borrowings are used primarily
to meet day to day liquidity needs. The total amount of the remaining credit available to the Bank from the FHLB
at December 31, 2020 was $342.8 million.

As  of  December  31,  2020,  management  believed  adequate  liquidity  existed  to  meet  all  projected  cash  flow
obligations  of  the  Bank.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Bank  had  no  material  commitments  for  capital
expenditures.

Holding Company Liquidity

The  Company  is  a  corporation  separate  and  apart  from  the  Bank  and,  therefore,  it  must  provide  for  its  own
liquidity.  As  of  December  31,  2020,  HBT  Financial,  Inc.  had  cash  and  cash  equivalents  of  $44.1  million.  The
private  placement  of  $40.0  million  of  subordinated  notes  completed  on  September  3,  2020  significantly
bolstered the cash reserves at the holding company.

The Company’s main source of funding is dividends declared and paid to it by the Bank. Due to state banking
laws,  the  Bank  may  not  declare  dividends  in  any  calendar  year  in  an  amount  that  would  exceed  the
accumulated retained earnings after giving effect to any unrecognized losses and bad debts without the prior
approval of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. In addition, dividends paid by the
Bank to the Company would be prohibited if the effect thereof would cause a Bank’s capital to be reduced below
applicable  minimum  capital  requirements.  Management  believes  that  these  limitations  will  not  impact  the
Company’s ability to meet its ongoing short-term cash obligations. During the years ended December 31, 2020,
2019,  and  2018,  the  Bank  paid  $17.6  million,  $110.0  million,  and  $44.4  million,  in  dividends  to  the  Company,
respectively.

The  liquidity  needs  of  the  Company  on  an  unconsolidated  basis  consist  primarily  of  operating  expenses,
dividends to stockholders and interest payments on the subordinated notes and junior subordinated debentures.
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, holding company operating expenses consisted
of interest expense of $2.2 million, $1.9 million, and $1.8 million, respectively, and other operating expenses of
$2.5 million, $1.0 million, and $1.1 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, management was not aware
of any known trends, events or uncertainties that had or were reasonably likely to have a material impact on the
Company’s liquidity.

As  of  December  31,  2020,  management  believed  adequate  liquidity  existed  to  meet  all  projected  cash  flow
obligations of the Company. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had no material commitments for capital
expenditures.

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CAPITAL RESOURCES

The overall objectives of capital management are to ensure the availability of sufficient capital to support loan,
deposit and other asset and liability growth opportunities and to maintain capital to absorb unforeseen losses or
write-downs that are inherent in the business risks associated with the banking industry. The Company seeks to
balance  the  need  for  higher  capital  levels  to  address  such  unforeseen  risks  and  the  goal  to  achieve  an
adequate return on the capital invested by our stockholders.

Regulatory Capital Requirements

The ability of the Company to pay dividends to its stockholders is dependent upon the ability of the Bank to pay
dividends to the Company.

The  Company  and  Bank  are  each  subject  to  various  regulatory  capital  requirements  administered  by  federal
and state banking agencies. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and
possibly additional discretionary, actions by regulators that, if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on
the financial statements of the Company and the Bank.

In addition to meeting minimum capital requirements, the Company and the Bank must also maintain a “capital
conservation buffer” to avoid becoming subject to restrictions on capital distributions and certain discretionary
bonus payments to management. The capital conservation buffer requirement began phasing in on January 1,
2016 and became fully implemented on January 1, 2019 at 2.5% of risk-weighted assets.

2020

December 31, 
2019

For Capital
Adequacy Purposes
With Capital

To Be Well
Capitalized Under
Prompt Corrective

2018

    Conversation Buffer (1)    Action Provisions (2)

Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted
Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Tier 1 Capital (to Average Assets)
Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

 17.40 %  
 15.63
N/A

 14.54 %  
 14.02
 17.58

 14.99 %  
 14.44
 21.02

 14.55 %  
 14.38
N/A

 13.64 %  
 13.12
 16.50

 14.17 %  
 13.62
 20.17

 13.06 %  
 14.38
N/A

 12.15 %  
 13.12
 16.50

 12.71 %  
 13.62
 20.17

 9.94 %  
 9.82
N/A

 10.38 %  
 10.25
 9.82

 10.80 %  
 11.03
 10.21

 10.50 %
 10.50
 10.50

 8.50 %
 8.50
 8.50

 7.00 %
 7.00
 7.00

 4.00
 4.00
 4.00

N/A
 10.00 %
 10.00

N/A
 8.00 %
 8.00

N/A
 6.50 %
 6.50

N/A
 5.00 %
 5.00

(1) The Tier 1 capital to average assets ratio (known as the “leverage ratio”) is not impacted by the capital conservation buffer.
(2) The prompt corrective action provisions are not applicable to bank holding companies.
N/A  Not applicable.

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Cash Dividends

The below table summarizes the cash dividends paid by quarter for years ended December 31.

    First Quarter    Second Quarter    Third Quarter    Fourth Quarter    

Total

2020

Regular
Restricted stock unit dividend equivalent

Total cash dividends

$

$

 4,119
 11
 4,130

$

$

 4,119
 11
 4,130

(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 4,118
 11
 4,129

 4,118
 11
 4,129

$

$

 16,474
 44
 16,518

Regular
Tax
Special

Total cash dividends

Regular
Tax
Special

Total cash dividends

First Quarter    Second Quarter    Third Quarter    Fourth Quarter    

Total

2019

(dollars in thousands)
$

$

$

$

$

 2,704
 7,048
 —
 9,752

 2,105
 7,092
 —
 9,197

$

$

$

 2,704
 6,662
 —
 9,366

 2,101
 7,055
 —
 9,156

(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 — $
 —
 169,999
 169,999

 8,112
 19,804
 197,040
$  224,956

 2,101
 6,751
 2,000
 10,852

$

$

 8,412
 27,203
 7,006
 42,621

$

$

 2,704
 6,094
 27,041
 35,839

$

$

$

$

 2,105
 6,305
 5,006
 13,416

$

$

First Quarter    Second Quarter    Third Quarter    Fourth Quarter    

Total

2018

On October 1, 2019, the Company’s board of directors declared a special dividend payable to the Company’s
stockholders  of  record  as  of  October  2,  2019,  in  the  aggregate  amount  of  approximately  $170.0  million.  The
special  dividend  was  paid  on  October  22,  2019  using  net  proceeds  from  the  Company’s  initial  public  offering
and the proceeds of dividends received from Heartland Bank and State Bank of Lincoln.

During 2020, the Company paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.15 per share.

Stock Repurchase Program

On November 2, 2020, the Company’s board of directors approved a stock repurchase program that authorizes
the  Company  to  repurchase  up  to  $15  million  of  its  common  stock.  The  stock  repurchase  program  will  be  in
effect  until  December  31,  2021  with  the  timing  of  purchases  and  number  of  shares  repurchased  dependent
upon  a  variety  of  factors  including  price,  trading  volume,  corporate  and  regulatory  requirements,  and  market
conditions. The Company is not obligated to purchase any shares under the stock repurchase program, and the
stock repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time without notice.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

As a financial services provider, the Bank is routinely a party to various financial instruments with off-balance
sheet  risks,  such  as  commitments  to  extend  credit,  standby  letters  of  credit,  unused  lines  of  credit  and
commitments  to  sell  loans.  While  these  contractual  obligations  represent  our  future  cash  requirements,  a
significant portion of commitments to extend credit may expire without being drawn upon. Such commitments
are subject to the same credit policies and approval process afforded to loans originated by the Bank. Although
commitments to extend credit are considered while evaluating our allowance for loan losses, at December 31,
2020 and 2019, there were no reserves for unfunded commitments. For additional information, see “Note 23 –
Commitments and Contingencies” to the consolidated financial statements.

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CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

In the ordinary course of our operations, we enter into certain contractual obligations. Such obligations include
operating  leases  for  premises  and  equipment.  The  following  table  summarizes  our  significant  fixed  and
determinable contractual obligations and other funding needs by payment date at December 31, 2020.

    Less Than One     One to Three      Three to Five     More Than Five    

Payments Due In

Time deposits (1)
Subordinated notes (1)(2)
Junior subordinated debentures issued to
capital trusts(1)(2)
Limited partnership investment (3)
Operating leases
Total
Commitments to extend credit
Standby letters of credit

$

$
$
$

Year

Years

 218,378
 —

$

 64,640
 —

Years
(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 16,309
 —

 —  

 1,695
 144
 220,217
 360,135
 3,346

$
$
$

 —  
 —  

 173
 64,813
 88,096
 1,683

$
$
$

 —  
 —  

 104
 16,413
 34,120
 5,002

$
$
$

Years

Total

 147
 40,000

$

 38,765

 —  
 —  
$
$
 — $

 78,912
 47,840

 299,474
 40,000

 38,765
 1,695
 421
 380,355
 530,191
 10,031

(1) Excludes interest.
(2) Represents amounts due to the recipient and does not include unamortized issuance costs or discounts.
(3) This  commitment  represents  amounts  we  are  obligated  to  contribute  to  a  limited  partnership  investment  in  accordance  with  the
provisions of the respective limited partnership agreements. The capital contributions may be required at any time, and are therefore
reflected in the "less than one year" category.

JOBS ACT ACCOUNTING ELECTION

We  qualify  as  an  “emerging  growth  company”  under  the  Jumpstart  Our  Business  Startups  Act  of  2012  (the
“JOBS  Act”).  The  JOBS  Act  permits  us  an  extended  transition  period  for  complying  with  new  or  revised
accounting standards affecting public companies. We have elected to use the extended transition period until
we are no longer an emerging growth company or until we choose to affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the
extended  transition  period.  As  a  result,  our  financial  statements  may  not  be  comparable  to  companies  that
comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

Critical  accounting  estimates  are  those  that  are  critical  to  the  portrayal  and  understanding  of  the  Company’s
financial  condition  and  results  of  operations  and  require  management  to  make  assumptions  that  are  difficult,
subjective or complex. These estimates involve judgments, assumptions and uncertainties that are susceptible
to change. In the event that different assumptions or conditions were to prevail, and depending on the severity
of  such  changes,  the  possibility  of  a  materially  different  financial  condition  or  materially  different  results  of
operations  is  a  reasonable  likelihood.  Further,  changes  in  accounting  standards  could  impact  the  Company’s
critical accounting estimates. The following accounting estimates could be deemed critical:

Allowance for Loan losses

The  allowance  for  loan  losses  (allowance)  is  an  estimate  of  loan  losses  inherent  in  the  Company's  loan
portfolio.  The  allowance  is  established  through  a  provision  for  loan  losses  which  is  charged  to  expense.
Additions  to  the  allowance  are  expected  to  maintain  the  adequacy  of  the  total  allowance.  Loan  losses  are
charged  off  against  the  allowance  when  the  Company  determines  the  loan  balance  to  be  uncollectible.  Cash
received on previously charged off amounts is recorded as a recovery to the allowance.

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The allowance consists of two primary components, general reserves and specific reserves related to impaired
loans.  The  general  component  covers  non-impaired  loans  and  is  based  on  historical  losses  adjusted  for
qualitative factors. The historical loss experience is determined by portfolio segment and is based on the actual
loss history experienced by the Company over the most recent 16-quarter period. This actual loss experience is
adjusted for qualitative factors based on the risks present for each portfolio segment. These qualitative factors
include consideration of the following: levels of and trends in delinquencies and impaired loans; levels of and
trends  in  charge-offs  and  recoveries;  trends  in  volume  and  terms  of  loans;  effects  of  any  changes  in  risk
selection and underwriting standards; other changes in lending policies, procedures, and practices; experience,
ability,  and  depth  of  lending  management  and  other  relevant  staff;  national  and  local  economic  trends  and
conditions;  industry  conditions;  and  effects  of  changes  in  credit  concentrations.  These  qualitative  factors  are
inherently subjective and are driven by the repayment risk associated with each portfolio segment.

Loans acquired that have evidence of deterioration in credit quality since origination and for which it is probable,
at  acquisition,  that  the  Company  will  be  unable  to  collect  all  contractually  required  payments  receivable,  are
initially  recorded  at  fair  value  (as  determined  by  the  present  value  of  expected  future  cash  flows)  with  no
allowance for loan losses. Loans are evaluated by management at the time of purchase to determine if there is
evidence  of  deterioration  in  credit  quality  since  origination.  Loans  where  there  is  evidence  of  deterioration  of
credit  quality  since  origination  may  be  aggregated  and  accounted  for  as  a  pool  of  loans  if  the  loans  being
aggregated have common risk characteristics. The difference between the undiscounted cash flows expected at
acquisition and the investment in the loan, or the "accretable yield," is recognized as interest income over the
life  of  the  loan.  Contractually  required  payments  for  interest  and  principal  that  exceed  the  undiscounted  cash
flows  expected  at  acquisition,  or  the  "nonaccretable  difference,"  are  not  recognized  as  a  yield  adjustment.
Subsequent  decreases  to  the  expected  cash  flows  will  generally  result  in  a  provision  for  loan  losses.
Subsequent increases in expected cash flows result in a reversal of the provision for loan losses to the extent of
prior charges or a reclassification of the difference from nonaccretable to accretable yield with a positive impact
on  interest  income  on  a  prospective  basis.  If  the  Company  does  not  have  the  information  necessary  to
reasonably estimate cash flows to be expected, it may use the cost recovery method or cash basis method of
income recognition.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired using the acquisition
method of accounting. Determining the fair value often involves estimates based on third-party valuations, such
as  appraisals,  or  internal  valuations  based  on  discounted  cash  flow  analyses  or  other  valuation  techniques.
Goodwill is not amortized, instead, the Company assesses the potential for impairment on an annual basis or
more frequently if events and circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired.

Income Taxes

The Company estimates income tax expense based on amounts expected to be owed to federal and state tax
jurisdictions.  Estimated  income  tax  expense  is  reported  in  the  statements  of  income.  Accrued  and  deferred
taxes, as reported in other assets or other liabilities in the balance sheets, represent the net estimated amount
due  to  or  to  be  received  from  taxing  jurisdictions  either  currently  or  in  the  future.  Management  judgment  is
involved in estimating accrued and deferred taxes, as it may be necessary to evaluate the risks and merits of
the tax treatment of transactions, filing positions, and taxable income calculations after considering tax-related
statutes,  regulations  and  other  relevant  factors.  Because  of  the  complexity  of  tax  laws  and  interpretations,
interpretation is subject to judgment.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Managing  risk  is  an  essential  part  of  successfully  managing  a  financial  institution.  Our  most  prominent  risk
exposures are interest rate risk and credit risk. Interest rate risk is the potential reduction of net interest income
as a result of changes in interest rates. Credit risk is the risk of not collecting the interest and/or the principal
balance of a loan or investment when it is due and is disclosed in detail above.

Interest Rate Risk

The most significant form of market risk is interest rate risk inherent in the normal course of lending and deposit-
taking activities. Management believes that our ability to successfully respond to changes in interest rates will
have a significant impact on our financial results. To that end, management actively monitors and manages our
interest rate exposure.

The Asset/Liability Management Committee (ALCO), which is authorized by the Company’s board of directors,
monitors  our  interest  rate  sensitivity  and  makes  decisions  relating  to  that  process.  The  ALCO’s  goal  is  to
structure our asset/liability composition to maximize net interest income while managing interest rate risk so as
to minimize the adverse impact of changes in interest rates on net interest income and capital in either a rising
or  declining  interest  rate  environment.  Profitability  is  affected  by  fluctuations  in  interest  rates.  A  sudden  and
substantial  change  in  interest  rates  may  adversely  impact  our  earnings  because  the  interest  rates  borne  by
assets and liabilities do not change at the same speed, to the same extent or on the same basis.

We  monitor  the  impact  of  changes  in  interest  rates  on  our  net  interest  income  and  economic  value  of  equity
(EVE)  using  rate  shock  analysis.  Net  interest  income  simulations  measure  the  short-term  earnings  exposure
from  changes  in  market  rates  of  interest  in  a  rigorous  and  explicit  fashion.  Our  current  financial  position  is
combined  with  assumptions  regarding  future  business  to  calculate  net  interest  income  under  varying
hypothetical rate scenarios. EVE measures our long-term earnings exposure from changes in market rates of
interest. EVE is defined as the present value of assets minus the present value of liabilities at a point in time. A
decrease in EVE due to a specified rate change indicates a decline in the long-term earnings capacity of the
balance sheet assuming that the rate change remains in effect over the life of the current balance sheet.

The following table sets forth, as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the estimated impact on our EVE and net
interest income of immediate changes in interest rates at the specified levels.

Change in Interest Rates (basis points)

     Amount

    Percent    

Amount

    Percent    

Amount

    Percent

(dollars in thousands)

Estimated Increase
(Decrease) in EVE

Increase (Decrease) in
Estimated Net Interest Income

Year 1

Year 2

December 31, 2020
+400
+300
+200
+100
Flat
-100

December 31, 2019
+400
+300
+200
+100
Flat
-100

$  81,406  
 50,943  
 11,166  
 (26,976) 
 —  
 29,295  

 21.1 %  $  27,461  
 21,149  
 13.2
 14,272  
 2.9
 6,851  
 (7.0)
 —  
 (4,088) 

 —  
 7.6

 23.8 %  $  44,487  
 34,815  
 18.3
 24,197  
 12.4
 12,350  
 5.9
 —  
 —
 (7,262) 
 (3.5)

 42.1 %
 32.9
 22.9
 11.7
 —
 (6.9)

 37.8 %  $  28,585  
 22,265  
 31.2
 15,413  
 23.1
 8,061  
 12.8
 —  
   (12,878) 

 —  

 (20.1)

 23.5 %  $  35,711  
 28,128  
 18.3
 19,788  
 12.6
 10,550  
 6.6
 —  
 —
 (17,568) 
 (10.6)

 30.0 %
 23.7
 16.6
 8.9
 —
 (14.8)

$  200,797  
 165,809  
 122,859  
 68,303  
 —  
   (106,615) 

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This data does not reflect any actions that we may undertake in response to changes in interest rates, such as
changes  in  rates  paid  on  certain  deposit  accounts  based  on  local  competitive  factors  or  changes  in  earning
assets mix, which could reduce the actual impact on EVE and net interest income, if any.

Certain  shortcomings  are  inherent  in  the  methodology  used  in  the  above  interest  rate  risk  measurements.
Modeling changes in EVE and net interest income requires that we make certain assumptions that may or may
not reflect the manner in which actual yields and costs respond to changes in market interest rates. The EVE
and  net  interest  income  table  presented  above  assumes  that  the  composition  of  our  interest-rate-sensitive
assets and liabilities existing at the beginning of a period remains constant over the period being measured and,
accordingly,  the  data  does  not  reflect  any  actions  that  we  may  undertake  in  response  to  changes  in  interest
rates, such as changes in rates paid on certain deposit accounts based on local competitive factors. The table
also assumes that a particular change in interest rates is reflected uniformly across the yield curve regardless of
the duration to maturity or the repricing characteristics of specific assets and liabilities. Accordingly, although the
EVE  and  net  interest  income  table  provides  an  indication  of  our  sensitivity  to  interest  rate  changes  at  a
particular  point  in  time,  such  measurements  are  not  intended  to  and  do  not  provide  a  precise  forecast  of  the
effect of changes in market interest rates on our net interest income and will differ from actual results.

Credit Risk

Credit  risk  is  the  risk  that  borrowers  or  counterparties  will  be  unable  or  unwilling  to  repay  their  obligations  in
accordance  with  the  underlying  contractual  terms.  We  manage  and  control  credit  risk  in  the  loan  portfolio  by
adhering 
to  well-defined  underwriting  criteria  and  account  administration  standards  established  by
management.  Our  loan  policy  documents  underwriting  standards,  approval  levels,  exposure  limits  and  other
limits  or  standards  deemed  necessary  and  prudent.  Portfolio  diversification  at  the  borrower,  industry,  and
product  levels  is  actively  managed  to  mitigate  concentration  risk.  In  addition,  credit  risk  management  also
includes an independent loan review process that assesses compliance with loan policy, compliance with loan
documentation standards, accuracy of the risk rating and overall credit quality of the loan portfolio.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Consolidated Balance Sheets
Consolidated Statements of Income
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Page

99

100
101
102
103
104
106

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors
HBT Financial, Inc.

Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of HBT Financial, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the
Company) as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive
income,  changes  in  stockholders'  equity  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended
December  31,  2020,  and  the  related  notes  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements  (collectively,  the  financial
statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position
of  the  Company  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  and  the  results  of  its  operations  and  its  cash  flows  for
each  of  the  three  years  in  the  period  ended  December  31,  2020,  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles
generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion
These  financial  statements  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Company’s  management.  Our  responsibility  is  to
express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm
registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to
be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  PCAOB.  Those  standards  require  that  we
plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material  misstatement,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud.  The  Company  is  not  required  to  have,  nor  were  we
engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required
to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an
opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express
no such opinion.

Our  audits  included  performing  procedures  to  assess  the  risks  of  material  misstatement  of  the  financial
statements,  whether  due  to  error  or  fraud,  and  performing  procedures  that  respond  to  those  risks.  Such
procedures  included  examining,  on  a  test  basis,  evidence  regarding  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the
  financial  statements.  Our  audits  also  included  evaluating  the  accounting  principles  used  and  significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We
believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ RSM US LLP

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2017.

Chicago, Illinois
March 12, 2021

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

ASSETS

Cash and due from banks
Interest-bearing deposits with banks

Cash and cash equivalents

Interest-bearing time deposits with banks
Debt securities available-for-sale, at fair value
Debt securities held-to-maturity (fair value of $72,441 in 2020 and $90,529 in 2019)
Equity securities
Restricted stock, at cost
Loans held for sale
Loans, net of allowance for loan losses of $31,838 in 2020 and $22,299 in 2019
Bank premises and equipment, net
Bank premises held for sale
Foreclosed assets
Goodwill
Core deposit intangible assets, net
Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries
Accrued interest receivable
Other assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Liabilities
Deposits:

Noninterest-bearing
Interest-bearing
Total deposits

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital trusts
Other liabilities

Total liabilities

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Notes 11 and 23)

December 31,  December 31, 

2020

2019

$

$

 24,912
 287,539
 312,451

 22,112
 261,859
 283,971

 —
 922,869
 68,395
 4,844
 2,498
 14,713
 2,215,168
 52,904
 121
 4,168
 23,620
 2,798
 5,934
 1,165
 14,255
 20,664
 3,666,567

 882,939
 2,247,595
 3,130,534

 45,736
 39,238
 37,648
 49,494
 3,302,650

$

$

 248
 592,404
 88,477
 4,389
 2,425
 4,531
 2,141,527
 53,987
 121
 5,099
 23,620
 4,030
 8,518
 1,165
 13,951
 16,640
 3,245,103

 689,116
 2,087,739
 2,776,855

 44,433
 —
 37,583
 53,314
 2,912,185

$

$

Stockholders' Equity

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 125,000,000 shares authorized; 27,457,306 shares issued and
outstanding
Surplus
Retained earnings
Accumulated other comprehensive income

Total stockholders’ equity
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 —

 —

 275
 190,875
 154,614
 18,153
 363,917
 3,666,567

 275
 190,524
 134,287
 7,832
 332,918
 3,245,103

$

$

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

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Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME

Loans, including fees:

Taxable
Federally tax exempt

Securities:
Taxable
Federally tax exempt

Interest-bearing deposits in bank
Other interest and dividend income

Total interest and dividend income

INTEREST EXPENSE

Deposits
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Borrowings
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures issued to capital trusts

Total interest expense
Net interest income
PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES

Net interest income after provision for loan losses

NONINTEREST INCOME

Card income
Service charges on deposit accounts
Wealth management fees
Mortgage servicing
Mortgage servicing rights fair value adjustment
Gains on sale of mortgage loans
Gains (losses) on securities
Gains (losses) on foreclosed assets
Gains (losses) on other assets
Title insurance activity
Other noninterest income

Total noninterest income

NONINTEREST EXPENSE

Salaries
Employee benefits
Occupancy of bank premises
Furniture and equipment
Data processing
Marketing and customer relations
Amortization of intangible assets
FDIC insurance
Loan collection and servicing
Foreclosed assets
Other noninterest expense

Total noninterest expense
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX EXPENSE
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
NET INCOME

EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC
EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED
WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OUTSTANDING

UNAUDITED PRO FORMA C CORP EQUIVALENT INFORMATION (Note 1)

Historical income before income tax expense
Pro forma C Corp equivalent income tax expense
Pro forma C Corp equivalent net income

PRO FORMA C CORP EQUIVALENT EARNINGS PER SHARE - BASIC
PRO FORMA C CORP EQUIVALENT EARNINGS PER SHARE - DILUTED

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

101

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

2020

2018

$

 102,893
 2,303

$

 117,296
 2,846

$

 13,179
 4,696
 938
 56
 124,065

 4,221
 48
 2
 616
 1,573
 6,460
 117,605
 10,532
 107,073

 8,087
 5,987
 7,237
 2,978
 (2,584)
 8,835
 33
 142
 (71)
 —
 3,812
 34,456

 50,616
 8,045
 6,580
 2,447
 6,742
 3,476
 1,232
 707
 1,755
 557
 9,799
 91,956
 49,573
 12,728
 36,845

 1.34
 1.34
 27,457,306

$

$
$

 14,854
 5,728
 2,951
 60
 143,735

 7,932
 72
 9
 —
 1,922
 9,935
 133,800
 3,404
 130,396

 7,765
 7,870
 6,827
 3,143
 (2,400)
 3,092
 (5)
 940
 1,244
 167
 4,108
 32,751

 49,003
 9,883
 6,867
 2,813
 5,570
 3,873
 1,423
 198
 2,633
 676
 8,087
 91,026
 72,121
 5,256
 66,865

 3.33
 3.33
 20,090,270

 72,121
 18,749
 53,372

 2.66
 2.66

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

$

$
$

$

$

$
$

 111,349
 2,685

 14,459
 7,154
 1,717
 68
 137,432

 5,887
 48
 260
 —
 1,795
 7,990
 129,442
 5,697
 123,745

 7,381
 8,141
 7,402
 3,261
 629
 2,872
 (2,663)
 (1,337)
 787
 1,207
 3,560
 31,240

 49,123
 6,759
 7,352
 3,000
 5,234
 4,211
 1,559
 942
 2,710
 772
 8,655
 90,317
 64,668
 869
 63,799

 3.54
 3.54
 18,047,332

 64,668
 16,371
 48,297

 2.68
 2.68

    
    
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NET INCOME

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$  66,865

2018

$  63,799

$  36,845

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

Unrealized gains (losses) on debt securities available-for-sale
Reclassification adjustment for losses on securities available-for-sale
realized in income
Reclassification adjustment for amortization (accretion) of net unrealized
gain (loss) on debt securities transferred to held-to-maturity
Unrealized losses on derivative instruments
Reclassification adjustment for net settlements on derivative instruments

Total other comprehensive income (loss), before tax

Income tax expense (benefit)

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

 15,272

 12,458

 (5,692)

 —

 —

 2,541

 18
 (1,084)
 238
 14,444
 4,123
 10,321
$  47,166

 (264)
 (698)
 (87)
 11,409
 (711)
 12,120
$  78,985

 (382)
 (83)
 (175)
 (3,791)
 —
 (3,791)
$  60,008

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Common Stock

Retained

Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive

Treasury

     Voting     Series A     Surplus      Earnings      Income (Loss)      Stock     

Total
Stockholders’
Equity

(dollars in thousands, except per share and per unit data)
$  (2,112)
 —
 —
 —

$  293,934
 122
 63,799
 —

$  32,288
 —
 —
 —

 (375)
 (122)
 —
 (3,791)

$

 178
 —
 —
 —

Balance, December 31, 2017
Adoption of ASU 2016-01
Net income
Other comprehensive loss
Repurchase of common stock -Series
A (43,180 shares)
Cash dividends ($2.36 per share)

Balance, December 31, 2018

Net income
Other comprehensive income
Reclassification of undistributed S-
Corp earnings
Issuance of common stock - Voting,
net of issuance costs (9,429,794
shares)
Conversion of common stock - Series
A to common stock - Voting
Cancelation of 124,228 shares of
treasury stock
Cash dividends ($12.48 per share)

Balance, December 31, 2019

Net income
Other comprehensive income
Stock-based compensation
Cash dividends ($0.60 per share)
Restricted stock unit cash dividend
equivalents ($0.60 per unit)
Balance, December 31, 2020

$

$

 3
 —
 —
 —

 —
 —
 3
 —
 —

 —

 —
 —
 178
 —
 —

 —
 —
 32,288
 —
 —

 —
 (42,621)
 315,234
 66,865
 —

 —

 20,472

 (20,472)

 95

 —

 138,398

 178

 (178)

 —

 —

 —

 (1)
 —
 275
 —
 —
 —
 —

 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —

 (634)
 —
 190,524
 —
 —
 351
 —

 (2,384)
 (224,956)
 134,287
 36,845
 —
 —
 (16,474)

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

103

$

 323,916
 —
 63,799
 (3,791)

 (907)
 (42,621)
 340,396
 66,865
 12,120

 —

 138,493

 —

 —
 (224,956)
 332,918
 36,845
 10,321
 351
 (16,474)

 —
 —
 (4,288)
 —
 12,120

 (907)
 —
 (3,019)
 —
 —

 —

 —

 —

 —
 —
 7,832
 —
 10,321
 —
 —

 —

 —

 —

 3,019
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —

 —
$  275

$

 —
 —
 — $ 190,875

 (44)
$  154,614

$

 —
 18,153

$

 —
 — $

 (44)
 363,917

Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net income
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation expense
Provision for loan losses
Net amortization of debt securities
Amortization of unrealized gain on dedesignated cash flow hedge
Deferred income tax benefit
Stock-based compensation
Net accretion of discount and deferred loan fees on loans
Net realized loss on sales of securities
Net unrealized (gain) loss on equity securities
Net loss (gain) on sales of bank premises and equipment
Net gain on sales of bank premises held for sale
Impairment losses on bank premises held for sale
Net (gain) loss on sales of foreclosed assets
Gain on loan foreclosures
Write-down of foreclosed assets
Amortization of intangibles
Decrease in mortgage servicing rights
Amortization of discount and issuance costs on subordinated notes and debentures
Mortgage loans originated for sale
Proceeds from sale of mortgage loans
Net gain on sale of mortgage loans
Gain on sale of First Community Title Services, Inc.
(Increase) decrease in accrued interest receivable
(Increase) decrease in other assets
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities

Net cash provided by operating activities

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Net change in interest-bearing time deposits with banks
Proceeds from sales of securities available-for-sale
Proceeds from paydowns, maturities, and calls of debt securities
Purchase of securities
Net increase in loans
Purchase of restricted stock
Proceeds from redemption of restricted stock
Purchases of bank premises and equipment
Proceeds from sales of bank premises and equipment
Proceeds from sales of bank premises held for sale
Proceeds from sales of foreclosed assets
Capital improvements to foreclosed assets
Cash received from sale of First Community Title Services, Inc.

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Net increase (decrease) in deposits
Net increase (decrease) in repurchase agreements
Repayment of Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings
Issuance of subordinated notes, net of issuance costs
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs
Repurchase of common stock
Cash dividends and dividend equivalents paid

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF YEAR
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

104

$  36,845

$  66,865

$  63,799

 2,941
 10,532
 5,045
 (64)
 (339)
 351
 (4,902)
 —
 (33)
 2
 —
 —
 (348)
 —
 213
 1,232
 2,584
 92
 (370,112)
 368,765
 (8,835)
 —
 (304)
 (1,090)
 (11,320)
 31,255

 248
 —
 222,999
 (523,559)
 (80,278)
 (73)
 —
 (1,861)
 1
 —
 2,079
 (6)
 —
 (380,450)

 353,679
 1,303
 —
 39,211
 —
 —
 (16,518)
 377,675

 2,709
 3,404
 3,450
 (86)
 (2,695)
 —
 (3,707)
 —
 5
 (29)
 (448)
 37
 (1,048)
 —
 563
 1,423
 2,400
 66
 (150,652)
 152,013
 (3,092)
 (498)
 1,349
 (516)
 17,579
 89,092

 —
 —
 201,472
 (73,117)
 (17,950)
 —
 294
 (2,107)
 176
 1,039
 5,460
 (41)
 114
 115,340

 (19,115)
 (1,762)
 —
 —
 138,493
 —
 (224,956)
 (107,340)

 3,219
 5,697
 5,045
 —
 —
 —
 (5,091)
 2,541
 122
 6
 (734)
 52
 268
 (96)
 1,165
 1,559
 (629)
 66
 (128,514)
 133,449
 (2,872)
 —
 (553)
 35
 1,460
 79,994

 496
 104,303
 171,462
 (189,412)
 (29,375)
 (2,374)
 2,531
 (1,656)
 10
 2,252
 6,851
 —
 —
 65,088

 (59,715)
 8,357
 (29,000)
 —
 —
 (907)
 (42,621)
 (123,886)

 28,480
 283,971
$  312,451

 97,092
 186,879
$  283,971

 21,196
 165,683
$  186,879

    
    
    
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (CONTINUED)

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

Cash paid for interest
Cash paid for income taxes

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NONCASH INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Transfers of loans to foreclosed assets
Sales of foreclosed assets through loan origination

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

105

$
 6,441
$  17,451

$  10,010
 880
$

$
$

 1,074
 67

$
$

 2,520
 2,046

$
$

$
$

 7,826
 851

 2,518
 1,220

    
    
    
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1 – SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

HBT  Financial,  Inc.  (the  Company)  is  headquartered  in  Bloomington,  Illinois  and  is  the  holding  company  for
Heartland Bank and Trust Company (Heartland Bank or the Bank). The Bank provides a comprehensive suite of
business, commercial, wealth management and retail banking products and services to individuals, businesses,
and municipal entities throughout Central and Northeastern Illinois. Additionally, the Company is subject to the
regulations  of  certain  federal  and  state  agencies  and  undergoes  periodic  examinations  by  those  regulatory
agencies.

The  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally
accepted  in  the  United  States  of  America  (GAAP)  and  reporting  practices  applicable  to  the  banking  industry.
Significant accounting policies are summarized below.

On September 13, 2019, the Company effected a twenty-for-one stock split of its issued and outstanding shares
of common stock and its issued and outstanding shares of Series A nonvoting common stock. Accordingly, all
share  and  per  share  amounts  for  all  periods  presented  in  these  financial  statements  and  notes  thereto  have
been adjusted retroactively, where applicable, to reflect the stock split.

On October 10, 2019, each share of Series A nonvoting common stock was reclassified and converted into one
share of common stock. Additionally, the Company increased the authorized shares to 150,000,000, of which
125,000,000  shares,  par  value  of  $0.01  per  share,  are  designated  as  common  stock  and  25,000,000  shares,
par value of $0.01 per share, are designated as preferred stock.

Merger of State Bank of Lincoln into Heartland Bank

On October 20, 2020, Heartland Bank and State Bank of Lincoln, both wholly-owned bank subsidiaries of the
Company on that date, entered into a Bank Merger Agreement providing for the merger of State Bank of Lincoln
into Heartland Bank. The merger was consummated on December 31, 2020, resulting in Heartland Bank being
our  sole  bank  subsidiary,  with  the  branch  locations  in  Lincoln,  Illinois  operating  as  “State  Bank  of  Lincoln,  a
division of Heartland Bank and Trust Company.”

Loan Payment Modifications Related to COVID-19

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), along with a joint statement issued
by banking regulatory agencies, provided that short-term loan payment modifications to borrowers experiencing
financial hardship due to COVID-19 generally do not need to be accounted for as a troubled debt restructuring.
As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  Company  had  loans  totaling  $27,986,000  that  were  granted  a  payment
modification  due  to  a  COVID-19  related  financial  hardship  and  have  not  returned  to  regular  payments.
Substantially all modifications were in the form of a three-month interest-only period or a one-month payment
deferral. Some borrowers have received more than one loan payment modification.

Initial Public Offering

On  September  13,  2019,  the  Company  filed  a  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-1  with  the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission (SEC). The Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on October 10,
2019. The Company issued and sold 9,429,794 shares of common stock at a price of $16 per share pursuant to
that Registration Statement. Total proceeds received by the Company, net of offering costs, were $138,493,000.
The proceeds were used to fund a $170 million special dividend, or $9.43 per share, to stockholders of record
prior to the initial public offering.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company qualifies as an “emerging growth company” as defined by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups
Act (JOBS Act). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies may also elect to delay adoption of new or
revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. The Company has
elected  to  use  this  extended  transition  period  for  complying  with  new  or  revised  accounting  standards  and,
therefore,  the  Company  will  not  be  subject  to  the  same  new  or  revised  accounting  standards  as  other  public
companies.

Sale of First Community Title Services, Inc.

On February 15, 2019, the Company consummated an agreement to sell substantially all assets and liabilities
of  First  Community  Title  Services,  Inc.  to  Illinois  Real  Estate  Title  Center,  LLC,  an  Illinois  limited  liability
company, for a combination of cash and an equity interest in Illinois Real Estate Title Center, LLC representing
total consideration of approximately $498,000.

Basis of Consolidation

The  consolidated  financial  statements  of  HBT  Financial,  Inc.  include  the  accounts  of  the  Company  and  its
wholly owned bank subsidiary, Heartland Bank.

The  Company  also  has  five  wholly  owned  subsidiaries,  Heartland  Bancorp,  Inc.  Capital  Trust  B,  Heartland
Bancorp,  Inc.  Capital  Trust  C,  Heartland  Bancorp,  Inc.  Capital  Trust  D,  FFBI  Capital  Trust  I,  and  National
Bancorp  Statutory  Trust  I,  which,  in  accordance  with  GAAP,  are  not  consolidated  as  more  fully  described  in
Note 13.

Significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Unaudited Pro Forma Income Statement Information

Effective  October  11,  2019,  the  Company  revoked  its  S  Corporation  status  and  became  a  taxable  entity  (C
Corporation). As such, any periods prior to October 11, 2019 will only reflect state replacement taxes.

The  unaudited  pro  forma  C  Corp  equivalent  income  tax  expense  information  gives  effect  to  the  income  tax
expense had the Company been a C Corporation during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. The
unaudited  pro  forma  C  Corp  equivalent  net  income  information,  therefore,  includes  an  adjustment  for  income
tax  expense  as  if  the  Company  had  been  a  C  Corporation  during  the  years  ended  December  31,  2019  and
2018.

The unaudited pro forma basic and diluted earnings per share information is computed using the unaudited pro
forma C Corp equivalent net income and weighted average shares of common stock outstanding. There were
no  dilutive  instruments  outstanding  during  the  years  ended  December  31,  2019  and  2018;  therefore,  the
unaudited pro forma C Corp equivalent basic and diluted earnings per share amounts are the same.

Use of Estimates

The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  have  been  prepared  in  conformity  with  accounting
principles  generally  accepted  in  the  United  States  of  America.  In  preparing  the  financial  statements,
management  is  required  to  make  estimates  and  assumptions  that  affect  the  reported  amounts  of  assets  and
liabilities as of the date of the balance sheet and the reported results of operations for the periods then ended.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Actual results could differ significantly from those estimates. Material estimates that are particularly susceptible
to significant changes in the near term relate to the determination of the allowance for loan losses, goodwill, and
income taxes.

Business and Significant Concentrations of Credit Risk

The  Company  provides  several  types  of  loans  to  individuals,  businesses,  and  municipal  entities  primarily
located in their customer service areas. Real estate and commercial loans are principal areas of concentration.
The  Company  also  strives  to  meet  the  borrowing  needs  of  the  consumers  in  its  market  areas.  Extension  of
credit is generally limited to the primary trade areas of the Company. Primary deposit products of the Bank are
noninterest-bearing  and  interest-bearing  demand  accounts,  savings  accounts,  money  market  accounts,  and
term certificate of deposit accounts.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For  purposes  of  reporting  consolidated  cash  flows,  cash  and  cash  equivalents  include  cash  on  hand  and
amounts due from banks, all of which have an original maturity within 90 days or less. Cash flows from loans
and deposits are reported net.

Interest-Bearing Time Deposits with Banks

Interest-bearing time deposits with banks are carried at cost.

Debt Securities

Debt securities are classified as held-to-maturity when the Company has the positive intent and ability to hold
the securities to maturity and are carried at amortized cost. Debt securities not classified as held-to-maturity are
classified as available-for-sale. Debt securities available-for-sale are carried at fair value with unrealized gains
and  losses  reported  in  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss).  Realized  gains  and  losses  on  debt
securities  available-for-sale  are  included  in  noninterest  income  when  applicable  and  reported  as  a
reclassification adjustment in other comprehensive income (loss). Gains and losses on sales of securities are
determined  using  the  specific  identification  method  on  the  trade  date.  The  amortization  of  premiums  and
accretion of discounts are recognized in interest income using methods approximating the interest method over
the period to maturity.

Any transfers of debt securities into the held-to-maturity category from the available-for-sale category are made
at  fair  value  at  the  date  of  transfer.  The  unrealized  holding  gain  or  loss  at  the  date  of  transfer  is  retained  in
accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  and  in  the  carrying  value  of  the  held-to-maturity  securities.
Such  amounts  are  amortized  over  the  period  to  maturity.  There  were  no  such  transfers  in  2020,  2019,  and
2018.

Declines in the fair value of individual securities below their cost that are other-than-temporary result in write-
downs of the individual securities to their fair value. The Company monitors the investment security portfolio for
impairment on an individual security basis and has a process in place to identify securities that could potentially
have a credit impairment that is other-than-temporary. This process involves analyzing the length of time and
the  extent  to  which  the  fair  value  has  been  less  than  the  amortized  cost  basis,  the  market  liquidity  for  the
security, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer, expected cash flows, and the intent of the
Company to not sell the security or whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell
the  security  before  its  anticipated  recovery.  A  decline  in  value  due  to  a  credit  event  that  is  considered  other-
than-temporary is recorded as a loss in noninterest income.

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Equity Securities

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Equity  securities  with  readily  determinable  fair  values  are  measured  at  fair  value  with  changes  in  fair  value
recognized in gains (losses) on securities on the statements of income.

The Company has elected to measure its equity securities with no readily determinable fair values at their cost
minus impairment, if any, plus or minus charges resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions
for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer.

Restricted Stock

Restricted stock, which consists of Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLB) stock, is carried at cost and
evaluated for impairment.

Loans Held for Sale

Mortgage loans originated and intended for sale in the secondary market are carried at the lower of aggregate
cost  or  fair  value,  as  determined  by  aggregate  outstanding  commitments  from  investors  or  current  investor
yield. Net unrealized losses, if any, are recognized through a valuation allowance by charges to income.

Mortgage  loans  held  for  sale  are  generally  sold  with  the  mortgage  servicing  rights  retained  by  the  Company.
The  carrying  value  of  mortgage  loans  sold  is  reduced  by  fair  value  allocated  to  the  associated  mortgage
servicing rights. Gains or losses on sales of mortgage loans are recognized based on the difference between
the selling price and the carrying value of the related mortgage loans sold.

Loans

Loans that management has the intent and ability to hold for the foreseeable future or until maturity or pay-off
generally are reported at their outstanding unpaid principal balances adjusted for charge-offs and the allowance
for  loan  losses,  deferred  loan  fees  or  costs  on  originated  loans,  and  unamortized  premiums  or  discounts  on
acquired loans.

Interest  income  is  accrued  on  the  unpaid  principal  balance.  Loan  origination  fees,  net  of  certain  direct
origination  costs,  as  well  as  premiums  and  discounts,  are  deferred  and  recognized  as  an  adjustment  of  the
related loan yield using the interest method.

The accrual of interest on loans is discontinued at the time the loan is 90 days past due unless the credit is well-
secured  and  in  process  of  collection.  Past  due  status  is  based  on  contractual  terms  of  the  loan.  In  all  cases,
loans are placed on nonaccrual or charged-off at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered
doubtful.

All interest accrued but not collected for loans that are placed on nonaccrual or charged off is reversed against
interest income if it was accrued during the current year and charged-off against the allowance for loan losses if
accrued in a prior year. Amortization of related deferred loan fees or costs is also suspended at this time. The
interest on these loans is accounted for on the cash-basis or cost-recovery method, until qualifying for return to
accrual. Loans are returned to accrual status when all the principal and interest amounts contractually due are
brought current and future payments are reasonably assured.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Allowance for Loan Losses

The  allowance  for  loan  losses  (allowance)  is  an  estimate  of  loan  losses  inherent  in  the  Company’s  loan
portfolio.  The  allowance  is  established  through  a  provision  for  loan  losses  which  is  charged  to  expense.
Additions  to  the  allowance  are  expected  to  maintain  the  adequacy  of  the  total  allowance.  Loan  losses  are
charged  off  against  the  allowance  when  the  Company  determines  the  loan  balance  to  be  uncollectible.  Cash
received on previously charged off amounts is recorded as a recovery to the allowance.

The allowance consists of two primary components, general reserves and specific reserves related to impaired
loans.  The  general  component  covers  non-impaired  loans  and  is  based  on  historical  losses  adjusted  for
qualitative factors. The historical loss experience is determined by portfolio segment and is based on the actual
loss history experienced by the Company over the most recent 16-quarter period. This actual loss experience is
adjusted for qualitative factors based on the risks present for each portfolio segment. These qualitative factors
include consideration of the following: levels of and trends in delinquencies and impaired loans; levels of and
trends  in  charge-offs  and  recoveries;  trends  in  volume  and  terms  of  loans;  effects  of  any  changes  in  risk
selection and underwriting standards; other changes in lending policies, procedures, and practices; experience,
ability,  and  depth  of  lending  management  and  other  relevant  staff;  national  and  local  economic  trends  and
conditions; industry conditions; and effects of changes in credit concentrations.

These qualitative factors are inherently subjective and are driven by the repayment risk associated with each
portfolio segment.

A loan is considered impaired when, based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company
will be unable to collect the scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual
terms of the loan agreement. Loans determined to be impaired are individually evaluated for impairment. When
a loan is impaired, the Company generally measures impairment based on the fair value of the collateral, but
also may use the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the original contractual interest rate,
when practical.

Under  certain  circumstances,  the  Company  will  provide  borrowers  relief  through  loan  restructurings.  A
restructuring  of  debt  constitutes  a  troubled  debt  restructuring  (TDR)  if  the  Company  for  economic  or  legal
reasons  related  to  the  borrower’s  financial  difficulties  grants  a  concession  to  the  borrower  that  it  would  not
otherwise consider. Restructured loans typically present an elevated level of credit risk as the borrowers are not
able to perform according to the original contractual terms. TDR concessions can include reduction of interest
rates, extension of maturity dates, forgiveness of principal or interest due, or acceptance of other assets in full
or partial satisfaction of the debt.

In general, if the Company grants a TDR that involves either the absence of principal amortization or a material
extension of an existing loan amortization period in excess of our underwriting standards, the loan will be placed
on nonaccrual status. However, if a TDR is well secured by an abundance of collateral and the collectability of
both  interest  and  principal  is  probable,  the  loan  may  remain  on  accrual  status.  A  nonaccrual  TDR  in  full
compliance with the payment requirements specified in the loan modification for at least six months may return
to  accrual  status,  if  the  collectability  of  both  principal  and  interest  is  probable.  All  TDRs  are  individually
evaluated for impairment.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  Company  assigns  a  risk  rating  to  all  loans  and  periodically  performs  detailed  internal  reviews  of  all  such
loans that are part of relationships with over $500,000 in total exposure to identify credit risks and to assess the
overall collectability of the portfolio. These risk ratings are also subject to review by the Company’s regulators,
external loan review, and internal loan review. During the internal reviews, management monitors and analyzes
the financial condition of borrowers and guarantors, trends in the industries in which the borrowers operate and
the fair values of collateral securing the loans. The risk rating is reviewed annually, at a minimum, and on an as
needed basis depending on the specific circumstances of the loan. These credit quality indicators are used to
assign  a  risk  rating  to  each  individual  loan.  Risk  ratings  are  grouped  into  four  major  categories,  defined  as
follows:

Pass: A Pass loan is a credit with no existing or known potential weaknesses deserving of management’s
close attention.

Pass-Watch: A Pass-Watch loan is still considered a Pass credit and not a classified or criticized asset, but
is a reflection of a borrower who exhibits credit weaknesses or downward trends warranting close attention
and  increased  monitoring.  These  potential  weaknesses  may  result  in  deterioration  of  the  repayment
prospects for the loan. No loss of principal or interest is expected, and the borrower does not pose sufficient
risk to warrant classification.

Substandard:  A  Substandard  loan  is  inadequately  protected  by  the  current  sound  worth  and  paying
capacity of the borrower or of the collateral pledged, if any. Loans classified as Substandard have a well-
defined  weakness,  or  weaknesses,  that  jeopardize  the  liquidation  of  the  debt.  They  are  characterized  as
probable that the borrower will not pay principal and interest in accordance with the contractual terms.

Doubtful:  A  Doubtful  loan  has  all  the  weaknesses  inherent  in  those  classified  as  Substandard,  with  the
added  characteristic  that  the  weaknesses  make  collection  or  repayment  in  full,  on  the  basis  of  currently
existing facts, conditions, and values, highly questionable and improbable.

The  Company  maintains  a  separate  general  valuation  allowance  for  each  portfolio  segment.  These  portfolio
segments  include  commercial  and  industrial,  agricultural  and  farmland,  commercial  real  estate  –  owner
occupied, commercial real estate – non-owner occupied, multi-family, construction and land development, one-
to-four family residential, and municipal, consumer and other, with risk characteristics described as follows:

Commercial and Industrial: Consists of loans typically granted for working capital, asset acquisition and
other  business  purposes.  These  loans  are  underwritten  primarily  based  on  the  borrower’s  cash  flow  with
most  loans  secondarily  supported  by  collateral.  Most  commercial  and  industrial  loans  are  secured  by  the
assets  being  financed  or  other  business  assets,  such  as  accounts  receivable,  inventory,  and  equipment,
and  are  typically  supported  by  personal  guarantees  of  the  owners.  Cash  flows  and  collateral  values  may
fluctuate  based  on  general  economic  conditions,  specific  industry  conditions  and  specific  borrower
circumstances.

Agricultural and Farmland: Consists of loans typically secured by farmland, agricultural operating assets,
or  a  combination  of  both,  and  are  generally  underwritten  to  existing  cash  flows  of  operating  agricultural
businesses.  Debt  repayment  is  provided  by  business  cash  flows.  Economic  trends  influenced  by
unemployment  rates  and  other  key  economic  indicators  are  not  closely  correlated  to  the  credit  quality  of
agricultural and farmland loans. The credit quality of these loans is most correlated to changes in prices of
corn  and  soybeans  and,  to  a  lesser  extent,  weather,  which  has  been  partially  mitigated  by  federal  crop
insurance programs.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Commercial Real Estate - Owner Occupied: Consists of loans secured by commercial real estate that is
both owned and occupied by the same or a related borrower. These loans are primarily underwritten based
on  the  cash  flow  of  the  business  occupying  the  property.  As  with  commercial  and  industrial  loans,  cash
flows  and  collateral  values  may  fluctuate  based  on  general  economic  conditions,  specific  industry
conditions, and specific borrower circumstances.

Commercial Real Estate - Non-owner Occupied: Consists of loans secured by commercial real estate for
which the primary source of repayment is the sale or rental cash flows from the underlying collateral. These
loans are underwritten based primarily on the historic or projected cash flow from the underlying collateral.
Adverse  economic  developments  or  an  overbuilt  market  typically  impact  commercial  real  estate  projects.
Trends in rental and vacancy rates of commercial properties impact the credit quality of these loans.

Multi-family: Consists of loans secured by five or more unit apartment buildings. Multi-family loans may be
affected  by  demographic  and  population  trends,  unemployment  or  underemployment,  and  deteriorating
market values of real estate.

Construction and Land Development: Consists of loans for speculative and pre-sold construction projects
for  developers  intending  to  either  sell  upon  completion  or  hold  for  long  term  investment,  as  well  as
construction of projects to be owner occupied. In addition, loans in this segment generally possess a higher
inherent risk of loss than other portfolio segments due to risk of non-completion, changes in budgeted costs,
and changes in market forces during the term of the construction period.

One-to-four  Family  Residential:  Consists  of  loans  secured  by  one-to-four  family  residences,  including
both first and junior lien mortgage loans for owner occupied and non-owner occupied properties and home
equity  lines  of  credit.  The  degree  of  risk  in  residential  mortgage  lending  depends  on  the  local  economy,
including the local real estate market and unemployment rates.

Municipal,  Consumer  and  Other:  Loans  to  municipalities  include  obligations  of  municipal  entities  and
loans sponsored by municipal entities for the benefit of a private entity where that private entity, rather than
the  municipal  entity,  is  responsible  for  repayment  of  the  obligation.  Consumer  loans  include  loans  to
individuals  for  consumer  purposes  and  typically  consist  of  small  balance  loans.  Economic  trends
determined by unemployment rates and other key economic indicators are closely correlated to the credit
quality of the consumer loans. Loans to other financial institutions, as well as leases, are also included.

Although management believes the allowance to be adequate, ultimate losses may vary from its estimates. At
least  quarterly,  the  Board  of  Directors  reviews  the  adequacy  of  the  allowance,  including  consideration  of  the
relevant  risks  in  the  portfolio,  current  economic  conditions  and  other  factors.  If  the  Board  of  Directors  and
management  determine  that  changes  are  warranted  based  on  those  reviews,  the  allowance  is  adjusted.  In
addition,  the  Company’s  regulators  review  the  adequacy  of  the  allowance  and  may  require  additions  to  the
allowance based on their judgment about information available at the time of their examinations.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Loans Acquired with Deteriorated Credit Quality

Loans acquired that have evidence of deterioration in credit quality since origination and for which it is probable,
at  acquisition,  that  the  Company  will  be  unable  to  collect  all  contractually  required  payments  receivable,  are
initially  recorded  at  fair  value  (as  determined  by  the  present  value  of  expected  future  cash  flows)  with  no
allowance for loan losses. Loans are evaluated by management at the time of purchase to determine if there is
evidence  of  deterioration  in  credit  quality  since  origination.  Loans  where  there  is  evidence  of  deterioration  of
credit  quality  since  origination  may  be  aggregated  and  accounted  for  as  a  pool  of  loans  if  the  loans  being
aggregated have common risk characteristics. The difference between the undiscounted cash flows expected at
acquisition and the investment in the loan, or the “accretable yield,” is recognized as interest income over the
life  of  the  loan.  Contractually  required  payments  for  interest  and  principal  that  exceed  the  undiscounted  cash
flows  expected  at  acquisition,  or  the  “nonaccretable  difference,”  are  not  recognized  as  a  yield  adjustment.
Subsequent  decreases  to  the  expected  cash  flows  will  generally  result  in  a  provision  for  loan  losses.
Subsequent increases in expected cash flows result in a reversal of the provision for loan losses to the extent of
prior charges or a reclassification of the difference from nonaccretable to accretable yield with a positive impact
on  interest  income  on  a  prospective  basis.  If  the  Company  does  not  have  the  information  necessary  to
reasonably estimate cash flows to be expected, it may use the cost recovery method or cash basis method of
income recognition.

Off-Balance Sheet Credit Related Financial Instruments

In  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  the  Bank  has  entered  into  commitments  to  extend  credit,  including
commitments  under  credit  arrangements,  commercial  letters  of  credit,  and  standby  letters  of  credit.  Such
financial instruments are recorded when they are funded.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill  represents  the  excess  of  the  original  cost  over  the  fair  value  of  assets  acquired  and  liabilities
assumed. Goodwill is not amortized but instead is subject to an annual impairment evaluation. The Company
has selected December 31 as the date to perform the annual impairment test. At December 31, 2020 and 2019,
the Company’s evaluations of goodwill indicated that goodwill was not impaired.

Additionally, due to the economic weakness resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company completed a
quantitative  assessment  of  goodwill  as  of  March  31,  2020  which  indicated  that  goodwill  was  not  impaired.
Further goodwill impairment evaluations, which may result in goodwill impairment, may be necessary if events
or circumstance changes would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying
amount.

Other identifiable intangible assets consist of core deposit intangible assets with definite useful lives which are
being  amortized  using  straight-line  and  accelerated  methods  over  10  years.  The  Company  will  periodically
review  the  status  of  core  deposit  intangible  assets  for  any  events  or  circumstances  which  may  change  the
recoverability of the underlying basis.

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Loan Servicing

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company periodically sells mortgage loans on the secondary market with servicing retained. For sales of
mortgage  loans,  a  portion  of  the  cost  of  originating  the  loan  is  allocated  to  the  servicing  right  based  on  fair
value.  Fair  value  is  based  on  market  prices  for  comparable  mortgage  servicing  contracts,  when  available,  or
alternatively, is based on a valuation model that calculates the present value of estimated future net servicing
income. The valuation model incorporates assumptions that market participants would use in estimating future
net servicing income, such as the cost to service, the discount rate, the custodial earnings rate, an inflation rate,
ancillary income, prepayment speeds, and default rates and losses. Mortgage servicing rights are carried at fair
value on the consolidated balance sheets and changes in fair value are recorded in mortgage servicing rights
fair value adjustment on the consolidated statements of income.

Bank Premises and Equipment

Land  is  carried  at  cost.  Bank  premises  and  equipment  are  carried  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation.
Depreciation is computed over the estimated useful lives of the individual assets using the straight-line method.

Bank Premises Held for Sale

Bank premises held for sale is carried at the lower of cost or fair value less estimated costs to sell. The bank
premises are not depreciated while classified as held for sale.

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related branch buildings classified as held for sale totaled $121,000.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, there were no impairment losses on bank premises held for sale.
During the years ended December 31, 2019, and 2018, there were impairment losses of $37,000 and $52,000,
respectively, included in gains (losses) on other assets on the consolidated statements of income.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate
the  carrying  amount  of  an  asset  may  not  be  recoverable.  Recoverability  of  assets  to  be  held  and  used  is
measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected
to be generated by the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is
measured  by  the  amount  by  which  the  carrying  amount  of  the  assets  exceeds  the  fair  value  of  the  assets.
Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell.

Wealth Management Assets and Fees

Assets of the wealth management department of the Bank are not included in the consolidated balance sheets
as such assets are not assets of the Company or the Bank. Fee income generated from wealth management
services is recorded in the consolidated statements of income as a source of noninterest income.

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Foreclosed Assets

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Assets acquired through, or in lieu of, loan foreclosure are held for sale and are initially recorded at fair value
less estimated cost to sell at the date of foreclosure, establishing a new cost basis. Any write-down based on
the fair value of the asset at the date of acquisition is charged to the allowance for loan losses. If the fair value
of the asset less estimated cost to sell exceeds the recorded investment in the loan at the date of foreclosure,
the increase in value is charged to current year operations unless there has been a prior charge-off, in which
case  a  recovery  to  the  allowance  for  loan  losses  is  recorded.  Subsequent  to  foreclosure,  valuations  are
periodically performed by management and the assets are carried at the lower of carrying amount or fair value
less  estimated  cost  to  sell.  Write-downs  of  foreclosed  assets  subsequent  to  foreclosure  are  charged  to
current year operations as are gains and losses from sale of foreclosed assets, as well as expenses to maintain
and hold foreclosed assets.

Employee Benefit Plans

The Company sponsors a profit sharing plan under which the Company may contribute, at the discretion of the
Board  of  Directors,  a  discretionary  amount  to  all  participating  employees  for  the  plan  year.  Participating
employees  are  those  employees  in  service  on  the  valuation  date  who  were  employed  on  the  last  day  of  the
plan year then ended, were on leave of absence on the last day of the plan year then ended, or any participant
whose  service  was  terminated  during  the  plan  year  then  ended  due  to  retirement,  disability,  or  death.  A
401(k)  feature  also  allows  the  Bank  to  make  discretionary  matching  contributions  in  an  amount  up  to  5%  of
compensation contributed by employees.

Stock Based Compensation

The Company recognizes compensation cost over the requisite service period, if any, which is generally defined
as  the  vesting  period.  For  awards  classified  as  equity,  compensation  cost  is  based  on  the  fair  value  of  the
awards  on  the  grant  date.  For  awards  classified  as  liabilities,  compensation  cost  also  includes  subsequent
remeasurements of the fair value of the awards until the award is settled. The Company’s policy is to recognize
forfeitures as they occur.

Transfers of Financial Assets and Participating Interests

Transfers of an entire financial asset or a participating interest in an entire financial asset are accounted for as
sales  when  control  over  the  assets  has  been  surrendered.  Control  over  transferred  assets  is  deemed  to  be
surrendered when (1) the assets have been isolated from the Company, (2) the transferee obtains the right (free
of conditions that constrain it from taking advantage of that right) to pledge or exchange the transferred assets,
and (3) the Company does not maintain effective control over the transferred assets through an agreement to
repurchase them before their maturity.

The transfer of a participating interest in an entire financial asset must also meet the definition of a participating
interest. A participating interest in a financial asset has all of the following characteristics: (1) from the date of
transfer, it must represent a proportionate (pro rata) ownership interest in the financial asset, (2) from the date
of transfer, all cash flows received, except any cash flows allocated as any compensation for servicing or other
services performed, must be divided proportionately among participating interest holders in the amount equal to
their share ownership, (3) the rights of each participating interest holder must have the same priority, and (4) no
party has the right to pledge or exchange the entire financial asset unless all participating interest holders agree
to do so.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.

Income Taxes

Through October 10, 2019, the Company, with the consent of its then current stockholders, elected to be taxed
under  sections  of  federal  and  state  income  tax  law  as  an  "S  Corporation"  which  provides  that,  in  lieu  of
Company income taxes, except for state replacement taxes, the stockholders separately account for their pro
rata shares of the Company’s items of income, deductions, losses and credits. As a result of this election, no
income  taxes,  other  than  state  replacement  taxes,  have  been  recognized  in  the  accompanying  consolidated
financial  statements  prior  to  October  11,  2019.  No  provision  has  been  made  for  any  amounts  which  may  be
advanced or paid as dividends to the stockholders to assist them in paying their personal taxes on the income
from the Company.

Effective  October  11,  2019,  the  Company  voluntarily  revoked  its  S  Corporation  status  and  became  a  taxable
entity (C Corporation). In connection with the conversion of tax status, the Company recognized a deferred tax
asset of $534,000 and an income tax benefit of $534,000.

Income tax expense is the total of the current year income tax due or refundable and the change in deferred tax
assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are the expected future tax amounts for the temporary
differences  between  carrying  amounts  and  tax  bases  of  assets  and  liabilities,  computed  using  enacted  tax
rates. A valuation allowance, if needed, reduces deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.

With  regard  to  uncertain  tax  matters,  the  Company  recognizes  in  the  consolidated  financial  statements  the
impact  of  a  tax  position  taken,  or  expected  to  be  taken,  if  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  position  will  be
sustained  on  audit  based  on  the  technical  merit  of  the  position.  Management  has  analyzed  the  tax  positions
taken by the Company and concluded as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there are no uncertain tax positions
taken  or  expected  to  be  taken  that  require  recognition  of  a  liability  or  disclosure  in  the  consolidated  financial
statements.  When  applicable,  the  Company  recognizes  interest  accrued  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits
and penalties in operating expenses.

The  Company  files  consolidated  federal  and  state  income  tax  returns.  The  Company  is  no  longer  subject  to
federal or state income tax examinations for years prior to 2017.

Derivative Financial Instruments

As part of the Company’s asset/liability management, the Company uses interest rate swaps to hedge various
exposures or to modify interest rate characteristics of various balance sheet accounts. Derivatives that are used
as part of the asset/liability management process are linked to specific assets or liabilities, or pools of assets or
liabilities,  and  have  high  correlation  between  the  contract  and  the  underlying  item  being  hedged,  both  at
inception and throughout the hedge period.

All derivatives are recognized on the consolidated balance sheet at their fair value. On the date the derivative
contract is entered into, the Company may designate the derivative as a hedge of a forecasted transaction or of
the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability "cash flow" hedge.
Changes in the fair value of a derivative that is highly effective and that is designated and qualifies as a cash-
flow hedge are recorded in other comprehensive income (loss), until earnings are affected by the variability of
cash flows (e.g., when periodic settlements on a variable-rate asset or liability are recorded in earnings).

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as
its risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedged transactions. This process includes
linking all derivatives that are designated as cash-flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on the balance
sheet or forecasted transactions. The Company also formally assesses, both at the hedge’s inception and on an
ongoing  basis,  whether  the  derivatives  that  are  used  in  hedging  transactions  are  highly  effective  in  offsetting
changes  in  cash  flows  of  hedged  items.  When  it  is  determined  that  a  derivative  is  not  highly  effective  as  a
hedge  or  that  it  has  ceased  to  be  a  highly  effective  hedge,  the  Company  discontinues  hedge  accounting
prospectively.

The Company discontinues hedge accounting prospectively when (a) it is determined that the derivative is no
longer  highly  effective  in  offsetting  changes  in  the  cash  flows  of  a  hedged  item  (including  forecasted
transactions); (b) the derivative expires or is sold, terminated, or exercised; (c) the derivative is dedesignated as
a  hedge  instrument,  because  it  is  unlikely  that  a  forecasted  transaction  will  occur;  or  (d)  management
determines that designation of the derivative as a hedge instrument is no longer appropriate.

When hedge accounting is discontinued because it is probable that a forecasted transaction will not occur, the
derivative will continue to be carried on the consolidated balance sheet at its fair value, and gains and losses
that were accumulated in other comprehensive income (loss) will be recognized immediately in earnings. In all
other situations in which hedge accounting is discontinued, the derivative will be carried at its fair value on the
balance sheet, with subsequent changes in its fair value recognized in current-period earnings.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains, and losses be included in net
income.  Although  certain  changes  in  assets  and  liabilities,  such  as  unrealized  gains  and  losses  on  securities
available-for-sale  and  interest  rate  swap  agreements  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges,  are  reported  as  a
separate  component  of  the  equity  section  of  the  consolidated  balance  sheets,  such  items,  along  with  net
income, are components of comprehensive income (loss).

Fair Value Measurements

The Company categorizes its assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy based on
the priority of the inputs to the valuation technique used to determine fair value. The fair value hierarchy gives
the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest
priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). If the inputs used in the determination of the fair value measurement
fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the categorization is based on the lowest level input that is significant
to the fair value measurement. Assets and liabilities valued at fair value are categorized based on the inputs to
the valuation techniques as follows:

Level 1 - Inputs that are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that
the Company has the ability to access as of the measurement date.

Level 2 - Inputs that are significant other observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices
for  similar  assets  or  liabilities,  quoted  prices  in  markets  that  are  not  active;  or  other  inputs  that  are
observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level  3  -  Inputs  that  are  unobservable  inputs  that  reflect  a  Company’s  own  assumptions  about  the
assumptions that market participants would use in pricing as asset or liability.

Subsequent  to  initial  recognition,  the  Company  may  re-measure  the  carrying  value  of  assets  and  liabilities
measured on a nonrecurring basis to fair value. Adjustments to fair value usually result when certain assets are
impaired. Such assets are written down from their carrying amounts to their fair value.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Accounting standards allow entities the irrevocable option to elect to measure certain financial instruments and
other items at fair value for the initial and subsequent measurement on an instrument-by-instrument basis. The
Company  adopted  the  policy  and  has  not  elected  to  measure  any  existing  financial  instruments  at  fair  value,
except for mortgage servicing rights; however, it may elect to measure newly acquired financial instruments at
fair value in the future.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, requires an entity to recognize revenue in an amount
that  reflects  the  consideration  to  which  the  entity  expects  to  be  entitled  in  exchange  for  those  goods  and
services.  To  achieve  this,  the  Company  takes  the  following  steps:  identify  the  contract(s)  with  a  customer;
identify  the  performance  obligations  in  the  contract;  determine  the  transaction  price;  allocate  the  transaction
price to the performance obligations in the contract; and recognize revenue when (or as) the Company satisfies
a  performance  obligation.  The  non-interest  revenue  streams  that  are  considered  to  be  in  the  scope  of  this
guidance are discussed below.

Card  income:  Consists  of  debit  and  credit  card  interchange  fees.  For  debit  and  credit  card
transactions,  the  Company  considers  the  merchant  as  the  customer  for  interchange  revenue  with  the
performance  obligation  being  satisfied  when  the  cardholder  purchases  goods  or  services  from  the
merchant.  Interchange  revenue  is  recognized  as  the  services  are  provided.  Payment  is  typically
received daily.

Service charges on deposit accounts: Consists of account analysis fees, monthly service fees, and
other deposit account related fees. The Company’s performance obligation account analysis fees and
monthly  service  fees  are  ongoing  and  either  party  may  cancel  at  any  time.  These  fees  are  generally
recognized  as  the  services  are  rendered  on  a  monthly  basis.  Payment  is  typically  received  monthly.
Other  deposit  account  related  fees  are  largely  transaction  based,  and  therefore,  the  Company’s
performance  obligation  is  satisfied,  and  related  revenue  recognized,  at  a  point  in  time.  Payment  for
other  deposit  account  related  fees  is  primarily  received  immediately  through  a  direct  charge  to
customers’ accounts.

Wealth management fees: Consists of revenue from the management and advisement of client assets
and  trust  administration.  The  Company’s  performance  obligation  is  generally  satisfied  over  time,  and
the fees are recognized monthly. Payment is typically received quarterly or annually.

Title insurance activity: Consists of fees related to real estate sale closings, title search fees, and title
insurance  premiums  with  First  Community  Title  Services,  Inc.  acting  as  an  agent.  The  Company’s
performance obligations were generally satisfied and payment was typically received at the time a real
estate  transaction  was  finalized.  In  2019,  First  Community  Title  Services,  Inc.  was  sold,  and  the
Company did not have title insurance activity revenue in subsequent periods.

Segment Reporting

The Company’s operations consist of one reportable segment called community banking. While the Company’s
management  monitored  operations  and  profitability  of  Heartland  Bank  and  State  Bank  of  Lincoln  separately,
these  subsidiaries  have  been  aggregated  into  one  reportable  segment  due  to  the  similarities  in  products  and
services, customer base, operations, profitability measures, and economic characteristics.

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Reclassifications

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation without any
impact on the reported amounts of net income or stockholders’ equity.

Subsequent Events

In preparing these consolidated financial statements, the Company has evaluated events and transactions for
potential recognition or disclosure through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments -
Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-13 requires the
measurement  of  all  expected  credit  losses  for  financial  assets  held  at  the  reporting  date  based  on  historical
experience,  current  conditions,  and  reasonable  and  supportable  forecasts  and  requires  enhanced  disclosures
related to the significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality
and underwriting standards of an organization’s portfolio. In addition, ASU 2016-13 amends the accounting for
credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. ASU
2016-13  is  effective  for  years  beginning  after  December  15,  2022,  including  interim  periods  within  those
fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that this standard will
have on the consolidated results of operations and financial position.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the
Test  for  Goodwill  Impairment.  This  ASU  simplifies  measurement  of  goodwill  and  eliminates  Step  2  from  the
goodwill impairment test. Under the ASU, a company should perform its goodwill impairment test by comparing
the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge should be recognized for the
amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The impairment charge is limited
to  the  amount  of  goodwill  allocated  to  that  reporting  unit.  The  amendments  in  this  update  are  effective  for
annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests in years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim
periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted for goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates
after January 1, 2017. This standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated
results of operations or financial position.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects
of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.  This  ASU  provides  optional  expedients  and  exceptions  for
applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform, if
certain criteria are met. Entities may apply the provisions as of the beginning of the reporting period when the
election is made and are available until December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that
this standard will have on the consolidated results of operations and financial position.

NOTE 2 – RESTRICTED CASH AND DUE FROM BANKS

The  Federal  Reserve  Bank  required  the  Bank  to  maintain  balances  on  reserve  of  $23,100,000  as  of
December  31,  2019.  There  was  no  reserve  requirement  by  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank  as  of  December  31,
2020.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 3 – SECURITIES

The carrying balances of the securities were as follows:

Debt securities available-for-sale
Debt securities held-to-maturity
Equity securities:

Readily determinable fair value
No readily determinable fair value

Total securities

Sales of securities were as follows during the years ended December 31:

Proceeds from sales
Gross realized gains
Gross realized losses

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

(dollars in thousands)

$

$

 922,869
 68,395

 3,292
 1,552
 996,108

$

$

 592,404
 88,477

 3,241
 1,148
 685,270

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$

 —
 —
 —

 — $  104,303
 281
 —
 (2,822)
 —

Gains (losses) on securities were as follows during the years ended December 31:

Net realized losses on sales
Net unrealized gains (losses) on equity securities:

Readily determinable fair value
No readily determinable fair value
Gains (losses) on securities

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$

$

 —

 33
 —
 33

 — $  (2,541)

 160
 (165)

 (122)
 —
 (5) $  (2,663)

The $165,000 unrealized loss on equity securities with no readily determinable fair value during the year ended
December  31,  2019  reflects  a  downward  adjustment  based  on  observable  price  changes  of  an  identical
investment.

120

    
    
    
    
    
    
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Debt Securities

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The amortized cost and fair values of debt securities, with gross unrealized gains and losses, are as follows:

December 31, 2020
Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Corporate

Total available-for-sale

Held-to-maturity:

Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total held-to-maturity
Total debt securities

December 31, 2019
Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Corporate

Total available-for-sale

Held-to-maturity:

Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total held-to-maturity
Total debt securities

Amortized
Cost

Gross
Unrealized
Gains

Gross
Unrealized

Losses      Fair Value

(dollars in thousands)

$ 118,282
 265,309

$  3,720
 9,232

$

 (9) $  121,993
 274,261

 (280)

 198,543
 246,649
 70,917
 899,700

 4,871
 4,651
 1,786
 24,260

 (162)
 (534)
 (106)
 (1,091)

 203,252
 250,766
 72,597
 922,869

 22,484

 1,390

 —

 23,874

 13,031
 32,880
 68,395
$ 968,095

 452
 2,222
 4,064
$ 28,324

 —
 (18)
 (18)

 13,483
 35,084
 72,441
$  (1,109) $  995,310

Amortized
Cost

Gross
Unrealized
Gains

Gross
Unrealized

Losses      Fair Value

(dollars in thousands)

$  49,113
 131,241

$

 529
 2,503

$

 (27) $  49,615
 133,738

 (6)

 198,184
 133,730
 72,239
 584,507

 2,780
 1,516
 1,180
 8,508

 (286)
 (292)
 —
 (611)

 200,678
 134,954
 73,419
 592,404

 45,239

 1,340

 —

 46,579

 19,072
 24,166
 88,477
$ 672,984

 161
 775
 2,276
$ 10,784

 (170)
 (54)
 (224)

 19,063
 24,887
 90,529
$  (835) $  682,933

121

    
    
    
    
    
    
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Bank  had  securities  with  a  carrying  value  of  $308,064,000  and
$284,895,000,  respectively,  which  were  pledged  to  secure  public  and  trust  deposits,  securities  sold  under
agreements to repurchase, and for other purposes required or permitted by law.

The Company has no direct exposure to the State of Illinois, but approximately 41% of the obligations of local
municipalities  portfolio  consists  of  securities  issued  by  municipalities  located  in  Illinois  as  of  December  31,
2020. Approximately 75% of such securities were general obligation issues as of December 31, 2020.

The  amortized  cost  and  fair  value  of  debt  securities  by  contractual  maturity,  as  of  December  31,  2020,  are
shown below. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right
to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

Due in 1 year or less
Due after 1 year through 5 years
Due after 5 years through 10 years
Due after 10 years

Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total

Available-for-Sale

Held-to-Maturity

Amortized
Cost

     Fair Value     

Amortized
Cost
(dollars in thousands)

     Fair Value

$  28,332
 82,778
 210,971
 132,427

$  28,626
 85,859
 218,710
 135,656

$  1,396
 13,895
 6,302
 891

$  1,424
 14,806
 6,723
 921

 198,543
 246,649
$ 899,700

 203,252
 250,766
$  922,869

 13,031
 32,880
$ 68,395

 13,483
 35,084
$ 72,441

122

    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following tables present gross unrealized losses and fair value of investments, aggregated by investment
category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, as of
December 31:

December 31, 2020
Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential

Agency commercial

Corporate

Total available-for-sale

Held-to-maturity:

Mortgage-backed:

Agency commercial

Total held-to-maturity
Total debt securities

December 31, 2019
Available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total available-for-sale

Held-to-maturity:

Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Total held-to-maturity
Total debt securities

Less than 12 Months

Investments in a Continuous Unrealized Loss Position
12 Months or More
Fair
Value     

Unrealized
Loss

Unrealized
Loss

     Fair Value     

Total

Unrealized
Loss

     Fair Value

$

 (9) $

 (280)

 5,919
 19,652

(dollars in thousands)
 — $
$
 —

 — $
 —

 (9) $

 (280)

 5,919
 19,652

 (142)

 20,387

 (20)

4,490

 (162)

 24,877

 (524)
 (106)

 57,126
 4,849

 (10)
 —

3,449
 —

 (534)
 (106)

 60,575
 4,849

 (1,061)

 107,933

 (30)

7,939

 (1,091)

 115,872

 (18)
 (18)

 2,983
 2,983

 —
 —

 —
 —

 (18)
 (18)

 2,983
 2,983

$  (1,079) $ 110,916

$

 (30) $

7,939

$  (1,109) $  118,855

Less than 12 Months

Investments in a Continuous Unrealized Loss Position
12 Months or More

Total

Unrealized
Loss

     Fair Value     

Unrealized
Loss

     Fair Value     

Unrealized
Loss

     Fair Value

$

 (26) $ 18,865
 894

 (6)

$

(dollars in thousands)
 (1) $  1,998
 —
 —

$

 (27) $  20,863
 894

 (6)

 (108)
 (100)
 (240)

 25,563
 20,056
 65,378

 (178)
 (192)
 (371)

 27,296
 15,704
 44,998

 (286)
 (292)
 (611)

 52,859
 35,760
 110,376

 (30)
 (47)
 (77)

 2,516
 7,016
 9,532
$  (317) $ 74,910

 (140)
 (7)
 (147)

 9,002
 599
 9,601
$  (518) $ 54,599

 (170)
 (54)
 (224)

 11,518
 7,615
 19,133
$  (835) $  129,509

As of December 31, 2020, there were 8 securities in an unrealized loss position for a period of twelve months or
more, and 60 securities in an unrealized loss position for a period of less than twelve months. These unrealized
losses are primarily a result of fluctuations in interest rates in the bond market. In analyzing an issuer’s financial
condition, management considers whether the securities are issued by the federal government or its agencies,
whether  downgrades  by  bond  rating  agencies  have  occurred,  and  industry  analysts’  reports.  Management
believes that all declines in value of these securities are deemed to be temporary.

123

    
    
 
 
 
 
    
Table of Contents

Equity Securities

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company has elected to measure equity securities with no readily determinable fair value at cost minus
impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes for identical or similar
securities of the same issuer.

The initial cost and carrying values of equity securities, with cumulative net unrealized gains and losses, are as
follows:

December 31, 2020

Readily determinable fair value
No readily determinable fair value

Total equity securities

December 31, 2019

Readily determinable fair value
No readily determinable fair value

Total equity securities

Cumulative
Net Unrealized
    Initial Cost    Gains (Losses)     Carrying Value

$  3,098
 1,717
$  4,815

$

(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 194
 (165)
 29

$

 3,292
 1,552
 4,844

Cumulative
Net Unrealized
    Initial Cost    Gains (Losses)     Carrying Value

$  3,080
 1,313
$  4,393

(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 161
 (165)

$

 (4) $

 3,241
 1,148
 4,389

As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the cumulative net unrealized losses on equity securities with no readily
determinable  fair  value  reflects  downward  adjustments  based  on  observable  price  changes  of  an  identical
investment.  There  have  been  no  impairments  or  upward  adjustments  based  on  observable  price  changes  to
equity securities with no readily determinable fair value.

124

Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 4 – LOANS AND THE ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

Major categories of loans as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 are summarized as follows:

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Loans, before allowance for loan losses

Allowance for loan losses

Loans, net of allowance for loan losses

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans (included above)
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total PPP loans

$

$

$

$

$

(dollars in thousands)
 393,312
 222,723
 222,360
 520,395
 236,391
 225,652
 306,775
 119,398
 2,247,006
 (31,838)
 2,215,168

 307,175
 207,776
 231,162
 579,757
 179,073
 224,887
 313,580
 120,416
 2,163,826
 (22,299)
$  2,141,527

 153,860
 3,049
 6,587
 163,496

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —

The following tables detail activity in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended December 31:

Commercial Agricultural Real Estate
and

Commercial Commercial
Real Estate
Non-owner

Owner

Municipal,
Construction One-to-four Consumer,

and
Industrial

and
     Farmland      Occupied      Occupied     Multi-Family    Development     Residential     Other

and Land

Family

     Total

Allowance for loan
losses:
Balance,
December 31, 2017
Provision for loan
losses
Charge-offs
Recoveries

Balance,
December 31, 2018
Provision for loan
losses
Charge-offs
Recoveries

Balance,
December 31, 2019
Provision for loan
losses
Charge-offs
Recoveries

Balance,
December 31, 2020

(dollars in thousands)

$

 5,411

$

 2,385

$

 1,510

$

 2,476

$

 997

$

 2,981

$

 2,723

$

 1,282

$

19,765

 (532)
 (1,446)
 315

 3,748

 1,139
 (886)
 440

 265
 —
 —

 3,294
 (2,352)
 54

 2,650

 2,506

 146
 (30)
 —

 (376)
 (407)
 56

 4,441

 2,766

 1,779

 677
 (1,784)
 595

 (1,946)
 (27)
 —

 961
 (39)
 440

 264
 (237)
 141

 2,644

 1,110
 (111)
 20

 3,663

 7,862
 (349)
 75

 109
 (194)
 —

 912

 153
 (41)
 —

 993
 (58)
 260

 984
 (1,415)
 490

 320
 (783)
 272

 5,697
 (6,485)
 1,532

 4,176

 2,782

 1,091

20,509

 (1,640)
 (9)
 450

 513
 (1,105)
 350

 2,359
 (684)
 343

 3,404
 (3,273)
 1,659

 1,024

 2,977

 2,540

 3,109

22,299

 933
 —
 —

 1,032
 (27)
 250

 (894)
 (155)
 310

 1,907
 (587)
 305

10,532
 (2,968)
 1,975

$

 3,929

$

 793

$

 3,141

$

 11,251

$

 1,957

$

 4,232

$

 1,801

$

 4,734

$

31,838

125

    
    
    
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following tables present the recorded investments in loans and the allowance for loan losses by category
as of December 31:

Commercial Agricultural Real Estate
and

Commercial Commercial
Real Estate
Non-owner

Municipal,
Construction One-to-four Consumer,

December 31, 2020     
Loan balances:
Collectively
evaluated for
impairment
Individually
evaluated for
impairment
Acquired with
deteriorated credit
quality

and
Industrial

and
     Farmland      Occupied      Occupied     Multi-Family    Development     Residential     Other

and Land

Family

Owner

Total

(dollars in thousands)

$  387,072

$  217,077

$  201,417

$  480,165

$  234,252

$

 219,822

$  287,845

$  105,796

$

2,133,446

 5,312

 4,793

 13,132

 25,993

 876

 3,809

 10,343

 13,546

 77,804

 928

 853

 7,811

 14,237

 1,263

 2,021

 8,587

 56

 35,756

Total

$  393,312

$  222,723

$  222,360

$  520,395

$  236,391

$

 225,652

$  306,775

$  119,398

$

2,247,006

Allowance for loan
losses:

Collectively
evaluated for
impairment
Individually
evaluated for
impairment
Acquired with
deteriorated credit
quality
Total

December 31, 2019     
Loan balances:
Collectively
evaluated for
impairment
Individually
evaluated for
impairment
Acquired with
deteriorated credit
quality

$

 2,736

$

 771

$

 2,306

$

 6,736

$

 1,950

$

 3,984

$

 1,237

$

 1,432

$

 21,152

 1,193

 22

 429

 4,255

 —

 222

 560

 3,301

 9,982

 —
 3,929

$

$

 —
 793

$

 406
 3,141

 260
 11,251

$

$

 7
 1,957

$

 26
 4,232

$

 4
 1,801

$

 1
 4,734

 704
 31,838

$

Commercial Agricultural Real Estate
and

Commercial Commercial
Real Estate
Non-owner

Municipal,
Construction One-to-four Consumer,

and
Industrial

and
     Farmland      Occupied      Occupied     Multi-Family    Development     Residential     Other

and Land

Family

Owner

Total

(dollars in thousands)

$  294,006

$  192,722

$  211,744

$  561,277

$  176,273

$

 217,708

$  291,624

$  106,448

$

2,051,802

 10,733

 13,966

 10,927

 3,398

 1,324

 3,782

 11,349

 13,872

 69,351

 2,436

 1,088

 8,491

 15,082

 1,476

 3,397

 10,607

 96

 42,673

Total

$  307,175

$  207,776

$  231,162

$  579,757

$  179,073

$

 224,887

$  313,580

$  120,416

$

2,163,826

Allowance for loan
losses:

Collectively
evaluated for
impairment
Individually
evaluated for
impairment
Acquired with
deteriorated credit
quality
Total

$

 1,926

$

 2,576

$

 1,486

$

 3,591

$

 1,019

$

 2,283

$

 1,684

$

 931

$

 15,496

 2,170

 105

 270

 70

 —

 567

 822

 2,176

 6,180

 345
 4,441

$

 85
 2,766

$

 23
 1,779

$

 2
 3,663

$

 5
 1,024

$

$

 127
 2,977

$

 34
 2,540

$

 2
 3,109

 623
 22,299

$

126

    
 
 
    
 
 
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  loans  individually  evaluated  for  impairment  by  category  of  loans  as  of
December 31:

December 31, 2020
With an allowance recorded:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

With no related allowance:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Total

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

127

     Unpaid
Principal

Recorded

Related

     Balance      Investment      Allowance

$  2,737
 169
 3,072
 20,726
 —
 2,081
 2,963
 12,207
$  43,955

(dollars in thousands)
$  2,725
$
 168
 3,040
 20,394
 —
 2,055
 2,739
 12,181
$  43,302

$

$  3,322
 4,625
 10,164
 5,727
 876
 1,762
 9,325
 1,431
$  37,232

$  6,059
 4,794
 13,236
 26,453
 876
 3,843
 12,288
 13,638
$  81,187

$  2,587
 4,625
 10,092
 5,599
 876
 1,754
 7,604
 1,365
$  34,502

$  5,312
 4,793
 13,132
 25,993
 876
 3,809
 10,343
 13,546
$  77,804

$

$

$

$

 1,193
 22
 429
 4,255
 —
 222
 560
 3,301
 9,982

 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —

 1,193
 22
 429
 4,255
 —
 222
 560
 3,301
 9,982

   
Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2019
With an allowance recorded:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

With no related allowance:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Total

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

128

Unpaid
Principal

Recorded

Related

     Balance      Investment      Allowance

$  4,292
 590
 830
 99
 —
 3,679
 3,401
 9,138
$  22,029

(dollars in thousands)
$
$  4,292
 590
 830
 99
 —
 3,679
 3,390
 9,111
$  21,991

$

$  6,438
 13,369
 10,089
 3,297
 1,328
 104
 7,986
 4,775
$  47,386

$  10,730
 13,959
 10,919
 3,396
 1,328
 3,783
 11,387
 13,913
$  69,415

$  6,441
 13,376
 10,097
 3,299
 1,324
 103
 7,959
 4,761
$  47,360

$  10,733
 13,966
 10,927
 3,398
 1,324
 3,782
 11,349
 13,872
$  69,351

$

$

$

$

 2,170
 105
 270
 70
 —
 567
 822
 2,176
 6,180

 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —

 2,170
 105
 270
 70
 —
 567
 822
 2,176
 6,180

Table of Contents

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  table  presents  the  average  recorded  investment  and  interest  income  recognized  for  loans
individually evaluated for impairment by category of loans during the years ended December 31:

Year Ended December 31, 

2020

2019

2018

     Average
Recorded

Interest
Income

Average    
Recorded

Interest
Income

Average    
Recorded

Interest
Income

    Investment    Recognized    Investment    Recognized    Investment     Recognized

With an allowance recorded:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner
occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

With no related allowance:
Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner
occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Total

 169
 9

 98

(dollars in thousands)
 152
$
 12

$  5,275
 464

$  4,274
 566

$

 874

 43

 3,574

$  3,031
 273

$

 1,622

 6,345
 —
 2,441
 3,120
 10,617
$ 27,449

 220
 —
 116
 110
 286
$  1,008

 101
 —
 3,988
 3,414
 9,284
$ 23,400

$  4,004
 11,061

$

 251
 561

$  6,744
 14,826

 7
 —
 171
 79
 396
 860

 640
 1,472
 2,593
 3,377
 302
$  16,798

 206
 824

$  5,093
 8,815

$

$

$

$

 106
 16

 67

 7
 66
 161
 82
 5
 510

 59
 526

 384

 11,056

 528

 10,190

 483

 12,217

 14,412
 447
 892
 8,022
 3,089
$ 52,983

 458
 10
 23
 316
 115
$  2,262

 3,465
 1,344
 107
 8,360
 4,874
$ 49,910

 131
 9
 4
 240
 104
$  2,001

 7,110
 355
 528
 10,706
 297
$  45,121

 147
 17
 3
 168
 5
$  1,309

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner
occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner
occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

$  7,035
 11,334

$

 420
 570

$ 12,019
 15,290

$

 358
 836

$  9,367
 9,381

$

 12,678

 626

 11,064

 526

 15,791

 165
 542

 451

 20,757
 447
 3,333
 11,142
 13,706
$ 80,432

 678
 10
 139
 426
 401
$  3,270

 3,566
 1,344
 4,095
 11,774
 14,158
$ 73,310

 138
 9
 175
 319
 500
$  2,861

 7,750
 1,827
 3,121
 14,083
 599
$  61,919

 154
 83
 164
 250
 10
$  1,819

129

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  the  recorded  investment  in  loans  by  category  based  on  current  payment  and
accrual status as of December 31:

December 31, 2020

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Current

$  392,490
 222,723
 221,308
 516,387
 236,391
 225,508
 301,282
 119,055
$ 2,235,144

Accruing Interest
30 - 89 Days

$

90+ Days
     Past Due      Past Due      Nonaccrual     
(dollars in thousands)
 — $
 —
 112
 —
 —
 —
 984
 211
$  1,307

 822
 —
 940
 4,008
 —
 144
 3,914
 111
$  9,939

 — $
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 595
 21
 616

$

Total
Loans

$  393,312
 222,723
 222,360
 520,395
 236,391
 225,652
 306,775
 119,398
$ 2,247,006

Total
Loans

December 31, 2019

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Total

Current

$  301,975
 201,519
 228,218
 579,626
 177,696
 224,716
 307,712
 119,898
$ 2,141,360

130

Accruing Interest
30 - 89 Days

90+ Days
     Past Due      Past Due      Nonaccrual     
(dollars in thousands)

$

 558
 —
 941
 131
 —
 140
 1,329
 247
$  3,346

$

$

 — $  4,642
 6,257
 —
 2,003
 —
 —
 —
 1,377
 —
 31
 —
 4,464
 75
 245
 26
$  19,019
 101

$  307,175
 207,776
 231,162
 579,757
 179,073
 224,887
 313,580
 120,416
$ 2,163,826

    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  total  loans  by  category  based  on  their  assigned  risk  ratings  determined  by
management as of December 31:

December 31, 2020

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

Pass

$  368,843
 191,662
 176,823
 432,752
 204,449
 193,646
 280,198
 105,539

$  18,258
 25,540
 31,990
 58,699
 31,066
 28,193
 14,526
 312

 6,211
 5,521
 13,547
 28,944
 876
 3,813
 12,051
 13,547

     Pass-Watch     Substandard     Doubtful     
(dollars in thousands)
$

$

Total

 — $  393,312
 222,723
 —
 222,360
 —
 520,395
 —
 236,391
 —
 225,652
 —
 306,775
 —
 119,398
 —

Total

December 31, 2019

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
Commercial real estate - non-owner occupied
Multi-family
Construction and land development
One-to-four family residential
Municipal, consumer, and other

$ 1,953,912

$

208,584

$  84,510

$

 — $ 2,247,006

Pass

$  267,645
 180,735
 198,710
 531,694
 175,807
 217,120
 287,036
 106,063

Total

     Pass-Watch     Substandard     Doubtful     
(dollars in thousands)
$
$  12,416
 14,774
 10,707
 1,971
 1,495
 4,185
 12,998
 13,874

$  27,114
 12,267
 21,745
 46,092
 1,771
 3,582
 13,546
 479

 — $  307,175
 207,776
 —
 231,162
 —
 579,757
 —
 179,073
 —
 224,887
 —
 313,580
 —
 120,416
 —

Total

$ 1,964,810

$

126,596

$  72,420

$

 — $ 2,163,826

131

    
 
    
 
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  the  financial  effect  of  troubled  debt  restructurings  for  the  years  ended
December 31:

Year Ended December 31, 2020

Commercial real estate - owner occupied

Total

Year Ended December 31, 2019

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
One-to-four family residential

Total

Year Ended December 31, 2018

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
One-to-four family residential

Total

Recorded Investment
    Number    Pre-Modification    Post-Modification     Reserves

Charge-offs
and Specific

 1
 1

$
$

(dollars in thousands)
$
 853
$
 853

 853
 853

$
$

 —
 —

Recorded Investment
    Number    Pre-Modification    Post-Modification     Reserves

Charge-offs
and Specific

 3
 2
 1
 1
 7

$

$

(dollars in thousands)
$
 516
 392
 170
 21
 1,099

 516
 392
 170
 21
 1,099

$

$

$

 —
 —
 —
 —
 —

Recorded Investment
    Number    Pre-Modification    Post-Modification     Reserves

Charge-offs
and Specific

 2
 1
 2
 4
 9

$

$

(dollars in thousands)
 296
$
 171
 5,173
 1,230
 6,870

 296
 171
 5,189
 1,255
 6,911

$

$

$

 157
 —
 47
 480
 684

During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, all troubled debt restructurings were the result of
a payment concession.

The  following  table  presents  the  recorded  investment  of  troubled  debt  restructurings  which  had  subsequent
payment defaults within 12 months following the modification as of December 31:

Commercial and industrial
Agricultural and farmland
Commercial real estate - owner occupied
One-to-four family residential

Total

$

$

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2018

December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
 — $
 98
 —
 —
 98

 — $
 —
 —
 —
 — $

$

 47
 166
 172
 542
 927

For  purposes  of  this  disclosure,  the  Company  considers  “default”  to  mean  90  days  or  more  past  due  as  to
interest or principal or were on nonaccrual status subsequent to restructuring.

132

    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Company  had  $8,950,000  and  $9,315,000  of  troubled  debt
restructurings, respectively. Restructured loans are evaluated for impairment quarterly as part of the Company’s
determination of the allowance for loan losses. There were no material commitments to lend additional funds to
debtors owing receivables whose terms have been modified in troubled debt restructurings.

Changes in the accretable yield for loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality were as follows for the years
ended December 31:

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

Beginning balance
Reclassification from non-accretable difference
Accretion income

Ending balance

NOTE 5 – LOAN SERVICING

$

1,662
 288
 (553)

$  2,101
 822
 (1,261)

$  2,723
 2,092
 (2,714)

$

1,397

$  1,662

$  2,101

Mortgage loans serviced for others, not included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, amounted
to $1,090,219,000 and $1,152,535,000 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Activity in mortgage
servicing rights is as follows for years ended December 31:

Beginning balance
Capitalized servicing rights
Fair value adjustment:

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$ 10,918
 1,018

$ 10,289
 885

2018

$  8,518
 1,981

Attributable to payments and principal reductions
Attributable to changes in valuation inputs and assumptions

Total fair value adjustment

Ending balance

 (2,364)
 (2,201)
 (4,565)
$  5,934

 (1,614)
 (1,804)
 (3,418)
$  8,518

 (1,350)
 1,094
 (256)
$ 10,918

133

    
    
 
 
    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 6 – BANK PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT

Bank premises and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation as of December 31 as follows:

Land, buildings, and improvements
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment

Total bank premises and equipment

Less accumulated depreciation

Total bank premises and equipment, net

Depreciation expense by category for the years ended December 31 is as follows:

2020
2019
(dollars in thousands)

$  75,790
 23,035
 98,825
 45,921
$  52,904

$  75,878
 21,200
 97,078
 43,091
$  53,987

Buildings and improvements
Furniture, fixtures, and equipment
Total depreciation expense

NOTE 7 – FORECLOSED ASSETS

$

$

Foreclosed assets activity is as follows for the years ended December 31:

Beginning balance
Transfers from loans
Capitalized improvements
Proceeds from sales
Sales through loan origination
Net gain (loss) on sales
Direct write-downs
Ending balance

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$

$

 1,761
 1,180
 2,941

$

 1,813
 896
 2,709

$

2018

 2,107
 1,112
 3,219

2018

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$  9,559
 2,520
 41
 (5,460)
 (2,046)
 1,048
 (563)
$  5,099

$  16,545
 2,518
 —
 (6,851)
 (1,220)
 (268)
 (1,165)
$  9,559

$  5,099
 1,074
 6
 (2,079)
 (67)
 348
 (213)
$  4,168

Gains (losses) on foreclosed assets includes the following for the years ended December 31:

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

Direct write-downs
Net gain (loss) on sales
Guarantee reimbursements
Gain on settlement
Gain on foreclosure

Gains (losses) on foreclosed assets

134

$  (213) $
 348
 7
 —
 —
 142

$

$

 (563) $  (1,165)
 (268)
 1,048
 —
 80
 —
 375
 —
 96
$  (1,337)
 940

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The carrying value of foreclosed one-to-four family residential real estate property as of December 31, 2020 and
2019, was $868,000 and $1,037,000, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, there were 11 one-to-four family
residential  real  estate  loans  in  the  process  of  foreclosure  totaling  approximately  $1,526,000.  As  of
December  31,  2019,  there  were  10  residential  real  estate  loans  in  the  process  of  foreclosure  totaling
approximately $588,000.

NOTE 8 – CORE DEPOSIT INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Core deposit intangible assets as of December 31 are as follows:

Gross carrying amount
Accumulated amortization

Core deposit intangible assets, net

$

$

2020
2019
(dollars in thousands)
 21,718
 (18,920)
 2,798

 21,718
 (17,688)
 4,030

$

$

Amortization of core deposit intangible assets for the years subsequent to December 31, 2020 is expected to be
as follows (dollars in thousands):

Year ended December 31, 
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Total

NOTE 9 – DEPOSITS

The Company’s deposits are summarized below as December 31:

Noninterest-bearing deposits
Interest-bearing deposits:
Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings
Time

Total interest-bearing deposits

Total deposits

$

$

 1,047
 852
 330
 316
 253
 2,798

December 31, 2020      December 31, 2019
(dollars in thousands)

$

 882,939

$

 689,116

 968,592
 462,056
 517,473
 299,474
 2,247,595
 3,130,534

$

 814,639
 477,765
 438,927
 356,408
 2,087,739
 2,776,855

$

Money  market  deposits  include  $6,489,000  and  $14,309,000  of  reciprocal  transaction  deposits  as  of
December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  Time  deposits  include  $3,164,000  and  $3,538,000  of  reciprocal
time deposits as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The aggregate amounts of time deposits in denominations of $250,000 or more amounted to $26,687,000 and
$44,754,000  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.  The  aggregate  amounts  of  time  deposits  in
denominations of $100,000 or more amounted to $99,649,000 and $130,293,000 as of December 31, 2020 and
2019, respectively.

135

    
    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

At December 31, 2020, the scheduled maturities of time deposits are as follows (dollars in thousands):

Year ended December 31, 
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Thereafter

Total

$

$

 218,378
 49,776
 14,864
 8,208
 8,101
 147
 299,474

The components of interest expense on deposits for the years ended December 31 are as follows:

Interest-bearing demand
Money market
Savings
Time

Total interest expense on deposits

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$

$

 647
 697
 196
 2,681
 4,221

$

$

 1,474
 1,837
 278
 4,343
 7,932

$

$

 1,378
 685
 283
 3,541
 5,887

NOTE 10 – SECURITIES SOLD UNDER AGREEMENTS TO REPURCHASE

All  repurchase  agreements  are  sweep  instruments.  The  securities  underlying  the  agreements  as  of
December  31,  2020  and  2019  were  under  the  Company’s  control  in  safekeeping  at  third-party  financial
institutions, and included debt securities.

Information pertaining to securities sold under agreements to repurchase as of December 31 is as follows:

Balance at end of year
Weighted average rate as of end of year
Fair value of securities underlying the agreements
Carrying value of securities underlying the agreements

$

$
$

136

2020
2019
(dollars in thousands)
 45,736

$

 44,433

 0.06 %

 62,472
 62,415

$
$

 0.20 %

 57,760
 57,760

    
    
    
    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 11 – BORROWINGS

There were no Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLB) borrowings outstanding as of December 31, 2020
and 2019. Available borrowings from the FHLB are secured by FHLB stock held by the Company and pledged
security in the form of qualifying loans. The total amount of loans pledged as of December 31, 2020 and 2019
was  $493,690,000  and  $548,229,000,  respectively.  As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  loans  pledged  also
served  as  collateral  for  credit  exposure  of  approximately  $355,000  associated  with  the  Bank’s  participation  in
the FHLB’s Mortgage Partnership Finance Program.

The Bank also had available borrowings through the discount window of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
(FRB).  Available  borrowings  are  based  on  the  collateral  pledged.  As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the
carrying  value  of  securities  pledged  amounted  to  $499,000  and  $515,000,  respectively.  There  was  no
outstanding balance from the FRB discount window as of December 31, 2020 and 2019.

NOTE 12 – SUBORDINATED NOTES

On  September  3,  2020,  the  Company  issued  $40,000,000  of  fixed-to-floating  rate  subordinated  notes  that
mature  on  September  15,  2030.  The  subordinated  notes,  which  are  unsecured  obligations  of  the  Company,
bear a fixed interest rate of 4.50% for the first five years after issuance and thereafter bear interest at a floating
rate  equal  to  three-month  SOFR,  as  determined  on  the  Floating  Interest  Determination  Date,  plus  4.37%.
Interest is payable semi-annually during the five year fixed rate period and quarterly during the subsequent five
year floating rate period. The subordinated notes have an optional redemption in whole or in part on any interest
payment date on or after September 15, 2025. If the subordinated notes are redeemed before they mature, the
redemption price will be the principal amount plus any accrued but unpaid interest. The transaction resulted in
debt issuance costs of $789,000 which will be amortized over 10 years. As of December 31, 2020, 100% of the
subordinated notes qualified as Tier 2 capital.

The face value and carrying value of the subordinated notes are summarized below:

    December 31, 2020     December 31, 2019

Subordinated notes, at face value
Unamortized issuance costs

Subordinated notes, at carrying value

$

$

(dollars in thousands)
 40,000
 (762)
 39,238

$

$

 —
 —
 —

NOTE 13 – JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES ISSUED TO CAPITAL TRUSTS

Five subsidiary business trusts of the Company have issued floating rate capital securities (“capital securities”)
which are guaranteed by the Company.

The  Company  owns  all  of  the  outstanding  stock  of  the  five  subsidiary  business  trusts.  The  trusts  used  the
proceeds from the issuance of their capital securities to buy floating rate junior subordinated deferrable interest
debentures (“junior subordinated debentures”) issued by the Company. These junior subordinated debentures
are the only assets of the trusts and the interest payments from the junior subordinated debentures finance the
distributions paid on the capital securities. The junior subordinated debentures are unsecured and rank junior
and subordinate in the right of payment to all senior debt of the Company.

The trusts are not consolidated in the Company’s financial statements.

137

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The carrying value of the junior subordinated debentures are summarized as follows:

    December 31, 2020     December 31, 2019

Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust B
Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust C
Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust D
FFBI Capital Trust I
National Bancorp Statutory Trust I

Total junior subordinated debentures, at face value
National Bancorp Statutory Trust I unamortized discount

Total junior subordinated debentures, at carrying value

$

$

$

(dollars in thousands)
 10,310
 10,310
 5,155
 7,217
 5,773
 38,765
 (1,117)
 37,648

$

 10,310
 10,310
 5,155
 7,217
 5,773
 38,765
 (1,182)
 37,583

The  interest  rates  on  the  subordinated  debentures  are  variable,  reset  quarterly,  and  are  equal  to  the  three-
month  LIBOR,  as  determined  on  the  LIBOR  Determination  Date  immediately  preceding  each  Distribution
Payment Date specific to each junior subordinated debenture, plus a fixed percentage. The interest rates and
maturities of the junior subordinated debentures are summarized as follows:

Variable
Interest Rate

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

Interest Rate at

Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust B
Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust C
Heartland Bancorp, Inc. Capital Trust D
FFBI Capital Trust I
National Bancorp Statutory Trust I

LIBOR plus  2.75 %  
LIBOR plus  1.53
LIBOR plus  1.35
LIBOR plus  2.80
LIBOR plus  2.90

 2.99 %  
 1.75
 1.57
 3.04
 3.12

 4.74 %  
 3.42
 3.24
 4.79
 4.79

Maturity
Date
April 6, 2034
June 15, 2037
September 15, 2037
April 6, 2034
December 31, 2037

The distribution rate payable on the debentures is cumulative and payable quarterly in arrears. The Company
has the right, subject to events in default, to defer payments of interest on the junior subordinated debentures at
any time by extending the interest payment period for a period not exceeding 10 quarterly periods with respect
to each deferral period, provided that no extension period may extend beyond the redemption or maturity date
of  the  junior  subordinated  debentures.  The  capital  securities  are  subject  to  mandatory  redemption  upon
payment  of  the  junior  subordinated  debentures  and  carry  an  interest  rate  identical  to  that  of  the  related
debenture. The junior subordinated debentures maturity dates may be shortened if certain conditions are met,
or  at  any  time  within  90  days  following  the  occurrence  and  continuation  of  certain  changes  in  either  tax
treatment  or  the  capital  treatment  of  the  junior  subordinated  debentures  or  the  capital  securities.  If  the  junior
subordinated debentures are redeemed before they mature, the redemption price will be the principal amount
plus any accrued but unpaid interest. The Company has the right to terminate each Capital Trust and cause the
junior  subordinated  debentures  to  be  distributed  to  the  holders  of  the  capital  securities  in  liquidation  of  such
trusts.

Under  current  banking  regulations,  bank  holding  companies  are  allowed  to  include  qualifying  trust  preferred
securities in their Tier 1 Capital for regulatory capital purposes, subject to a 25% limitation to all core (Tier 1)
capital  elements,  net  of  goodwill  and  other  intangible  assets  less  any  associated  deferred  tax  liability.  As  of
December 31, 2020 and 2019, 100% of the trust preferred securities qualified as Tier 1 capital under the final
rule adopted in March 2005.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 14 – DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Derivative financial instruments are negotiated contracts entered into by two issuing counterparties containing
specific  agreement  terms,  including  the  underlying  instrument,  amount,  exercise  price,  and  maturities.  The
derivatives  accounting  guidance  requires  that  the  Company  recognize  all  derivative  financial  instruments  as
either assets or liabilities at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company may utilize interest rate
swap agreements as part of its asset liability management strategy to help manage its interest rate risk position.

Interest Rate Swaps Designated as Cash Flow Hedges

The  Company  designated  certain  interest  rate  swap  agreements  as  cash  flow  hedges  on  variable-rate
borrowings. For derivative instruments that are designated and qualify as a cash flow hedge, the gain or loss on
interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedging instruments are reported as a component of accumulated
other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  and  reclassified  into  earnings  in  the  same  period  or  periods  during  which
the hedged transactions affect earnings.

The interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges are summarized as follows:

Fair value recorded in other liabilities

$ 17,000

December 31, 2020
Fair
Value

Notional
    Amount

December 31, 2019
Fair
Value

Notional
    Amount
(dollars in thousands)
$  (1,458) $ 17,000

$  (676)

As of December 31, 2020, the interest rate swap agreements designated as cash flow hedges had contractual
maturities between 2024 and 2025. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had cash pledged and
held on deposit at counterparties of $1,630,000 and $710,000, respectively.

During  the  three  months  ended  March  31,  2019,  the  Company  had  an  interest  rate  swap  contract  with  a
notional  amount  of  $10,000,000  designated  as  a  cash  flow  hedge  on  variable-rate  loans.  Beginning  April  1,
2019,  this  hedging  relationship  was  no  longer  considered  highly  effective,  and  the  Company  discontinued
hedge accounting. In accordance with hedge accounting guidance, the net unrealized gain associated with the
discontinued hedging relationship, recorded within accumulated other comprehensive income, was reclassified
into earnings through April 7, 2020, the period the hedged forecasted transactions affect earnings.

For  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019,  and  2018,  the  effect  of  interest  rate  swap  agreements
designated as cash flow hedges on the consolidated statements of income are summarized as follows:

Location of gross gain (loss) reclassified
from accumulated other
comprehensive income to income

Designated as cash flow hedges:

Taxable loan interest income
Junior subordinated debentures interest expense

Total

2020

Amounts of gross gain (loss)
reclassified from accumulated
other comprehensive income
Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

 64
 (302)
 (238)

$

$

 116
 (29)
 87

$

$

$

$

2018

 175
 —
 175

139

   
   
    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Interest Rate Swaps Not Designated as Hedging Instruments

The Company may offer interest rate swap agreements to its commercial borrowers in connection with their risk
management needs. The Company manages the risk associated with these contracts by entering into an equal
and  offsetting  derivative  with  a  third-party  financial  institution.  While  these  interest  rate  swap  agreements
generally worked together as an economic interest rate hedge, the Company did not designate them for hedge
accounting  treatment.  Consequently,  changes  in  fair  value  of  the  corresponding  derivative  financial  asset  or
liability were recorded as either a charge or credit to current earnings during the period in which the changes
occurred.

The interest rate swap agreements not designated as hedging instruments are summarized as follows:

Notional
    Amount

December 31, 2020
Fair
Value

December 31, 2019
Fair
Notional
    Value
    Amount
(dollars in thousands)

Fair value recorded in other assets:

Interest rate swaps with a commercial borrower counterparty
Interest rate swaps with a financial institution counterparty

Total fair value recorded in other assets

Fair value recorded in other liabilities:

Interest rate swaps with a commercial borrower counterparty
Interest rate swaps with a financial institution counterparty

Total fair value recorded in other liabilities

$ 122,313 $  15,360 $ 114,140 $  8,532
 110
$ 122,313 $  15,360 $ 138,356 $  8,642

 24,216

 —

 —

$

 — $

 — $  24,216 $  (110)
 (8,532)
$ 122,313 $ (15,360) $ 138,356 $  (8,642)

 (15,360)

 114,140

 122,313

As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  interest  rate  swap  agreements  not  designated  as  hedging  instruments  had
contractual  maturities  between  2022  and  2042.  As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  Company  had
$15,490,000  and  $8,713,000,  respectively,  of  debt  securities  pledged  and  held  in  safekeeping  at  the  financial
institution counterparty.

For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the effect of interest rate contracts not designated as
hedging  instruments  recognized  in  other  noninterest  income  on  the  consolidated  statements  of  income  are
summarized as follows:

Not designated as hedging instruments:

Gross gains
Gross losses
Net gains

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$

$

 24,758
 (24,758)

$

 — $

 13,537
 (13,500)
 37

$

$

 1,758
 (1,758)
 —

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 15 – ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

The  following  table  presents  the  activity  and  accumulated  balances  for  components  of  other  comprehensive
income (loss) for the years ended December 31:

Unrealized Gains (Losses)
on Debt Securities

    Available-for-Sale    Held-to-Maturity    Derivatives    

Total

Balance, December 31, 2017
Adoption of ASU 2016-01
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications
Reclassifications

Other comprehensive loss
Balance, December 31, 2018

Other comprehensive income (loss) before
reclassifications
Reclassifications

Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax

Income tax (benefit) expense

Other comprehensive income (loss), after tax

Balance, December 31, 2019

Other comprehensive income (loss) before
reclassifications
Reclassifications

Other comprehensive income (loss), before tax

Income tax expense (benefit)

Other comprehensive income (loss), after tax

Balance, December 31, 2020

$

$

 (1,288) $
 (122)
 (5,692)
 2,541
 (3,151)
 (4,561)

$

(dollars in thousands)
 504
 —
 —
 (382)
 (382)
 122

 409
 —
 (83)
 (175)
 (258)
 151

 (698)
 (87)
 (785)
 62
 (847)
 (696)

$

 (375)
 (122)
 (5,775)
 1,984
 (3,791)
 (4,288)

 11,760
 (351)
 11,409
 (711)
 12,120
 7,832

 —
 (264)
 (264)
 (11)
 (253)
 (131)

 —
 18
 18
 5
 13

 14,188
 (1,084)
 256
 238
 14,444
 (846)
 4,123
 (235)
 (611)
 10,321
 (118) $  (1,307) $  18,153

 12,458
 —
 12,458
 (762)
 13,220
 8,659

 15,272
 —
 15,272
 4,353
 10,919
 19,578

$

The amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for unrealized gains (losses) on
debt  securities  available-for-sale  are  included  in  gain  (loss)  on  securities  in  the  accompanying  consolidated
statements of income.

The  amounts  reclassified  from  accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  (loss)  for  unrealized  gains  on  debt
securities  held-to-maturity  are  included  in  securities  interest  income  in  the  accompanying  consolidated
statements of income.

The amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for the fair value of derivative
instruments represent net interest payments received or made on derivatives designated as cash flow hedges.
See Note 14 for additional information.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 16 – INCOME TAXES

Effective  October  11,  2019,  the  Company  voluntarily  revoked  its  S  Corporation  status  and  became  a  taxable
entity (C Corporation). As such, any periods prior to October 11, 2019 will only reflect an effective state income
tax  rate.  In  connection  with  the  conversion  of  tax  status,  the  Company  recognized  a  deferred  tax  asset  of
$534,000 and an income tax benefit of $534,000.

In  recording  the  impact  of  the  conversion  to  a  C  Corporation,  the  Company  recorded  a  deferred  income  tax
expense of $2,741,000 related to the unrealized gains (losses) on debt securities and derivatives, through the
income statement in accordance with ASC 740-20-45-8; therefore, the amount shown in other comprehensive
income  has  not  been  reduced  by  the  above  expense.  This  difference  will  remain  in  accumulated  other
comprehensive income until the underlying securities are sold or mature and the underlying cash flow hedging
relationships terminate in accordance with the portfolio approach allowed under ASC 740.

Allocation of income tax expense between current and deferred portions for the years ended December 31 is as
follows:

Current
Federal
State

Total current

Deferred
Federal
State
Change in tax status

Total deferred
Income tax expense

2020

2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$  8,358
 4,709
 13,067

$  4,849
 3,102
 7,951

 (226)
 (113)
 —
 (339)
$  12,728

 (1,437)
 (724)
 (534)
 (2,695)
$  5,256

$

$

 —
 869
 869

 —
 —
 —
 —
 869

Income  tax  expense  differs  from  the  statutory  federal  rate  for  the  years  ended  December  31  due  to  the
following:

Federal income tax, at statutory rate
Increase (decrease) resulting from:

2020

2019

2018

Amount

    Percentage

Amount     Percentage Amount     Percentage  

(dollars in thousands)

$ 10,410

 21.0 %$

3,933

 5.5 %$  —

 — %

Federally tax exempt interest income

 (1,470)

 (3.0)

 (372)

 (0.5)

 —

State taxes, net of federal benefit
Change in tax status
Other

 3,631  
 —  
 157  

 7.4
 —
 0.3

2,212  
 (534) 
 17  

 3.1
 (0.8)
 —

 869  
 —  
 —  

 —

 1.3
 —
 —

Income tax expense

$ 12,728  

 25.7 %$

5,256  

 7.3 %$  869  

 1.3 %

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:

Deferred tax assets

Allowance for loan losses
Compensation related
Deferred loan fees
Nonaccrual interest
Foreclosed assets
Goodwill
Other

Total deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities

Fixed asset depreciation
Mortgage servicing rights
Other purchase accounting adjustments
Intangible assets
Prepaid assets
Net unrealized gain on debt securities available-for-sale
Other

Total deferred tax liabilities
Net deferred tax (liability) asset

NOTE 17 – EARNINGS PER SHARE

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

(dollars in thousands)

$

$

 9,046   $
 2,301  
 1,595
 660
 45
 336
 1,046
 15,029

 4,361
 1,692
 1,115
 580
 685
 6,604
 370
 15,407
 (378)

 6,309
 5,859
 497
 858
 574
 531
 785
 15,413

 4,201
 2,428
 1,356
 841
 504
 2,251
 426
 12,007
 3,406

ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, requires unvested share-based payment awards that have non-forfeitable rights
to dividends or dividend equivalents to be treated as a separate class of securities in calculating earnings per
share.  The  Company  has  granted  restricted  stock  units  that  contain  non-forfeitable  rights  to  dividend
equivalents. Such restricted stock units are considered participating securities. As such, we have included these
restricted stock units in the calculation of basic earnings per share and calculate basic earnings per share using
the two-class method. The two-class method of computing earnings per share is an earnings allocation formula
that  determines  earnings  per  share  for  each  class  of  common  stock  and  participating  security  according  to
dividends declared (or accumulated) and participation rights in undistributed earnings.

Diluted earnings per share is computed using the treasury stock method and reflects the potential dilution that
could  occur  if  the  Company’s  outstanding  restricted  stock  units  were  vested.  During  the  year  ended
December 31, 2020, the restricted stock units were considered anti-dilutive and excluded from the calculation of
common  stock  equivalents.  There  were  no  restricted  stock  units  outstanding  during  the  years  ended
December 31, 2019 and 2018.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:

Numerator:
Net income
Earnings allocated to unvested restricted stock units
Numerator for earnings per share - basic and diluted

Denominator:

Weighted average common shares outstanding
Dilutive effect of outstanding restricted stock units
Weighted average common shares outstanding, including all
dilutive potential shares

Earnings per share - Basic
Earnings per share - Diluted

NOTE 18 – DEFERRED COMPENSATION

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

 36,845
 (93)
 36,752

$

$

 66,865
 —
 66,865

$

$

 63,799
 —
 63,799

 27,457,306
 —

 20,090,270
 —

 18,047,332
 —

 27,457,306

 20,090,270

 18,047,332

 1.34
 1.34

$
$

 3.33
 3.33

$
$

 3.54
 3.54

$

$

$
$

The  Company  maintained  a  supplemental  executive  retirement  plan  (the  SERP)  for  certain  key  executive
officers. The SERP benefit payments were scheduled to be paid in equal monthly installments over 30 years. In
June 2019, the Company approved termination of the SERP agreements, and a lump sum payment was made
in  June  2020  to  each  participant  equal  to  the  present  value  of  any  remaining  installment  payments.  As  of
December 31, 2020, there was no remaining deferred compensation liability for the SERP. As of December 31,
2019, the deferred compensation liability for the SERP was $12,789,000. During the years ended December 31,
2020, 2019, and 2018, the Company recognized deferred compensation expense for the SERP of $1,660,000,
$4,291,000, and 505,000, respectively. 

NOTE 19 – EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Profit Sharing Plan

During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019,  and  2018,  the  Company’s  profit  sharing  plan  contribution
expense amounted to $1,118,000, $1,223,000, and $1,109,000, respectively. The Company’s contributions vest
to employees ratably over a six-year period.

Medical Insurance Benefits

The Company is partially self-insured for medical claims filed by its employees. As of December 31, 2020 and
2019, the Company’s maximum aggregate liability under the plan was $6,287,000 and $6,194,000, respectively.
During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2020,  2019,  and  2018,  medical  benefits  expense  amounted  to
$4,840,000, $3,734,000, and $4,387,000, respectively.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 20 – STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION PLANS

The Company has adopted the HBT Financial, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Omnibus Incentive Plan”). The
Omnibus  Incentive  Plan  provides  for  grants  of  (i)  stock  options,  (ii)  stock  appreciation  rights,  (iii)  restricted
shares, (iv) restricted stock units, (v) performance awards, (vi) other share-based awards and (vii) other cash-
based awards to eligible employees, non-employee directors and consultants of the Company. The maximum
number  of  shares  of  common  stock  available  for  issuance  under  the  Omnibus  Incentive  Plan  is  1,820,000
shares.

The following is a summary of stock-based compensation expense (benefit):

Restricted stock units
Stock appreciation rights

Total stock-based compensation expense

Restricted Stock Units

$

$

2020

Year Ended December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)
 — $

$

2018

 351
 (137)
 214

 343
 343

$

$

 —
 540
 540

A  restricted  stock  unit  grants  a  participant  the  right  to  receive  one  share  of  common  stock,  following  the
completion of the requisite service period. Restricted stock units are classified as equity. Compensation cost is
based  on  the  Company’s  stock  price  on  the  grant  date  and  is  recognized  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the
vesting period for the entire award. Non-forfeitable dividend equivalents are paid on non-vested restricted stock
units  and  are  classified  as  dividends  charged  to  retained  earnings.  If  restricted  stock  units  are  subsequently
forfeited,  the  non-forfeitable  dividends  related  to  the  forfeited  restricted  stock  units  are  reclassified  to
compensation cost in the period the forfeiture occurs.

On January 28, 2020, the Company granted 70,400 restricted stock units to certain key employees which vest
in  four  equal  annual  installments  beginning  on  February  1,  2021.  On  January  28,  2020,  the  Company  also
granted  2,750  restricted  stock  units  to  non-employee  directors  which  vest  on  February  1,  2021.  The  total  fair
value of the restricted stock units granted on January 28, 2020 was $1,392,000, based on the grant date closing
price of $19.03 per share.

On June 24, 2020, the Company also granted 550 restricted stock units to a non-employee director which vest
on  February  1,  2021.  The  total  fair  value  of  the  restricted  stock  units  granted  on  June  24,  2020  was  $7,000,
based on the grant date closing price of $12.71 per share.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following is a summary of outstanding restricted stock unit activity:

Balance, December 31, 2017

Granted
Vested
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2018

Granted
Vested
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2019

Granted
Vested
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2020

Restricted
Stock Units
Outstanding

Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Fair Value

 — $
 —
 —
 —
 — $
 —
 —
 —
 — $

 73,700
 —
 (2,700)
 71,000

$

 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 —
 18.98
 —
 19.03
 18.98

A further summary of outstanding restricted stock units as of December 31, 2020, is as follows:

Range of Grant Date Fair Values

$ 12.71
$ 19.03

 Weighted Average
Remaining

     Outstanding      Contractual Term

 550
 70,450

 0.1 years
 3.0 years

As  of  December  31,  2020,  unrecognized  compensation  cost  related  to  non-vested  restricted  stock  units  was
$997,000.

Stock Appreciation Rights

A stock appreciation right grants a participant the right to receive an amount of cash, the value of which equals
the appreciation in the Company’s stock price between the grant date and the exercise date. Stock appreciation
rights units are classified as liabilities. Prior to becoming a public entity, the liability was based on the intrinsic
value  of  the  stock  appreciation  rights,  calculated  using  the  grant  date  assigned  value  and  an  independent
appraisal of the Company’s stock price that was subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Since becoming
a public entity on October 11, 2019, the liability was based on an option-pricing model used to estimate the fair
value of the stock appreciation rights. Compensation cost for unvested stock appreciation rights is recognized
on a straight line basis over the vesting period of the entire award. The unvested stock appreciation rights vest
in four equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the grant date.

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The following is a summary of outstanding stock appreciation rights activity:

Balance, December 31, 2017

Granted
Exercised
Expired
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2018

Granted
Exercised
Expired
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2019

Granted
Exercised
Expired
Forfeited

Balance, December 31, 2020

Stock
Appreciation
Rights
Outstanding
 116,280
 —
 (24,480)
 —
 —
 91,800
 110,160
 (91,800)
 —
 —
 110,160
 —
 —
 —
 (4,590)
 105,570

Weighted
Average
Grant Date
Assigned Value
 5.66
 —
 5.43
 —
 —
 5.73
 16.32
 5.73
 —
 —
 16.32
 —
 —
 —
 16.32
 16.32

$

$

$

$

A further summary of outstanding stock appreciation rights as of December 31, 2020, is as follows:

Range of Grant Date Assigned Values

$ 16.32

    Outstanding     Exercisable     

 105,570

 87,210

 Weighted 
Average
Remaining
Contractual
Term
 8.5 years

As of December 31, 2020, unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested stock appreciation rights was
$51,000.

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  the  liability  recorded  for  outstanding  stock  appreciation  rights  was
$272,000 and $409,000, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company used an option pricing
model to value the stock appreciation rights, using the assumptions in the following table. Expected volatility is
derived from the historical volatility of the Company’s stock price and a selected peer group of industry-related
companies.

Risk-free interest rate
Expected volatility
Expected life (in years)
Expected dividend yield

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019

 0.80 %
 34.72 %
 8.7
 3.96 %

 1.90 %
 28.83 %
 9.7
 3.16 %

As  of  December  31,  2020,  the  liability  recorded  for  previously  exercised  stock  appreciation  rights  was
$1,087,000,  which  will  be  paid  in  four  remaining  equal  annual  installments.  As  of  December  31,  2019,  the
liability recorded for previously exercised units was $1,512,000.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 21 – REGULATORY CAPITAL

The ability of the Company to pay dividends to its stockholders is dependent upon the ability of the Bank to pay
dividends to the Company.

The  Company  (on  a  consolidated  basis)  and  the  Bank  are  each  subject  to  various  regulatory  capital
requirements  administered  by  the  federal  and  state  banking  agencies.  Failure  to  meet  minimum  capital
requirements can initiate certain mandatory, and possibly additional discretionary, actions by the regulators that,
if undertaken, could have a direct material effect on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and
the Bank.

Under capital adequacy guidelines and the regulatory framework for prompt corrective action, the Company and
the Bank must meet specific capital guidelines that involve quantitative measures of the assets, liabilities, and
certain off-balance-sheet items as calculated under regulatory accounting practices. The capital amounts and
classification are also subject to qualitative judgments by the regulators about components, risk weightings, and
other  factors.  As  allowed  under  the  regulations,  the  Company  and  the  Bank  elected  to  exclude  accumulated
other  comprehensive  income,  including  unrealized  gains  and  losses  on  securities,  in  the  computation  of
regulatory capital. Prompt corrective action provisions are not applicable to bank holding companies.

Additionally, the Company and the Bank must maintain a “capital conservation buffer” to avoid becoming subject
to  restrictions  on  capital  distributions  and  certain  discretionary  bonus  payments  to  management.  As  of
December 31, 2020 and 2019, the capital conservation buffer was 2.5% of risk-weighted assets.

As of December 31, 2020, the Company and the Bank meet all capital adequacy requirements to which they
are subject.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The actual and required capital amounts and ratios of HBT Financial, Inc. (consolidated) and the Bank are as
follows:

December 31, 2020

     Amount

     Ratio     

Amount

     Ratio     

(dollars in thousands)

Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Actual

For Capital 
Adequacy 
Purposes

To Be Well
Capitalized Under 
Prompt Corrective 
Action Provisions
Amount

     Ratio  

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.

$ 426,283

17.40 %  $ 195,970

 8.00 %  

N/A

N/A

Heartland Bank

 382,511

15.63

 195,787

 8.00

$ 244,733

10.00 %

Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank

$ 356,410
 351,904

14.55 %  $ 146,977
 146,840
14.38

 6.00 %  
 6.00

N/A
$ 195,787

N/A
 8.00 %

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to Risk
Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank

Tier 1 Capital (to Average Assets)
Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank

December 31, 2019

Total Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Tier 1 Capital (to Risk Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Common Equity Tier 1 Capital (to Risk
Weighted Assets)

Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

Tier 1 Capital (to Average Assets)
Consolidated HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank
State Bank of Lincoln

$ 319,927
 351,904

13.06 %  $ 110,233
 110,130
14.38

 4.50 %  
 4.50

N/A
$ 159,077

N/A
 6.50 %

$ 356,410
 351,904

9.94 %  $ 143,454
 143,296
9.82

 4.00 %  
 4.00

N/A
$ 179,120

N/A
 5.00 %

Actual

     Amount

     Ratio     

For Capital 
Adequacy 
Purposes

Amount

     Ratio     
(dollars in thousands)

To Be Well
Capitalized Under 
Prompt Corrective 
Action Provisions
Amount

     Ratio  

$ 356,994
 315,516
 35,390

14.54 %  $ 196,358
 180,071
14.02
 16,104
17.58

 8.00 %  
 8.00
 8.00

N/A
$ 225,088
 20,130

N/A
 10.00 %
 10.00

$ 334,695
 295,385
 33,222

13.64 %  $ 147,268
 135,053
13.12
 12,078
16.50

 6.00 %  
 6.00
 6.00

N/A
$ 180,071
 16,104

N/A
 8.00 %
 8.00

$ 298,277
 295,385
 33,222

12.15 %  $ 110,451
 101,290
13.12
 9,058
16.50

 4.50 %  
 4.50
 4.50

N/A
$ 146,307
 13,084

N/A
 6.50 %
 6.50

$ 334,695
 295,385
 33,222

10.38 %  $ 129,027
 115,281
10.25
 13,531
9.82

 4.00 %  
 4.00
 4.00

N/A
$ 144,102
 16,914

N/A
 5.00 %
 5.00

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 22 – FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Recurring Basis

The Company uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and to determine
fair value disclosures. Additional information on fair value measurements are summarized in Note 1. There were
no transfers between levels during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. The Company’s policy for
determining  transfers  between  levels  occurs  at  the  end  of  the  reporting  period  when  circumstances  in  the
underlying valuation criteria change and result in transfer between levels.

The  following  tables  present  the  balances  of  the  assets  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  recurring  basis  as  of
December 31:

December 31, 2020

Debt securities available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Corporate

Level 1 
Inputs     

Level 2
Inputs
(dollars in thousands)

Level 3 
Inputs     

Total 
Fair Value

$

 — $ 121,993
 —  274,261

$

 — $  121,993
 —  274,261

 —  203,252
 —  250,766
 72,597
 —

 —  203,252
 —  250,766
 72,597
 —

Equity securities with readily determinable fair values

3,292

 —

 —

 3,292

Mortgage servicing rights
Derivative financial assets
Derivative financial liabilities

December 31, 2019

Debt securities available-for-sale:

U.S. government agency
Municipal
Mortgage-backed:

Agency residential
Agency commercial

Corporate

 —
 —
 —

 —
 15,360
 16,818

5,934
 —
 —

 5,934
 15,360
 16,818

Level 1 
Inputs     

Level 2
Inputs
(dollars in thousands)

Level 3 
Inputs     

Total 
Fair Value

$

 — $  49,615
 —  133,738

$

 — $  49,615
 —  133,738

 —  200,678
 —  134,954
 73,419
 —

 —  200,678
 —  134,954
 73,419
 —

Equity securities with readily determinable fair values

3,241

 —

 —

 3,241

Mortgage servicing rights
Derivative financial assets
Derivative financial liabilities

 —
 —
 —

 —
 8,642
 9,318

8,518
 —
 —

 8,518
 8,642
 9,318

The following is a description of the valuation methodologies used for instruments measured at fair value on a
recurring  basis,  as  well  as  the  general  classification  of  such  instruments  pursuant  to  the  valuation  hierarchy.
There were no changes to the valuation techniques from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020.

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Investment Securities

HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

When available, the Company uses quoted market prices to determine the fair value of securities; such items
are classified in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. For the Company’s securities where quoted prices are not
available for identical securities in an active market, the Company determines fair value utilizing vendors who
apply matrix pricing for similar bonds where no price is observable or may compile prices from various sources.
These models are primarily industry-standard models that consider various assumptions, including time value,
yield  curve,  volatility  factors,  prepayment  speeds,  default  rates,  loss  severity,  current  market  and  contractual
prices for the underlying financial instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures. Substantially all of
these  assumptions  are  observable  in  the  marketplace.  Fair  values  from  these  models  are  verified,  where
possible,  against  quoted  market  prices  for  recent  trading  activity  of  assets  with  similar  characteristics  to  the
security  being  valued.  Such  methods  are  generally  classified  as  Level  2.  However,  when  prices  from
independent sources vary, cannot be obtained or cannot be corroborated, a security is generally classified as
Level 3. The change in fair value of debt securities available-for-sale is recorded through an adjustment to the
consolidated  statement  of  comprehensive  income.  The  change  in  fair  value  of  equity  securities  with  readily
determinable fair values is recorded through an adjustment to the consolidated statement of income.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Interest rate swap agreements are carried at fair value as determined by dealer valuation models. Based on the
inputs used, the derivative financial instruments subjected to recurring fair value adjustments are classified as
Level  2.  For  derivative  financial  instruments  designated  as  a  hedging  instruments,  the  change  in  fair  value  is
recorded  through  an  adjustment  to  the  consolidated  statement  of  comprehensive  income.  For  derivative
financial instruments not designated as a hedging instruments, the change in fair value is recorded through an
adjustment to the consolidated statement of income.

Mortgage Servicing Rights

The Company has elected to record its mortgage servicing rights at fair value. Mortgage servicing rights do not
trade in an active market with readily observable prices. Accordingly, the Company determines the fair value of
mortgage  servicing  rights  by  estimating  the  fair  value  of  the  future  cash  flows  associated  with  the  mortgage
loans  being  serviced  as  calculated  by  an  independent  third  party.  Key  economic  assumptions  used  in
measuring  the  fair  value  of  mortgage  servicing  rights  include,  but  are  not  limited  to,  prepayment  speeds  and
discount rates. Due to the nature of the valuation inputs, mortgage servicing rights are classified in Level 3 of
the  fair  value  hierarchy.  The  change  in  fair  value  is  recorded  through  an  adjustment  to  the  consolidated
statement of income.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  additional  information  about  the  unobservable  inputs  used  in  the  fair  value
measurement of the mortgage servicing rights (dollars in thousands):

December 31, 2020
Mortgage servicing rights

    Fair Value     Valuation Technique      Unobservable Inputs     

$  5,934

Discounted cash
flows

Constant pre-
payment rates
(CPR)
Discount rate

Unobservable Inputs

Constant pre-
payment rates
(CPR)
Discount rate

Range
(Weighted Average)
7.0% to 85.0% (17.3%)

9.0% to 11.0% (9.0%)

Range
(Weighted Average)
7.0% to 68.5% (12.3%)

9.0% to 11.0% (9.0%)

December 31, 2019
Mortgage servicing rights

Fair Value Valuation Technique
Discounted cash
$  8,518
flows

Nonrecurring Basis

Certain assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. These assets are not measured at fair value
on  an  ongoing  basis;  however,  they  are  subject  to  fair  value  adjustments  in  certain  circumstances,  such  as
there is evidence of impairment or a change in the amount of previously recognized impairment.

The following tables present the balances of the assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of
December 31:

December 31, 2020

Loans held for sale
Collateral-dependent impaired loans
Bank premises held for sale
Foreclosed assets

December 31, 2019

Loans held for sale
Collateral-dependent impaired loans
Bank premises held for sale
Foreclosed assets

Loans Held for Sale

Total 
Fair Value

$

Level 1 
Inputs     

Level 3 
Inputs

Level 2
Inputs
(dollars in thousands)
$
 —  33,320
 —
 121
 4,168
 —

 — $ 14,713
 —
 —
 —

 — $ 14,713
 33,320
 121
 4,168

Total 
Fair Value

Level 1 
Inputs     

$

Level 3 
Inputs

Level 2
Inputs     
(dollars in thousands)
$

 — $  4,531
 —
 —
 —

 —  15,811
 121
 —
 5,099
 —

 — $  4,531
 15,811
 121
 5,099

Mortgage  loans  originated  and  held  for  sale  are  carried  at  the  lower  of  cost  or  estimated  fair  value.  The
Company obtains quotes or bids on these loans directly from purchasing financial institutions. Typically, these
quotes  include  a  premium  on  the  sale  and  thus  these  quotes  indicate  fair  value  of  the  held  for  sale  loans  is
greater than cost.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Collateral-dependent Impaired Loans

In accordance with the provisions of the loan impairment guidance, impairment was measured for loans which it
is probable that payment of interest and principal will not be made in accordance with the contractual terms of
the loan agreement. The fair value of collateral-dependent impaired loans is estimated based on the fair value
of the underlying collateral supporting the loan. Collateral-dependent impaired loans require classification in the
fair value hierarchy. Impaired loans include loans acquired with deteriorated credit quality. Collateral values are
estimated using Level 3 inputs based on customized discounting criteria.

Bank Premises Held for Sale

Bank premises held for sale are recorded at the lower of cost or fair value, less estimated selling costs, at the
date classified as held for sale. Values are estimated using Level 3 inputs based on appraisals and customized
discounting  criteria.  The  carrying  value  of  bank  premises  held  for  sale  is  not  re-measured  to  fair  value  on  a
recurring  basis  but  is  subject  to  fair  value  adjustments  when  the  carrying  value  exceeds  the  fair  value,  less
estimated selling costs.

Foreclosed Assets

Foreclosed assets are recorded at fair value based on property appraisals, less estimated selling costs, at the
date of the transfer. Subsequent to the transfer, foreclosed assets are carried at the lower of cost or fair value,
less  estimated  selling  costs.  Values  are  estimated  using  Level  3  inputs  based  on  appraisals  and  customized
discounting criteria. The carrying value of foreclosed assets is not re-measured to fair value on a recurring basis
but is subject to fair value adjustments when the carrying value exceeds the fair value, less estimated selling
costs.

Collateral-Dependent Impaired Loans, Bank Premises Held for Sale, and Foreclosed Assets

The  estimated  fair  value  of  collateral-dependent  impaired  loans,  bank  premises  held  for  sale,  and  foreclosed
assets is based on the appraised fair value of the collateral, less estimated costs to sell. Collateral-dependent
impaired loans, bank premises held for sale, and foreclosed assets are classified within Level 3 of the fair value
hierarchy.

The Company considers the appraisal or a similar evaluation as the starting point for determining fair value and
then considers other factors and events in the environment that may affect the fair value. Appraisals or a similar
evaluation of the collateral underlying collateral-dependent loans and foreclosed assets are obtained at the time
a  loan  is  first  considered  impaired  or  a  loan  is  transferred  to  foreclosed  assets.  Appraisals  or  a  similar
evaluation  of  bank  premises  held  for  sale  are  obtained  when  first  classified  as  held  for  sale.  Appraisals  or
similar evaluations are obtained subsequently as deemed necessary by management but at least annually on
foreclosed assets and bank premises held for sale. Appraisals are reviewed for accuracy and consistency by
management. Appraisals are performed by individuals selected from the list of approved appraisers maintained
by  management.  The  appraised  values  are  reduced  by  discounts  to  consider  lack  of  marketability  and
estimated  costs  to  sell.  These  discounts  and  estimates  are  developed  by  management  by  comparison  to
historical results.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  tables  present  quantitative  information  about  unobservable  inputs  used  in  nonrecurring  Level  3
fair value measurements (dollars in thousands).

December 31, 2020
Collateral-dependent impaired
loans
Bank premises held for sale
Foreclosed assets

December 31, 2019
Collateral-dependent impaired
loans
Bank premises held for sale
Foreclosed assets

Other Fair Value Methods

Fair
Value

Valuation
Technique

     Unobservable Inputs

Range 
(Weighted
Average)

$ 33,320 Appraisal of collateral Appraisal adjustments Not meaningful

 121
 4,168

Fair
Value

Appraisal
Appraisal

Appraisal adjustments
Appraisal adjustments

Valuation
Technique

Unobservable Inputs

7% (7%)
7% (7%)

Range 
(Weighted
Average)

$ 15,811 Appraisal of collateral Appraisal adjustments Not meaningful

 121
 5,099

Appraisal
Appraisal

Appraisal adjustments
Appraisal adjustments

7% (7%)
7% (7%)

The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating fair value disclosures of its
other  financial  instruments.  There  were  no  changes  in  the  methods  and  significant  assumptions  used  to
estimate the fair value of these financial instruments.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The carrying amounts of these financial instruments approximate their fair values.

Interest-bearing Time Deposits with Banks

The carrying values of interest-bearing time deposits with banks approximate their fair values.

Restricted Stock

The carrying amount of FHLB stock approximates fair value based on the redemption provisions of the FHLB.

Loans

The  fair  value  estimation  process  for  the  loan  portfolio  uses  an  exit  price  concept  and  reflects  discounts  the
Company believes are consistent with discounts in the market place. Fair values are estimated for portfolios of
loans with similar characteristics. Loans are segregated by type such as commercial and industrial, agricultural
and  farmland,  commercial  real  estate  -  owner  occupied,  commercial  real  estate  -  non-owner  occupied,  multi-
family, construction and land development, one-to-four family residential, and municipal, consumer, and other.
The fair value of loans is estimated by discounting the future cash flows using the current rates at which similar
loans would be made to borrowers with similar credit ratings and for similar maturities. The fair value analysis
also  includes  other  assumptions  to  estimate  fair  value,  intended  to  approximate  those  a  market  participant
would  use  in  an  orderly  transaction,  with  adjustments  for  discount  rates,  interest  rates,  liquidity,  and  credit
spreads, as appropriate.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries

The  fair  values  of  the  Company’s  investments  in  unconsolidated  subsidiaries  are  presumed  to  approximate
carrying amounts.

Time Deposits

Fair  values  of  certificates  of  deposit  with  stated  maturities  have  been  estimated  using  the  present  value  of
estimated  future  cash  flows  discounted  at  rates  currently  offered  for  similar  instruments.  Time  deposits  also
include public funds time deposits.

Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase

The  fair  values  of  repurchase  agreements  with  variable  interest  rates  are  presumed  to  approximate  their
recorded carrying amounts.

Subordinated Notes

The fair values of subordinated debentures are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses based on rates
observed on recent debt issuances by other financial institutions.

Junior Subordinated Debentures

The fair values of subordinated debentures are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses based on rates
observed on recent debt issuances by other financial institutions.

Accrued Interest

The carrying amounts of accrued interest approximate fair value.

Limitations

Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant market information and information
about  the  financial  instrument.  Because  no  market  exists  for  a  significant  portion  of  the  Company’s  financial
instruments,  fair  value  estimates  are  based  on  judgments  regarding  future  expected  loss  experience,  current
economic  conditions,  risk  characteristics  of  various  financial  instruments,  and  other  factors.  These  estimates
are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be
determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.

Fair values have been estimated using data which management considered the best available and estimation
methodologies deemed suitable for the pertinent category of financial instrument.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  following  table  provides  summary  information  on  the  carrying  amounts  and  estimated  fair  values  of  the
Company’s financial instruments as of December 31:

Financial assets:

Cash and cash equivalents
Interest-bearing time deposits with
banks
Debt securities held-to-maturity
Restricted stock
Loans, net
Investments in unconsolidated
subsidiaries
Accrued interest receivable

Financial liabilities:

Time deposits
Securities sold under agreements to
repurchase
Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures
Accrued interest payable

Fair Value
Hierarchy

     Level

December 31, 2020

December 31, 2019

Carrying
Amount

Estimated
     Fair Value

Carrying
Amount
(dollars in thousands)

Estimated
Fair Value

Level 1

$  312,451

$  312,451

$  283,971

$  283,971

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 3

Level 3
Level 2

 —
 68,395
 2,498
 2,215,168

 —
 72,441
 2,498
 2,235,767

 248
 88,477
 2,425
 2,141,527

 248
 90,529
 2,425
 2,181,103

 1,165
 14,255

 1,165
 14,255

 1,165
 13,951

 1,165
 13,951

Level 3

 299,474

 300,989

 356,408

 355,340

Level 2
Level 3
Level 3
Level 2

 45,736
 39,238
 37,648
 1,151

 45,736
 38,403
 23,766
 1,151

 44,433
 —
 37,583
 1,132

 44,433
 —
 31,959
 1,132

The Company estimated the fair value of lending related commitments as described in Note 23 to be immaterial
based  on  limited  interest  rate  exposure  due  to  their  variable  nature,  short-term  commitment  periods  and
termination clauses provided in the agreements.

NOTE 23 – COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Financial Instruments

The  Bank  is  party  to  credit-related  financial  instruments  with  off-balance  sheet  risk  in  the  normal  course  of
business  to  meet  the  financing  needs  of  its  customers.  These  financial  instruments  include  commitments  to
extend credit and standby letters of credit. Such instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit and
interest rate risk in excess of the amount recognized in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Bank’s exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument
for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit is represented by the contractual amount of those
instruments. The Bank uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it
 does for on-balance sheet instruments.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Such commitments and conditional obligations were as follows as of December 31:

Commitments to extend credit
Standby letters of credit

Contractual Amount

December 31, 
2020

December 31, 
2019
(dollars in thousands)

$

 530,191
 10,031

$

 542,705
 8,991

Commitments  to  extend  credit  are  agreements  to  lend  to  a  customer  as  long  as  there  is  no  violation  of  any
condition  established  in  the  contract.  Commitments  generally  have  fixed  expiration  dates  or  other  termination
clauses  and  may  require  payment  of  a  fee.  Since  many  of  the  commitments  are  expected  to  expire  without
being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The
Bank evaluates each customer’s credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained,
if deemed necessary, by the Bank upon extension of credit is based on management’s credit evaluation of the
customer. Collateral held varies, but may include real estate, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant, and
equipment, and income-producing properties.

Standby  letters  of  credit  are  conditional  commitments  issued  by  the  Bank  to  guarantee  the  performance  of  a
customer to a third party. Those standby letters of credit are primarily issued to support extensions of credit. The
credit risk involved in issuing standby letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loans
to customers. The Bank secures the standby letters of credit with the same collateral used to secure the related
loan.

Lease Commitments

The Company leases office space under operating leases. Certain leases contain renewal options for periods
from three to five years at their fair rental value at the time of renewal. Future minimum lease payments under
these leases are as follows (dollars in thousands):

Year ended December 31, 

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Total

Legal Contingencies

  $

  $

 144
 102
 71
 71
 33
 421

Various  legal  claims  arise  from  time  to  time  in  the  normal  course  of  business  which,  in  the  opinion  of
management, will have no material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 24 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Loans

As  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,  loans  to  directors,  executive  officers,  principal  shareholders  and  their
affiliated  entities  (related  parties)  amounted  to  $3,072,000  and  $4,162,000,  respectively.  These  loans  were
made in the ordinary course of business on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral,
as those prevailing for comparable loans with persons not related to us.

Deposits

Deposits  of  related  parties  amounted  to  $2,596,000  and  $11,949,000  as  of  December  31,  2020  and  2019,
respectively.

NOTE 25 – CONDENSED PARENT COMPANY ONLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Following are the condensed financial statements of HBT Financial, Inc. (Parent only).

Condensed Parent Company Only Balance Sheets

December 31

ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents
Investment in subsidiaries:

Bank
Non-bank
Other assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES

Subordinated notes
Junior subordinated debentures
Other liabilities

Total liabilities

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

158

2020
2019
(dollars in thousands)
 44,149

$

 4,978

$

 397,201
 1,165
 1,140
$  443,655

 363,860
 1,201
 1,081
$  371,120

$

 39,238
 37,648
 2,852
 79,738

$

 —
 37,583
 619
 38,202

 363,917
$  443,655

 332,918
$  371,120

    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Condensed Parent Company Only Statements of Income

INCOME

Dividends received from subsidiaries:

Bank
Non-bank

Undistributed earnings from subsidiaries:

Bank
Non-bank
Other income

Total income

EXPENSES

Interest expense
Other expense

Total expenses

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX BENEFIT
INCOME TAX BENEFIT
NET INCOME

159

2020

Years ended December 31
2019
(dollars in thousands)

2018

$  17,600
 36

$  109,969
 385

$  44,446
 941

 22,462
 (36)
 215
 40,277

 (41,202)
 (151)
 52
 69,053

 23,239
 (1,984)
 1
 66,643

 2,189
 2,519
 4,708
 35,569
 (1,276)
$  36,845

 1,922
 1,025
 2,947
 66,106
 (759)
$  66,865

 1,795
 1,085
 2,880
 63,763
 (36)
$  63,799

    
    
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HBT FINANCIAL, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Condensed Parent Company Only Statements of Cash Flows

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Net income
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by
operating activities:

Undistributed earnings of consolidated subsidiaries
Stock-based compensation
Amortization of discount and issuance costs on subordinated
notes and debentures
Changes in other assets and liabilities, net

Net cash provided by operating activities

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Capital contribution to bank subsidiary
Capital contribution to non-bank subsidiary
Purchase of securities

Net cash used in investing activities

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

Issuance of subordinated notes, net of issuance costs
Issuance of common stock
Repurchase of common stock
Cash dividends and dividend equivalents paid

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

NET CHANGE IN CASH AND EQUIVALENTS
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Beginning of year
End of year

160

2020

$  36,845

Year ended December 31
2019
(dollars in thousands)
$  66,865

2018

$  63,799

 (22,426)
 351

 41,353
 —

 (21,255)
 —

 92
 1,633
 16,495

 66
 (1,912)
 106,372

 66
 700
 43,310

 —
 —
 (17)
 (17)

 (17,000)
 (100)
 —
 (17,100)

 —
 —
 —
 —

 39,211
 —
 —
 (16,518)
 22,693

 39,171

 4,978
$  44,149

$

 —
 138,493
 —
 (224,956)
 (86,463)

 2,809

 2,169
 4,978

 —
 —
 (907)
 (42,621)
 (43,528)

 (218)

 2,387
$  2,169

        
        
        
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ITEM 9.   CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES.

None.

ITEM 9A.        CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

An evaluation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or Rule 15d-
15(e)  under  the  Exchange  Act)  as  of  the  end  of  the  period  covered  by  this  report  was  carried  out  under  the
supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  the  Company’s  Chief  Executive  Officer,  Chief  Financial  Officer  and
other  members  of  the  Company’s  senior  management.  The  Company’s  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief
Financial  Officer  concluded  that,  as  of  December  31,  2020,  the  end  of  the  period  covered  by  this  report,  the
Company’s  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  were  effective  in  ensuring  that  the  information  required  to  be
disclosed  by  the  Company  in  the  reports  it  files  or  submits  under  the  Exchange  Act  is:  (i)  accumulated  and
communicated  to  the  Company’s  management  (including  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial
Officer) to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure; and (ii) recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management  of  the  Company  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over
financial  reporting.  Internal  control  is  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of
financial reporting and the preparation of published financial statements. Internal control over financial reporting
includes self-monitoring mechanisms, and actions are taken to correct deficiencies as they are identified.

Management  assessed  the  effectiveness  of  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of
December 31, 2020. This assessment was based on criteria for effective internal control over financial reporting
established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of
the Treadway Commission (COSO) in 2013. Based on this assessment, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Financial Officer have determined that the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting
as of December 31, 2020 based on the specified criteria.

All  internal  control  systems,  no  matter  how  well  designed,  have  inherent  limitations.  Therefore,  even  those
systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement
preparation and presentation. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject
to  the  risk  that  controls  may  become  inadequate  because  of  changes  in  conditions,  or  that  the  degree  of
compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

This  annual  report  does  not  include  an  attestation  report  of  the  Company's  independent  registered  public
accounting  firm  regarding  internal  control  over  financial  reporting.  As  an  emerging  growth  company,
management's report was not subject to attestation by the Company's independent registered public accounting
firm in accordance with the JOBS Act.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There  were  no  changes  in  the  Company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  (as  defined  in  Rule  13a-
15(f)  or  Rule  15d-15(f)  under  the  Exchange  Act)  that  occurred  during  the  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020
that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over
financial reporting.

161

Table of Contents

ITEM 9B.        OTHER INFORMATION

Not applicable.

PART III

ITEM 10.        DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Our  Code  of  Ethics  applies  to  all  of  our  officers,  directors  and  employees,  including  our  principal  executive
officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Ethics is publicly available on our
internet website at ir.hbtfinancial.com. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements of Item 5.05 of Form 8-K
regarding  any  amendment  to,  or  waiver  from,  a  provision  of  the  Code  of  Ethics  that  applies  to  our  principal
executive  officer,  principal  financial  officer  or  principal  accounting  officer  and  relates  to  any  element  of  the
definition  of  code  of  ethics  set  forth  in  Item  406(b)  of  Regulation  S-K  by  posting  such  information  on  our
website, ir.hbtfinancial.com.

All  other  information  required  by  this  item  is  incorporated  by  reference  to  the  information  set  forth  in  our
Definitive  Proxy  Statement  for  our  2021  Annual  Meeting  of  Stockholders  (the  “Definitive  Proxy  Statement”),
which we expect to file with the SEC within 120 days after our fiscal year end.

ITEM 11.        EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, which we
expect to file with the SEC within 120 days after our fiscal year end.

ITEM 12.        SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND
RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The following table summarizes information as of December 31, 2020 relating to our equity compensation plans
pursuant to which grants of options, restricted stock or other rights to acquire shares may be granted from time
to time.

Plan Category

Equity Compensation Plans approved by security holders
Equity Compensation Plans not approved by security holders

Total

Number of
Securities to be
issued upon
exercise of
outstanding
options,
warrants and
rights
(A)

Weighted-Average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights
(B)

Number of
Securities
remaining
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans (excluding
securities
reflected in
column (A)) (C)

 71,000
 —

 71,000

$

$

 —
 —

 —

 1,749,000
 —

 1,749,000

All other information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, which
we expect to file with the SEC within 120 days after our fiscal year end.

ITEM 13.        CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR
INDEPENDENCE

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, which we
expect to file with the SEC within 120 days after our fiscal year end.

162

    
    
    
Table of Contents

ITEM 14.        PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES

The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, which we
expect to file with the SEC within 120 days after our fiscal year end.

PART IV

ITEM 15.        EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

(a)(1). See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements on page 98.

(a)(2). Financial Statement Schedule

All financial statement schedules are omitted because they are either not applicable or not required, or because
the required information is included in the Consolidated Financial Statements or the Notes thereto included in
Part II, Item 8.

(a)(3). Exhibits

163

Table of Contents

Exhibit No.

    Description

3.1

3.2

4.1

4.2

4.3

10.1

10.2

10.3

10.4

10.5 §

10.6 §

10.7 §

10.8 §

10.9 §

10.10 §

10.11 §

10.12 §

10.13 §

10.14 §

Restated Certificate of Incorporation of HBT Financial, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed with the Commission on October 30, 2019).

Amended and Restated By-law of HBT Financial, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the
Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed with the Commission on October 30, 2019).

Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on October 1, 2019).

Description of Common Stock (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K, filed with the Commission on March 27, 2020).

Form of 4.50% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Note due 2030 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
4.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on September 3, 2020).

Voting Trust Agreement, dated as of May 4, 2016, among Fred L. Drake, the Company and the depositors
party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form
S-1, filed with the Commission on September 13, 2019).

Amended Restated Stockholder Agreement, dated as of September 27, 2019, by and among the Company
and the stockholders party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on October 1, 2019).

Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of October 16, 2019, by and among the Company and the
stockholders party thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2019, filed with the Commission on November 20, 2019).

Subordinated Note Purchase Agreement, dated September 3, 2020, by and among HBT Financial, Inc. and
the Purchasers (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K,
filed with the Commission on September 3, 2020).

HBT Financial, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-8, filed with the Commission on October 30, 2019).

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of February 22, 2021, by and between the
Company and Fred L. Drake (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on
Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 25, 2021).

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of February 22, 2021, by and between the
Company and J. Lance Carter (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Company’s Current Report
on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 25, 2021).

Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of February 22, 2021, by and between the
Company and Patrick F. Busch (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Company’s Current Report
on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 25, 2021).

Form of Stock Appreciation Rights Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the Commission on September 13, 2019).

Form of Option Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the Company’s Registration
Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on October 1, 2019).

Form of Restricted Shares Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the Company’s
Registration Statement on Form S-1/A, filed with the Commission on October 1, 2019).

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (with dividend equivalent rights) (incorporated by reference
to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 3,
2020).

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the
Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 25, 2021).

Form of Performance Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to
the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on February 25, 2021).

164

Table of Contents

10.15 § *

Form of Director Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement.

21.1 *

23.1 *

31.1 *

31.2 *

32.1 **

32.2 **

Subsidiaries of the Registrant.

Consent of RSM US LLP.

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of the Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

Certification of the Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

101.INS

XBRL Instance Document.

101.SCH

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.

101.CAL

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.

101.LAB

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.

101.PRE

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.

101.DEF

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.

*
**

§

Filed herewith.
This exhibit is furnished herewith and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
otherwise  subject  to  the  liability  of  that  section,  and  shall  not  be  deemed  to  be  incorporated  by  reference  into  any  filing  under  the
Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
A management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement required to be filed as an exhibit pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-
K.

ITEM 16.        FORM 10-K SUMMARY

None.

165

Table of Contents

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report
to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

SIGNATURES

Dated: March 12, 2021

HBT FINANCIAL, INC.

By: /s/ Matthew J. Doherty
Matthew J. Doherty
Chief Financial Officer
(on behalf of the registrant and as principal
financial officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the
following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature

     Title

/s/ Fred L. Drake
Fred L. Drake

/s/ Matthew J. Doherty
Matthew J. Doherty

/s/ C. Alvin Bowman
C. Alvin Bowman

/s/ Eric E. Burwell
Eric E. Burwell

/s/ Patrick F. Busch
Patrick F. Busch

/s/ J. Lance Carter
J. Lance Carter

/s/ Allen C. Drake
Allen C. Drake

/s/ Linda J. Koch
Linda J. Koch

/s/ Gerald E. Pfeiffer
Gerald E. Pfeiffer

/s/ Dale S. Strassheim
Dale S. Strassheim

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal executive officer)

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer (Principal financial officer and principal
accounting officer)

Director

Director

Executive Vice President, Chief Lending
Officer and Director

     Date

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

President, Chief Operating Officer and Director

March 12, 2021

Director

Director

Director

Director

166

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 12, 2021

RSU AWARD AGREEMENT
HBT FINANCIAL, INC. OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

HBT  Financial,  Inc.  (the  “Company”)  grants  to  the  Participant  named  below  (“you”)  the  number  of
restricted  stock  units  (“RSUs”)  set  forth  below  (the  “Award”),  under  this  RSU  Award  Agreement
(“Agreement”).

Governing Plan:

HBT Financial, Inc. Omnibus Incentive Plan

Defined Terms:

As set forth in the Plan, unless otherwise defined in this Agreement

Participant:

[Name]

Grant Date:

[Date]

Number of RSUs:

[●]

Definition of RSU: Each RSU entitles you to receive one Share in the future subject to the terms of this Agreement

Earning and
Payment:

The RSUs will become earned and payable as follows, as long as you do not have a Separation from
Service before the applicable date:

Date

[●]

RSUs Earned and Payable

[●]%

1.

Grant of RSUs.

RSU TERMS

(a)

The Award is subject to the terms of the Plan. The terms of the Plan are incorporated into

this Agreement by this reference.

(b)

You must accept the terms of this Agreement by returning a signed copy to the Company
within 30 days after the Agreement is presented to you for review. The Committee may unilaterally cancel
and forfeit the Award in its entirety if you do not accept the terms of this Agreement.

2.

Restrictions.

(a)

You will have no rights or privileges of a Stockholder as to the Shares underlying the RSUs
before settlement under Section 5 below (“Settlement”), including no right to vote or receive dividends or
other distributions; in addition, the following terms will apply:

(i)

you  will  not  be  entitled  to  delivery  of  any  Share  certificates  for  the  RSUs  until

Settlement (if at all), and upon the satisfaction of all other terms;

 
 
 
 
 
(ii)

you  may  not  sell,  transfer  (other  than  by  will  or  the  laws  of  descent  and
distribution), assign, pledge, or otherwise encumber or dispose of the RSUs or any rights under the RSUs
before Settlement;

(iii)

you will forfeit all of the RSUs and all of your rights under the RSUs will terminate

in their entirety on the terms set forth in Section 4 and Section 10(j) below; and

(iv)

each  RSU  will  be  credited  with  cash  and  stock  dividends,  if  any,  paid  by  the
Company  during  the  period  commencing  on  the  Grant  Date  and  ending  on  the  date  of  Settlement  in
respect of one Share (“Dividend Equivalents”), and any such Dividend Equivalents accumulated will vest
and be paid in the same form (cash or stock) at the time the vested RSU is paid.

(b)

Any attempt to dispose of the RSUs or any interest in the RSUs in a manner contrary to the

terms of this Agreement will be void and of no effect.

3.
Restricted  Period  and  Payment.  The  “Restricted  Period”  is  the  period  beginning  on  the  Grant
Date  and  ending  on  the  date  the  RSUs,  or  such  applicable  portion  of  the  RSUs,  are  deemed  earned  and
payable under the terms set forth in the table at the beginning of this Agreement.

4.
Forfeiture.  If,  during  the  Restricted  Period,  (a)  you  incur  a  Separation  from  Service  (for  the
avoidance of doubt, which does not otherwise result in the immediate or continued earning and payment of
the  RSUs),  (b)  you  materially  breach  this  Agreement,  or  (c)  you  fail  to  meet  the  tax  withholding
obligations described in Section 6 below, all of your rights to the RSUs will terminate immediately and be
forfeited in their entirety.

Settlement of RSUs. Delivery of Shares or other amounts under this Agreement will be subject to

5.
the following:

(a)

The  Company  will  deliver  to  you  one  Share  for  each  RSU  that  has  become  earned  and

payable within 30 days after the end of the applicable Restricted Period.

(b)

Any issuance of Shares under the Award may be effected on a non-certificated basis, to the
extent not prohibited by applicable law or the applicable rules of any securities exchange or similar entity.

(c)

If a certificate for Shares is delivered to you under the Award, the certificate may bear the

following or a similar legend as determined by the Company:

The  ownership  and  transferability  of  this  certificate  and  the  shares  of  stock  represented
hereby are subject to the terms (including forfeiture) of the HBT Financial, Inc. Omnibus
Incentive Plan and an RSU award agreement entered into between the registered owner and
HBT Financial, Inc. Copies of such plan and agreement are on file in the executive offices
of HBT Financial, Inc.

In  addition,  any  stock  certificates  for  Shares  will  be  subject  to  any  stop-transfer  orders  and  other
restrictions as the Company may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of
the  SEC,  any  securities  exchange  or  similar  entity  upon  which  the  Shares  are  then  listed,  and  any
applicable federal or state securities law, and the Company may cause a legend or legends to be placed on
any certificates to make appropriate reference to these restrictions.

2

6.

Withholding.

(a)

Regardless  of  any  action  the  Company  may  take  that  is  related  to  any  or  all  income  tax,
payroll  tax,  or  other  tax-related  withholding  (“Tax-Related  Items”),  the  ultimate  liability  for  all  Tax-
Related  Items  owed  by  you  is  and  will  remain  your  responsibility.  The  Company  (i)  makes  no
representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items under the Award and (ii)
does not commit to structure the terms of the Award to reduce or eliminate your liability for Tax-Related
Items.

(b)

You will be required to meet any applicable tax withholding obligation in accordance with
the tax withholding terms of Section 14.5 of the Plan (and any successor terms). The RSUs are intended to
be exempt from Section 409A, and this Agreement will be administered and interpreted consistently with
that intent and with the terms of Section 14.16 of the Plan (and any successor terms).

Adjustment.  Upon  any  event  described  in  Section  4.2  of  the  Plan  (and  any  successor  sections)

7.
occurring after the Grant Date, the adjustment terms of that section will apply to the Award.

Bound by Plan and Committee Decisions. By accepting the Award, you acknowledge that you have
8.
received a copy of the Plan, have had an opportunity to review the Plan, and agree to be bound by all of
the terms of the Plan. If there is any conflict between this Agreement and the Plan, the Plan will control.
The authority to manage and control the operation and administration of this Agreement and the Plan is
vested in the Committee. The Committee has all powers under this Agreement that it has under the Plan.
Any  interpretation  of  this  Agreement  or  the  Plan  by  the  Committee  and  any  decision  made  by  the
Committee related to the Agreement or the Plan will be final and binding on all Persons.

Regulatory  and  Other  Limitations.  Notwithstanding  anything  else  in  this  Agreement,  the
9.
Committee may impose conditions, restrictions, and limitations on the issuance of Shares under the Award
unless and until the Committee determines that the issuance complies with (a) all registration requirements
under the Securities Act, (b) all listing requirements of any securities exchange or similar entity on which
the Shares are listed, (c) all Company policies and administrative rules, and (d) all applicable laws.

10. Miscellaneous.

(a)

Notices.  Any  notice  that  may  be  required  or  permitted  under  this  Agreement  must  be  in
writing and may be delivered personally, by intraoffice mail, or by electronic mail or via a postal service
(postage prepaid) to the electronic mail or postal address and directed to the person as the receiving party
may designate in writing from time to time.

(b) Waiver.  The  waiver  by  any  party  to  this  Agreement  of  a  breach  of  any  term  of  the

Agreement will not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.

(c)

Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  and  the  Plan  constitute  the  entire  agreement  between
you  and  the  Company  related  to  the  Award.  Any  prior  agreements,  commitments,  or  negotiations
concerning the Award are superseded.

(d)

Binding  Effect;  Successors.  The  obligations  and  rights  of  the  Company  under  this
Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor corporation or
organization resulting from the merger, consolidation, sale, or other reorganization of the Company, or

3

upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of
the Company. Your obligations and rights under this Agreement will be binding upon and inure to your
benefit and the benefit of your beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs, and successors.

(e)

Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. You acknowledge and expressly agree
to the governing law terms of Section 14.9 of the Plan (and any successor terms) and the jurisdiction and
waiver of jury trial terms of Section 14.10 of the Plan (and any successor terms).

(f)

Amendment. This Agreement may be amended at any time by the Committee, except that

no amendment may, without your consent, materially impair your rights under the Award.

(g)

Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any term of the Plan or this Agreement
will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other term of the Plan or this Agreement, and each other
term of the Plan and this Agreement will be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

(h)

No  Rights  to  Service;  No  Impact  on  Other  Benefits.  Nothing  in  this  Agreement  will  be
construed  as  giving  you  any  right  to  be  retained  in  any  position  with  the  Company  or  its  Affiliates.
Nothing in this Agreement will interfere with or restrict the rights of the Company or its Affiliates—which
are expressly reserved—to remove, terminate, or discharge you at any time for any reason whatsoever or
for no reason, subject to the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, and other similar governing
documents and applicable law. The value of the RSUs is not part of your normal or expected compensation
for purposes of calculating any severance, retirement, welfare, insurance, or similar employee benefit. The
grant of the RSUs does not create any right to receive any future awards.

(i)

Further Assurances. You must, upon request of the Company or the Committee, do all acts
and  execute,  deliver,  and  perform  all  additional  documents,  instruments,  and  agreements  that  may  be
reasonably required by the Company or the Committee to implement this Agreement.

(j)

Clawback. All awards, amounts, or benefits received or outstanding under the Plan will be
subject  to  clawback,  cancellation,  recoupment,  rescission,  payback,  reduction,  or  other  similar  action  in
accordance  with  the  terms  of  any  Company  clawback  or  similar  policy  or  any  applicable  law  related  to
such  actions,  as  may  be  in  effect  from  time  to  time.  You  acknowledge  and  consent  to  the  Company’s
application, implementation, and enforcement of any applicable Company clawback or similar policy that
may apply to you, whether adopted before or after the Grant Date (including the forfeiture, clawback, and
detrimental conduct terms contained in Section 14.22 of the Plan as of the Grant Date (and any successor
terms)),  and  any  term  of  applicable  law  relating  to  clawback,  cancellation,  recoupment,  rescission,
payback, or reduction of compensation, and the Company may take such actions as may be necessary to
effectuate any such policy or applicable law, without further consideration or action.

(k)

Electronic Delivery and Acceptance. The Company may deliver any documents related to
current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. You consent to receive those documents by
electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through any on-line or electronic system established and
maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

11.
Your Representations. You represent to the Company that you have read and fully understand this
Agreement and the Plan and that your decision to participate in the Plan is completely voluntary. You also

4

acknowledge  that  you  are  relying  solely  on  your  own  advisors  regarding  the  tax  consequences  of  the
Award.

By signing below, you agree that the Award is granted under and governed by the terms of the Plan and
this RSU Award Agreement—and you agree to all such terms—as of the Grant Date.

PARTICIPANT

HBT FINANCIAL, INC.

Sign name:

Print name:

Sign name:

Print name:

Title:

5

  
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Subsidiaries of the Registrant

EXHIBIT 21.1

Subsidiaries of HBT Financial, Inc.
Heartland Bank and Trust Company (Illinois)

Subsidiaries of Heartland Bank and Trust Company
Heartland Real Estate Holdings, LLC (Illinois)
Lakewood Barrington LLC (Illinois)

EXHIBIT 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (No. 333-234385) on Form S-8
of HBT Financial, Inc. of our report dated March 12, 2021, relating to the consolidated financial statements
of HBT Financial, Inc., appearing in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of HBT Financial, Inc. for the year
ended December 31, 2020.

/s/ RSM US LLP

Chicago, Illinois
March 12, 2021

1

 
 
 
Certification of Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

EXHIBIT 31.1

I, Fred L. Drake, certify that:

1.           I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of HBT Financial, Inc.:

2.           Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;

3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in

all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
presented in this annual report;

4.           The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a)           Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual
report is being prepared;

b)           Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be

designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)           Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this annual report our

conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by
this annual report based on such evaluation; and

d)           Disclosed in this annual report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred

during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report)
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting; and

5.           The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over

financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):

a)           All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial

reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information; and

b)           Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the

registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: March 12, 2021

/s/ Fred L. Drake
Fred L. Drake
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

Certification of Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

EXHIBIT 31.2

I, Matthew J. Doherty, certify that:

1.           I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of HBT Financial, Inc.:

2.           Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual report;

3.           Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this annual report, fairly present in

all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods
presented in this annual report;

4.           The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures
(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a)           Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual
report is being prepared;

b)           Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be

designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c)           Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this annual report our

conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by
this annual report based on such evaluation; and

d)           Disclosed in this annual report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred

during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report)
that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial
reporting; and

5.           The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over

financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):

a)           All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial

reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information; and

b)           Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the

registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Date: March 12, 2021

/s/ Matthew J. Doherty
Matthew J. Doherty
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

Certification Pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as Adopted Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

EXHIBIT 32.1

In connection with the Annual Report of HBT Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), the undersigned hereby certifies, pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to his knowledge:

1.            The Report fully complies with the requirements of Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2.            The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations

of the Company.

/s/ Fred L. Drake
Fred L. Drake
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
March 12, 2021

Certification Pursuant to
18 U.S.C. Section 1350,
as Adopted Pursuant to
Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

EXHIBIT 32.2

In connection with the Annual Report of HBT Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), the undersigned hereby certifies, pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to his knowledge:

1.            The Report fully complies with the requirements of Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2.            The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations

of the Company.

/s/ Matthew J. Doherty
Matthew J. Doherty
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)
March 12, 2021