Quarterlytics / Financial Services / Banks - Regional / Horizon Bancorp, Inc.

Horizon Bancorp, Inc.

hbnc · NASDAQ Financial Services
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Sector Financial Services
Industry Banks - Regional
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FY2023 Annual Report · Horizon Bancorp, Inc.
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Beyond

2023
Annual Report

Beyond Ordinary Banking

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 

anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 

the trust our clients continue to place in us 

helping them achieve their financial goals. We 

remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 

consistent value to our key stakeholders while 

remaining leaders in serving the local 

communities we call home.

The economic environment for the banking 

segment was very challenging in 2023 with 

high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 

interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 

The bank and its parent company, Horizon 

Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 

models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 

Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 

through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 

expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 

sound business model, which has 

delivered consistent and growing returns 

over time, continues to be the 

cornerstone of our value proposition for 

shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 

consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 

accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 

performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 

of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 

for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 

communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 

the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 

for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 

extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 

align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 

returns.

the future.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 

trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 

continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 

to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 

our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 

positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 

billion on December 31, while loans grew by 

6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 

year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 

deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 

and other interest-earning assets to improve 

our balance sheet’s performance and position 

Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 

growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 

its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 

into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 

metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 

sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 

yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 

yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 

providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 

and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 

succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 

to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 

billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 

frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 

demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 

models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 

communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 

accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 

We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 

core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 

new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 

positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 

deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 

Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 

organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 

non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 

average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 

asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 

it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 

risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 

consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 

banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 

sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 

value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 

in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 

provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 

equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 

equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 

further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 

results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 

serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 

and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 

clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 

Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 

premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 

peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 

focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 

increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 

easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 

clients through live video interaction with remote 

advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 

within our communities and provides an operating 

model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 

than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 

been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 

advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 

opening platform for our consumer and small business 

clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 

online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 

mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 

anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 

accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 

Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 

over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 

and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 

organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 

high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 

launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 

and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 

brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 

throughout 2024.

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 

shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 

Creating Shareholder Value

shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 

loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 

ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 

$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 

revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 

quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 

digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 

efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 

to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 

800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 

communities. 

•

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 

expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 

through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 

dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 

shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 

confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 

organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 

business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 

business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 

clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 

quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 

initiatives.

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 
anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 
the trust our clients continue to place in us 
helping them achieve their financial goals. We 
remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 
consistent value to our key stakeholders while 
remaining leaders in serving the local 
communities we call home.

Horizon’s long-term 
success is grounded 
in our unwavering 
core values of people 
first, relationships 
built on trust, 
community 
engagement, and a 
disciplined and 
diversified revenue 
model.

The economic environment for the banking 
segment was very challenging in 2023 with 
high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 
interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 
The bank and its parent company, Horizon 
Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 
models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 
Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 
through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 
expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Thomas M. Prame
Chief Executive Officer & President

Horizon has a proven track record by exceeding 
its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years.

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 
sound business model, which has 
delivered consistent and growing returns 
over time, continues to be the 
cornerstone of our value proposition for 
shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 
consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 
accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 
performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 
of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 
for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 
communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 
the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 
for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 
extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 
align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 
returns.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 
trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 
continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 
to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 
our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 
the future.

1

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 

positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 

billion on December 31, while loans grew by 

6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 

year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 

deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 

and other interest-earning assets to improve 

our balance sheet’s performance and position 

Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 

growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 

its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 

into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 

metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 

sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 

yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 

yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 

providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 

and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 

succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 

to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 

billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 

frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 

demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 

models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 

communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 

accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 

We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 

core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 

new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 

positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 

deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 

Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 

organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 

non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 

average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 

asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 

it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 

risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 

consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 

banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 

sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 

value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 

in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 

provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 

equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 

equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 

further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 

results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 

serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 

and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 

clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 

Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 

premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 

peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 

focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 

increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 

easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 

clients through live video interaction with remote 

advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 

within our communities and provides an operating 

model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 

than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 

been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 

advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 

opening platform for our consumer and small business 

clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 

online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 

mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 

anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 

accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 

Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 

over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 

and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 

organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 

high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 

launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 

and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 

brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 

throughout 2024.

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 

shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 

Creating Shareholder Value

shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 

loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 

ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 

$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 

revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 

quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 

digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 

efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 

to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 

800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 

communities. 

•

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 

expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 

through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 

dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 

shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 

confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 

organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 

business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 

business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 

clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 

quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 

initiatives.

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 

anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 

the trust our clients continue to place in us 

helping them achieve their financial goals. We 

remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 

consistent value to our key stakeholders while 

remaining leaders in serving the local 

communities we call home.

The economic environment for the banking 

segment was very challenging in 2023 with 

high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 

interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 

The bank and its parent company, Horizon 

Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 

models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 

Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 

through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 

expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 

sound business model, which has 

delivered consistent and growing returns 

over time, continues to be the 

cornerstone of our value proposition for 

shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 

consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 

accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 

performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 

of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 

for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 

communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 

the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 

for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 

extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 

align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 

returns.

the future.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 

trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 

continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 

to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 

our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 

positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Total assets 
increased to
$7.94 billion

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 
billion on December 31, while loans grew by 
6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 
year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 
deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 
and other interest-earning assets to improve 
our balance sheet’s performance and position 
Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 
growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 
its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 
into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 
metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 
sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 
yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 
yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 
providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 
and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 
succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our 
resilient core deposit base 
continued to be vibrant in 2023. 

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 
to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 
billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 
frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 
demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 
models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 
communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 
accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 
We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 
core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 
new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 
positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 
deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 
Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 
organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 
non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 
average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 
asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 
it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 
risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 
consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 
banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

2

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 

sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 

value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 

in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 

provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 

equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 

equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 

further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 

results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 

serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 

and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 

clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 

Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 

premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 

peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 

focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 

increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 

easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 

clients through live video interaction with remote 

advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 

within our communities and provides an operating 

model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 

than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 

been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 

advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 

opening platform for our consumer and small business 

clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 

online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 

mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 

anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 

accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 

Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 

over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 

and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 

organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 

high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 

launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 

and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 

brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 

throughout 2024.

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 

shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 

Creating Shareholder Value

shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 

loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 

ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 

$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 

revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 

quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 

digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 

efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 

to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 

800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 

communities. 

•

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 

expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 

through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 

dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 

shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 

confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 

organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 

business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 

business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 

clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 

quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 

initiatives.

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 

anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 

the trust our clients continue to place in us 

helping them achieve their financial goals. We 

remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 

consistent value to our key stakeholders while 

remaining leaders in serving the local 

communities we call home.

The economic environment for the banking 

segment was very challenging in 2023 with 

high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 

interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 

The bank and its parent company, Horizon 

Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 

models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 

Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 

through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 

expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 

sound business model, which has 

delivered consistent and growing returns 

over time, continues to be the 

cornerstone of our value proposition for 

shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 

consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 

accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 

performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 

of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 

for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 

communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 

the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 

for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 

extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 

align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 

returns.

the future.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 

trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 

continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 

to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 

our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 
positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 
sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 
value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 
in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 
provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 
equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 
equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 
further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 
results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 
serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 
and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 
clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 
Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 
premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 
peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 
focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 
increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 
easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 
clients through live video interaction with remote 
advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 
within our communities and provides an operating 
model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 
than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 
been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 
advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

Digital expansion 
efforts align 
customer 
accessibility with 
operational 
efficiencies.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 
opening platform for our consumer and small business 
clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 
online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 
mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 
anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 
accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 
Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 
over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 
and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 
organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 
high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 
launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 
and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 
brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 
throughout 2024.

3

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 

billion on December 31, while loans grew by 

6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 

year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 

deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 

and other interest-earning assets to improve 

our balance sheet’s performance and position 

Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 

growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 

its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 

into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 

metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 

sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 

yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 

yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 

providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 

and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 

succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 

to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 

billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 

frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 

demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 

models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 

communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 

accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 

We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 

core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 

new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 

positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 

deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 

Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 

organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 

non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 

average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 

asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 

it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 

risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 

consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 

banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 

shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 

Creating Shareholder Value

shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 

loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 

ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 

$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 

revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 

quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 

digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 

efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 

to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 

800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 

communities. 

•

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 

expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 

through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 

dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 

shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 

confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 

organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 

business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 

business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 

clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 

quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 

initiatives.

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 

anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 

the trust our clients continue to place in us 

helping them achieve their financial goals. We 

remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 

consistent value to our key stakeholders while 

remaining leaders in serving the local 

communities we call home.

The economic environment for the banking 

segment was very challenging in 2023 with 

high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 

interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 

The bank and its parent company, Horizon 

Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 

models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 

Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 

through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 

expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 

sound business model, which has 

delivered consistent and growing returns 

over time, continues to be the 

cornerstone of our value proposition for 

shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 

consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 

accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 

performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 

of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 

for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 

communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 

the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 

for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 

extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 

align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 

returns.

the future.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 

trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 

continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 

to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 

our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 

positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 

billion on December 31, while loans grew by 

6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 

year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 

deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 

and other interest-earning assets to improve 

our balance sheet’s performance and position 

Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 

growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 

its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 

into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 

metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 

sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 

yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 

yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 

providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 

and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 

succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 

to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 

billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 

frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 

demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 

models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 

communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 

accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 

We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 

core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 

new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 

positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 

deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 

Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 

organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 

non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 

average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 

asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 

it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 

risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 

consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 

banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 

sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 

value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 

in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 

provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 

equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 

equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 

further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 

results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 

serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 

and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 

clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 

Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 

premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 

peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 

focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 

increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 

easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 

clients through live video interaction with remote 

advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 

within our communities and provides an operating 

model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 

than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 

been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 

advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 

opening platform for our consumer and small business 

clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 

online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 

mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 

anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 

accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 

Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 

over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 

and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 

organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 

high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 

launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 

and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 

brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 

throughout 2024.

Creating Shareholder Value

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 
shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 
shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 
loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 
ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 
$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 
revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 
quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 
digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 
efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 
to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 
800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 
communities. 

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 
expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 
through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 
dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 
shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 
confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 
organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 
business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 
business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 
clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 
quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 
initiatives.

11,600 volunteer 
hours by Advisors
in 2023

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

Thomas M. Prame

Chief Executive Officer & President

Craig M. Dwight

Chairman

4

Dear Fellow Shareholders,

In 2023, Horizon Bank celebrated its 150th 

anniversary, and we are incredibly thankful for 

the trust our clients continue to place in us 

helping them achieve their financial goals. We 

remain steadfast in our efforts to deliver 

consistent value to our key stakeholders while 

remaining leaders in serving the local 

communities we call home.

The economic environment for the banking 

segment was very challenging in 2023 with 

high-profile bank failures, significant increases in 

interest rates, and continued elevated inflation. 

The bank and its parent company, Horizon 

Bancorp, Inc., were not immune to the cyclical headwinds of the industry that impacted historical revenue 

models through lower margins, higher operating expenses, and heightened regulatory review and oversight. 

Even with these headwinds, Horizon’s sustainable business model continued to support long-term value creation 

through quality loan growth, a resilient and loyal core deposit franchise, ongoing strong asset quality, prudent 

expense management, and commitment to its quarterly cash dividend. 

Horizon’s plan of operating a safe and 

sound business model, which has 

delivered consistent and growing returns 

over time, continues to be the 

cornerstone of our value proposition for 

shareholders. Horizon has a proven track record of exceeding its prior year’s net income 21 out of 23 years. This 

consistency can be attributed to a business model focused on quality loan and deposit growth combined with 

accretive acquisitions of institutions that share Horizon’s client-centric values and desire to achieve top-tier 

performance among our peers. Executing on this strategy has delivered an average annual shareholder return 

of 12% over the last 20 years. 

Although success could be measured by Horizon’s decades of positive performance, we feel a key differentiator 

for our organization is our ability to continually adapt and find new value-added opportunities for our clients, 

communities, and shareholders. Last year was not unique in this aspect, as the organization quickly adapted to 

the market’s fluid economic environment and repositioned the company’s balance sheet and revenue models 

for what we anticipate will be a sustained elevated rate environment. Additionally, as the leadership team 

extends its outlook through its multi-year plan, Horizon has made key investments in technology and talent to 

align with client preferences and developed new and sustainable revenue models to increase total shareholder 

returns.

the future.

Horizon’s long-term success is grounded in our unwavering core values of people first, relationships built on 

trust, community engagement, and a disciplined and diversified revenue model. As an organization we 

continue to be proud of our ability to be agile and navigate the challenges of our industry, encourage curiosity 

to challenge the norm, and to find creative solutions that align with our desire to deliver positive outcomes for 

our key stakeholders. This speaks to how Horizon has flourished for 150 years and plans to continue well into 

Balance Sheet Strength Heading into 2024

balance sheets and capacity to repay. Our prudent operating model and in-market leadership expertise further 

positions the organization to navigate economic cycles and consistently produce positive shareholder returns.

Total assets increased by 0.8% in 2023 to $7.94 

billion on December 31, while loans grew by 

6.1% over the same period to $4.42 billion at 

year end. These results reflect Horizon’s 

deliberate shift toward higher yielding loans 

and other interest-earning assets to improve 

our balance sheet’s performance and position 

Horizon for expanded revenue and earnings 

growth. Throughout 2023, the company shifted 

its growth into higher yielding loans through 

its diversified origination platform and re-directed cash flows from securities and lower yielding loan portfolios 

into lending segments that provided improved returns and aligned with the company’s high quality credit 

metrics. These initiatives were well executed and further enhanced by a strategic repositioning of the balance 

sheet in December 2023. The balance sheet reposition leveraged Horizon’s positive capital position to exit lower 

yielding securities and Bank Owned Life Insurance policies (BOLI), enabling a reinvestment strategy into higher 

yielding assets. We believe the positive impact of this strategic repositioning will quickly be visible in 2024, 

providing significant revenue benefits, flexibility to accelerate our core business model of relationship banking, 

and nimbleness in our funding strategies. These actions will not only enhance our ability to help our clients to 

succeed, but they are also well aligned to create long-term shareholder value.

The franchise value of our resilient core deposit base continued 

to be vibrant in 2023. Total deposits at year-end were $5.66 

billion with 74.0% in core business and consumer accounts that 

frequent our 70+ local branches. As the industry witnessed the 

demise of three coastal banks with non-traditional banking 

models in the spring of 2023, Horizon quickly adapted to these market events with proactive client 

communication and outreach efforts. After experiencing a modest downward trend of mainly seasonal 

accounts in the first quarter of 2023, total deposit balances were relatively stable for the reminder of the year. 

We feel confident that our clients’ trust in our relationship banking model and sound business practices. These 

core values provided a great foundation for our advisors to do an admirable job of maintaining and gathering 

new relationships throughout 2023. Horizon also managed deposit costs favorably compared to peers and 

positioned the organization to take advantage of the forecasted rate reductions in 2024. We believe our core 

deposit relationships, located in economically strong and diverse communities throughout Indiana and 

Michigan, view Horizon as their trusted business partner, and provide significant franchise value to the 

organization.

Consistent and Proven Asset Quality

Asset quality throughout 2023 remained a core pillar of strength for Horizon as evidenced by low 

non-performing loans to total loans of 0.44% on December 31 and net charge offs representing just 0.05% of 

average loans for the year, continuing the excellent credit trends experienced in 2022.

Horizon’s high quality and diversified credit portfolio has historically outperformed the industry in terms of 

asset quality performance over time. We believe the company is well positioned to maintain its credit quality as 

it moves into what could be a less favorable environment in 2024, due to Horizon’s limited exposure to higher 

risk lending segments, such as high-rise office buildings and unsecured consumer lending. Horizon has 

consistently focused on industry verticals, local business and clients that align with our traditional relationship 

banking model. This has delivered a lending portfolio of high-quality clients with proven credit histories, strong 

Building for the Future and Beyond

In 2023, Horizon made significant progress on its strategic initiatives to improve the performance of the balance 

sheet, continue the bank’s sound operating model, while investing in platforms that create long-term franchise 

value. As outlined earlier, the deliberate shift to higher yielding assets and the repositioning of the balance sheet 

in 2023 are designed to fuel our revenue growth expectations. The successful execution of these strategies 

provided an environment to further grow our earnings through the introduction of Horizon’s new vertical of 

equipment financing, announced in the fall of 2023. Through this platform Horizon will provide essential 

equipment financing options for commercial and small business clients, 

further diversify our lending platforms, and expand our interest income 

results. Additionally, we added resources to our Treasury Management team 

serving commercial clients by adding talent in our growth markets in Michigan 

and Indiana. These resources deepen relationships with core commercial 

clients and prospects while balancing resources dedicated to public funds. 

Consistently adding accretive revenue initiatives are key elements of our longer-term objectives of building a 

premier community banking model in the Midwest and achieving top-tier financial performance relative to our 

peers.

Digital expansion efforts continued throughout the year that aligned new functionality and accessibility with a 

focus on capturing efficiencies. Additional interactive video teller machines were added to our fleet in 2023, 

increasing the total number of machines to 53. These 

easy-to-use devices extend hours of accessibility to our 

clients through live video interaction with remote 

advisors. This platform also increases Horizon’s reach 

within our communities and provides an operating 

model that is approximately 50% lower in delivery cost 

than a traditional in-branch model. Client feedback has 

been very positive and the flexibility it provides our 

advisors to manage work schedules is an added benefit.

In late 2023, the team introduced a new digital account 

opening platform for our consumer and small business 

clients. This new platform integrates industry leading technology that permits clients to open an account 

online in less than five minutes. Additional capabilities of the platform include multiple funding options, 

mobile wallet integration, and significantly enhanced fraud-detection technology advancements. We 

anticipate having this fully deployed in the first quarter of 2024 and leverage this new technology to further 

accelerate our growth in core deposit relationships.

Beyond. We believe this word brings to life what 

Horizon has created for its clients and shareholders for 

over 150 years. Beyond average, beyond the expected, 

and beyond typical results. Horizon is a lean-in 

organization that has proven its ability to evolve, achieve 

high performance levels, and extend its reach to 

improve the communities we work and live. With this backdrop of success and engagement, Horizon is proud to 

launch its new brand positioning: Beyond. This new branding aligns well with our vision, mission, and values 

and captures the essence of excellence we look to achieve for all our stakeholders. Our internal launch of the 

brand was well received in the second half of 2023 and will be highly visible in our markets and media assets 

throughout 2024.

Dollar amounts in thousands except per share data and ratios.

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

Earnings

Net interest income
Credit loss expense
Non-interest income
Non-interest expense
Income tax expense
Net income available to common shareholders

$    

$    

$    

$    

$    

175,744
2,459
11,998
146,284
11,018
27,981

199,518
(1,816)
47,451
143,201
12,176
93,408

175,805
(2,084)
57,952
133,394
15,356
87,091

165,530
20,751
59,621
126,031
9,870
68,499

156,393
1,976
43,058
117,634
13,303
66,538

$   

$   

$   

$   

$   

Cash dividends

$   

28,345

$   

27,765

$   

24,768

$   

21,183

$   

20,835

Per Share Data

Basic earnings per share
Diluted earnings per share
Cash dividends declared per common share
Book value per common share
Tangible book value per common share
Weighted-average shares outstanding
  Basic
  Diluted

Period End Totals

Loans, net of deferred loan fees and unearned 

$0.64
0.64
0.64
16.47
12.60

$2.14
2.14
0.63
15.55
11.59

$1.99
1.98
0.56
16.61
12.58

$1.56
1.55
0.48
15.78
11.81

$1.53
1.53
0.46
14.59
10.63

43,630,160
43,843,880

43,568,823
43,699,734

43,802,733
43,955,280

44,044,737
44,123,208

43,493,316
43,597,595

income
Allowance for credit losses
Total assets
Total deposits
Total borrowings

$ 

4,417,630

$ 

4,157,998

$ 

3,658,534

$ 

3,880,682

$ 

3,650,063

50,029
7,940,485
5,664,893
1,353,050

50,464
7,872,518
5,857,774
1,258,872

54,286
7,411,889
5,802,991
828,274

57,027
5,886,614
4,531,133
590,151

17,667
5,246,829
3,931,002
606,052

Ratios

Loan to deposit
Loan to total funding
Return on average assets
Average stockholders’ equity to average total 

assets
Return on average stockholders’ equity
Dividend payout ratio (dividends divided by 

basic earnings per share)
Price to book value ratio
Price to earnings ratio

78.01%
62.97%
0.36%
8.97%

3.96%
100.00%

86.89%

22.36x

71.08%
58.51%
1.24%
9.07%

13.66%
29.44%

63.26%
55.36%
1.34%
10.93%

12.23%
28.14%

85.94%
76.04%
1.22%
11.82%

10.29%
30.77%

92.96%
80.54%
1.35%
12.28%

10.98%
31.31%

96.98%

125.53%

100.51%

130.27%

7.05x

10.53x

10.23x

12.42x

5

Horizon continues to align its core values and strategic plan with long-term 

shareholder value. In 2023, we displayed our unwavering commitment to our 

Creating Shareholder Value

shareholders through:

• Quality loan growth of 6.1%.

•

•

•

Continued excellent credit trends as measured by low non-performing 

loans to total loans at period end and net charge-offs to average loans 

ratio of 0.44% and 0.05%, respectively.

Productive use of capital to restructure the balance sheet and reinvest over 

$500 million in proceeds into higher yielding assets to improve top line 

revenue results. 

Established new equipment financing division to accelerate high yielding, 

quality asset growth and diversify the bank’s revenue model.

• Monetizing technology investments to capture new low-cost deposits via 

digital applications and leveraging video teller machines to capture 

efficiencies in our distribution costs.

•

Provided over 11,600 hours of volunteering to help advance and give back 

to our local markets. This included Horizon’s first “Day of Caring”, enabling 

800+ advisors to volunteer as one team across our Indiana and Michigan 

communities. 

•

Continued disciplined operational leverage by managing non-interest 

expense to total average assets to < 2%.

• Maintained our commitment to our shareholder dividend strategy, 

through 30-plus years of uninterrupted payment of quarterly cash 

dividends, with an attractive dividend yield at year end of 4.5%.

Horizon is a company on the move with a lean-in culture of evolution, creating 

shareholder value, and helping to advance our local communities. We feel 

confident Horizon is well positioned for success as we enter 2024. The 

organization has improved its balance sheet momentum, invested in new 

business lines and talent to accelerate earnings, and maintained its disciplined 

business model. We look to achieve beyond expectations for our communities, 

clients and shareholders throughout the year and invite you to join us on our 

quarterly updates to gain insight into our financial results and progress on key 

initiatives.

We look forward to a successful 2024 and thank you for your continued support and investment in the company.

 
 
     
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
     
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
     
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
      
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
 
   
 
This page intentionally left blank. 

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, 2023 

Commission file number 0000-10792 

Horizon Bancorp, Inc. 

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Indiana

35-1562417

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

515 Franklin Street, Michigan City, Indiana 46360 
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 219-879-0211 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class

Trading Symbol(s)

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common stock, no par value

HBNC

The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC

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 Exchange 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 (§232.405 of this chapter) 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. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant 
included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☒  
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based 
compensation received by any of the registrant's executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
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  registrant’s  common  stock  held  by  non–affiliates  of  the  registrant,  based  on  the  last  sale  price  of 
such  stock  as  of  June  30,  2023,  the  last  business  day  of  the  registrant’s  most  recently  completed  second  fiscal  quarter,  was 
approximately $441.4 million.

As of March 14, 2024, the registrant had 44,111,174 shares of common stock outstanding.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

Document

Part of Form 10–K into which portion of document is incorporated

Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement to be filed for 
its May 2, 2024 annual meeting of shareholders

Part III

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD–LOOKING STATEMENTS

PART I

Item 1

Item 1A

Item 1B

Item 1C

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Business

Risk Factors

Unresolved Staff Comments

Cybersecurity

Properties

Legal Proceedings

Mine Safety Disclosures

Special 

Information about our Executive Officers

PART II

Item 5

Item 6

Item 7

Item 7A

Item 8

Item 9

Item 9A

Item 9B

Item 9C

PART III

Item 10

Item 11

Item 12

Item 13

Item 14

PART IV

Item 15

Item 16

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer 
Purchases of Equity Securities

Reserved

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

Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections

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 Accountant Fees and Services

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

Form 10–K Summary

SIGNATURES

Page

3

5

17

31

31

32

33

33

34

35

36

37

69

71

142

142

143
143

144

144

144

145

145

146

149

150

2

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

FORWARD–LOOKING STATEMENTS

A cautionary note about forward-looking statements:  In  addition  to  historical  information,  information included 
and incorporated by reference in this Annual Report  on Form 10–K contains certain “forward–looking statements” 
within  the  meaning  of  the  federal  securities  laws.  Horizon  Bancorp,  Inc.  (“Horizon”)  intends  such  forward–looking 
statements  to  be  covered  by  the  safe  harbor  provisions  for  forward–looking  statements  contained  in  the  Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this statement for purposes of invoking those safe–harbor 
provisions. Forward–looking statements can include statements about estimated cost savings, plans and objectives 
for  future  operations  and  expectations  about  Horizon’s  financial    and  business  performance  as  well  as  economic 
and market conditions. They often can be identified by the use of words such as “expect,” “may,”  “likely,” “could,” 
“should,”  “will,”  “intend,”  “project,”  “estimate,”  “believe,”  “anticipate,”  “seek,”  “plan,”  “goals,”  “strategy,”  “future”  and 
variations of such words and similar expressions.

Horizon may include forward-looking statements in filings it makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(“SEC”), such as this Form 10–K, in other written materials, and in oral statements made by senior management to 
analysts, investors, representatives of the media and others. Horizon intends that these forward–looking statements 
speak  only  as  of  the  date  they  are  made,  and  Horizon  undertakes  no  obligation  to  update  any  forward–looking 
statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the forward–looking statement is made or to 
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Although  management  believes  that  the  expectations  reflected  in  forward–looking  statements  are  reasonable, 
actual  results  may  differ  materially,  whether  adversely  or  positively,  from  the  expectations  of  Horizon  that  are 
expressed or implied by any forward–looking statement. Risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause Horizon’s 
actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by any forward–looking statement include but are 
not limited to the following:

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

current  financial  conditions  within  the  banking  industry,  including  the  effects  of  failures  of  other  financial 
institutions,  liquidity  levels,  and  responses  by  the  Federal  Reserve,  Department  of  the  Treasury,  and  the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to address these issues;

any  regulatory  examination  scrutiny  or  new  regulatory  requirements  arising  from  the  recent  events  in  the 
banking industry;

changes in the level and volatility of interest rates, spreads on earning assets and interest bearing liabilities, 
and interest rate sensitivity;

the  ability  of  the  Company  to  remediate  its  material  weaknesses  in  its  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting;

continuing increases in inflation;

loss of key Horizon personnel;

economic  conditions  and  their  impact  on  Horizon  and  its  customers,  including  local  and  global  economic 
recovery from the pandemic;

the increasing use of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies and/or stable coin and the possible impact these 
alternative currencies may have on deposit disintermediation and income derived from payment systems;

the effect of interest rates on net interest rate margin and their impact on mortgage loan volumes and the 
outflow of deposits;

increases  in  disintermediation,  as  new  technologies  allow  consumers  to  complete  financial  transactions 
without the assistance of banks, which may have been accelerated by the COVID–19 pandemic;

potential  loss  of  fee  income,  including  interchange  fees,  as  new  and  emerging  alternative  payment 
platforms (e.g., Apple Pay or Bitcoin) take a greater market share of the payment systems;

estimates of fair value of certain of Horizon’s assets and liabilities;

volatility and disruption in financial markets;

3

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

prepayment speeds, loan originations, credit losses and market values, collateral securing loans and other 
assets;

sources of liquidity;

potential risk of environmental liability related to lending and acquisition activities;

changes  in  the  competitive  environment  in  Horizon’s  market  areas  and  among  other  financial  service 
providers;

legislation  and/or  regulation  affecting  the  financial  services  industry  as  a  whole,  and  Horizon  and  its 
subsidiaries in particular;

changes in regulatory supervision and oversight, including monetary policy and capital requirements;

changes in accounting policies or procedures as may be adopted and required by regulatory agencies;

litigation,  regulatory  enforcement,  tax,  and  legal  compliance  risk  and  costs,  as  applicable  generally  and 
specifically  to  the  financial  and  fiduciary  (generally  and  as  an  ESOP  fiduciary)  environment,  especially  if 
materially different from the amount we expect to incur or have accrued for, and any disruptions caused by 
the same;

the effects and costs of governmental investigations or related actions by third parties;

rapid technological developments and changes;

the risks presented by cyber terrorism and data security breaches;

the rising costs of effective cybersecurity;

containing costs and expenses;

the ability of the U.S. federal government to manage federal debt limits;

the potential influence on the U.S. financial markets and economy from the effects of climate change and 
social justice initiatives;

the potential influence on the U.S. financial markets and economy from material changes outside the U.S. 
or in overseas relations, including changes in U.S. trade relations related to imposition of tariffs, Brexit, and 
the phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) according to regulatory guidance;

the risks of expansion through mergers and acquisitions, including unexpected credit quality problems with 
acquired  loans,  difficulty  integrating  acquired  operations  and  material  differences  in  the  actual  financial 
results  of  such  transactions  compared  with  Horizon’s  initial  expectations,  including  the  full  realization  of 
anticipated cost savings; and

acts of terrorism, war and global conflicts, such as the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and 
Israel and Hamas, and the potential impact they may have on supply chains, the availability of commodities, 
commodity prices, inflationary pressure and the overall U.S. and global financial markets.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

You are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward–looking statements. 
The  “Management’s  Discussion  and Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operations”  in  Item  7  of  this 
Form  10–K  lists  some  of  the  factors  that  could  cause  Horizon’s  actual  results  to  vary  materially  from  those 
expressed in or implied by any forward–looking statements. We direct your attention to this discussion.

Other  risks  and  uncertainties  that  could  affect  Horizon’s  future  performance  are  set  forth  below  in  Item  1A,  “Risk 
Factors.”

4

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

PART I

ITEM1.   BUSINESS

The  disclosures  in  this  Item  1  are  qualified  by  the  disclosures  below  in  Item  1A,  “Risk  Factors,”  and  Item  7, 
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and in other cautionary 
statements set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10–K.

General

Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (“Horizon” or the “Company”) is a registered bank holding company incorporated in Indiana 
and headquartered in Michigan City, Indiana. Horizon provides a broad range of banking services in northern and 
central Indiana and southern and central Michigan through its bank subsidiary, Horizon Bank (“Horizon Bank” or the 
“Bank”) and other affiliated entities. Horizon operates as a single segment, which is commercial banking. Horizon’s 
common  stock  is  traded  on  the  NASDAQ  Global  Select  Market  under  the  symbol  HBNC.  Horizon  Bank  (formerly 
known  as  “Horizon  Bank,  N.A.”)  was  founded  in  1873  as  a  national  association,  and  it  remained  a  national 
association until its conversion to an Indiana commercial bank effective June 23, 2017. The Bank is a full–service 
commercial  bank  offering  commercial  and  retail  banking  services,  corporate  and  individual  trust  and  agency 
services and other services incident to banking. 

Over  the  last  20  years,  Horizon  has  expanded  its  geographic  reach  and  experienced  financial  growth  through  a 
combination  of  both  organic  expansion  and  mergers  and  acquisitions.  Horizon’s  initial  operations  focused  on 
northwest Indiana, but since then, the Company has developed a presence in new markets in southern and central 
Michigan  and  northeastern  and  central  Indiana.  The  most  recent  material  expansions  through  acquisitions  are 
described below.

On September 17, 2021, Horizon Bank completed the purchase and assumption of certain assets and liabilities of 
14 former TCF National Bank (“TCF”) branches in 11 Michigan counties. Net cash of $618.2 million was received in 
the  transaction,  representing  the  deposit  balances  assumed  at  closing,  net  of  amounts  paid  for  loans  of  $212.0 
million,  fixed  assets  of  $6.9  million,  cash  of  $4.0  million  and  a  1.75%  premium  on  deposits.  Customer  deposit 
balances  were  recorded  at  $846.4  million  and  a  core  deposit  intangible  of  $1.6  million  was  recorded  in  the 
transaction, which will be amortized over 10 years on a straight line basis. Goodwill of $4.0 million was generated in 
the transaction.

The Bank maintains 71 full service offices. At December 31, 2023, the Bank had total assets of $7.9 billion and total 
deposits  of  $5.7  billion.  The  Bank  has  wholly–owned  direct  and  indirect  subsidiaries:  Horizon  Investments,  Inc. 
(“Horizon Investments”), Horizon Properties, Inc. (“Horizon Properties”), Horizon Insurance Services, Inc. (“Horizon 
Insurance”),  Horizon  Grantor  Trust  and  Wolverine  Commercial  Holdings,  LLC.  Horizon  Investments  manages  the 
investment portfolio of the Bank. Horizon Properties manages the real estate investment trust. Horizon Insurance is 
used  by  the  Company’s  Wealth  Management  to  sell  certain  life  insurance  products  through  a  third  party.  Horizon 
Grantor  Trust  holds  title  to  certain  company  owned  life  insurance  policies.  Wolverine  Commercial  Holdings,  LLC 
currently holds one piece of property but does not otherwise engage in significant business activities.

Horizon formed Horizon Bancorp Capital Trust II in 2004 (“Trust II”) and Horizon Bancorp Capital Trust III in 2006 
(“Trust  III”)  for  the  purpose  of  participating  in  pooled  trust  preferred  securities  offerings.  The  Company  assumed 
additional  debentures  as  the  result  of  the  acquisition  of  Alliance  Financial  Corporation  in  2005,  which  formed 
Alliance  Financial  Statutory  Trust  I  (“Alliance  Trust”).  The  Company  also  assumed  additional  debentures  as  the 
result  of  the  acquisition  of American  Trust  &  Savings  Bank  (“American”)  in  2010,  which  formed Am  Tru  Statutory 
Trust  I  (“Am  Tru  Trust”).  The  Company  also  assumed  additional  debentures  as  the  result  of  the  Heartland 
transaction, which formed Heartland (IN) Statutory Trust II (“Heartland Trust”). In 2016, the Company also assumed 
additional  debentures  as  the  result  of  the  LaPorte  Bancorp  transaction.  LaPorte  Bancorp  acquired  City  Savings 
Financial Corporation in 2007. City Savings Financial Corporation issued the debentures and formed City Savings 
Statutory Trust  I  (“City  Savings”)  in  2003. The  Company  also  assumed  additional  debentures  as  the  result  of  the 
Salin  transaction,  which  formed  Salin  Statutory  Trust  I  (“Salin  Trust”)  in  2003.  See  Note  13  of  the  Consolidated 
Financial Statements included at Item 8 for further discussion regarding these previously consolidated entities that 
are now reported separately.

5

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The  business  of  Horizon  is  not  seasonal  to  any  material  degree.  No  material  part  of  Horizon’s  business  is 
dependent upon a single or small group of customers, the loss of any one or more of which would have a materially 
adverse  effect  on  the  business  of  Horizon.  In  2023,  revenues  from  loans  accounted  for  75.4%  of  the  total 
consolidated revenue, and revenues from investment securities accounted for 19.4% of total consolidated revenue.

Available Information

The Company’s Internet address is www.horizonbank.com. Information on or accessible through our website is not 
deemed  to  be  incorporated  into  this Annual  Report  on  Form  10–K.  Website  references  in  this Annual  Report  are 
merely  textual  references.  The  Company  makes  available,  free  of  charge  through  the  “About  Us  –  Investor 
Relations – Documents – SEC Filings” section of its Internet website, copies of the Company’s Annual Report on 
Form 10–K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10–Q, Current Reports on Form 8–K and any amendments to those reports 
filed  or  furnished  pursuant  to  Section  13(a)  of  the  Securities  Exchange Act  of  1934,  as  amended  (the  “Exchange 
Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC. The contents of 
our  website  are  not  incorporated  by  reference  into  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10–K  or  in  any  other  report  or 
document  we  file  with  the  SEC,  and  any  references  to  our  website  are  intended  to  be  inactive  textual  references 
only.

Employees and Human Capital Resources

We believe that the foundation of our success in the banking business lies with the quality of our employees, the 
development  of  our  employees'  skills  and  career  goals,  and  our  ability  to  provide  a  comprehensive  rewarding 
experience  and  work  environment.  We  encourage  and  support  the  development  of  our  employees  and,  wherever 
possible, strive to fill positions from within the organization. As of December 31, 2023, the Company employed 818 
full–time and 58 part–time employees across all locations.

Competition

Horizon  faces  a  high  degree  of  competition  in  all  of  its  primary  markets.  The  Bank’s  primary  market  consists  of 
areas throughout the northern and central regions of the state of Indiana along with the southern and central regions 
of  the  state  of  Michigan.  The  Bank’s  primary  market  is  further  defined  by  the  Indiana  and  Michigan  counties 
identified  below.  The  Bank  competes  with  other  commercial  banks,  savings  and  loan  associations,  consumer 
finance companies, credit unions and other non–bank and digital financial service providers. In addition, Financial 
Technology,  or  FinTech,  start–ups  are  emerging  in  key  banking  areas.  To  a  more  moderate  extent,  the  Bank 
competes  with  Chicago  money  center  banks,  mortgage  banking  companies,  insurance  companies,  brokerage 
houses,  other  institutions  engaged  in  money  market  financial  services  and  certain  government  agencies.  Many 
non–financial institution competitors face fewer regulatory restrictions.

6

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The  following  table  estimates  the  number  of  financial  institution  competitors  in  Horizon’s  primary  market  areas, 
along  with  Horizon’s  competitive  position  in  these  areas,  based  on  the  June  30,  2023  Federal  Deposit  Insurance 
Corporation (“FDIC”) Deposit Market Share Report (available at www.fdic.gov ):

County

Allen

Bartholomew

Carroll

Cass

DeKalb

Elkhart

Fountain

Grant

Hamilton

Howard

Johnson

Kosciusko

LaGrange

Lake

LaPorte

Marion

Noble

Porter

St. Joseph

Tippecanoe

Whitley

INDIANA

MICHIGAN

Number of
Institutions

Horizon
Market
Share

County

Number of
Institutions

Horizon
Market
Share

20

9

6

6

11

16

4

7

27

8

21

10

4

16

8

25

6

11

14

16

7

 1.69 % Arenac

 5.84 % Berrien

 30.01 % Charlevoix

 15.80 % Crawford

 11.52 % Ingham

 0.69 % Kalamazoo

 9.71 % Kent

 8.01 % Mecosta

 0.28 % Midland

 4.37 % Missaukee

 10.61 % Newaygo

 4.56 % Oakland

 3.42 % Otsego

 1.78 % Ottawa

 58.56 % Roscommon

 0.77 % Shiawassee

 4.95 % St. Joseph

 8.55 % Wexford

 0.36 %

 6.55 %

 6.38 %

4

8

4

2

18

14

24

8

7

2

6

29

5

15

4

6

9

5

 29.36 %

 12.15 %

 3.15 %

 23.29 %

 1.34 %

 2.12 %

 0.49 %

 11.76 %

 18.90 %

 50.58 %

 6.65 %

 0.20 %

 17.34 %

 0.90 %

 12.78 %

 15.40 %

 4.68 %

 24.04 %

At the time of the FDIC Deposit Market Share Report, Horizon was the largest of the eight bank and thrift institutions 
in  LaPorte  County,  the  largest  of  the  six  institutions  in  Carroll  County,  the  third  largest  of  the  21  institutions  in 
Johnson County, the fourth largest of the 11 institutions in DeKalb County, the third largest of the six institutions in 
Cass County, the fifth largest of the 16 institutions in Tippecanoe County, and the fifth largest of the 11 institutions in 
Porter County.

In  Michigan,  Horizon  was  the  second  largest  of  the  seven  bank  and  thrift  institutions  in  Midland  County  and  the 
fourth largest of the eight bank and thrift institutions in Berrien County.

Regulation and Supervision

General

As  a  bank  holding  company  and  a  financial  holding  company,  the  Company  is  subject  to  extensive  regulation, 
supervision  and  examination  by  the  Board  of  Governors  of  the  Federal  Reserve  System  (the  “Federal  Reserve 
Board”  or  “Federal  Reserve”)  as  its  primary  federal  regulator  under  the  Bank  Holding  Company Act  of  1956,  as 
amended (“BHC Act”). The Company is required to file annual reports with the Federal Reserve and provide other 
information  that  the  Federal  Reserve  may  require.  The  Federal  Reserve  may  also  make  examinations  and 
inspections of the Company.

7

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The Bank, as an Indiana–state chartered bank, is subject to extensive regulation, supervision and examination by 
the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (“DFI”) as its primary state regulator. Also, as to certain matters, the 
Bank  is  under  the  supervision  of,  and  subject  to  examination  by,  the  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation 
(“FDIC”) because the FDIC provides deposit insurance to the Bank and is the Bank’s primary federal regulator.

The supervision, regulation and examination of Horizon and the Bank by the bank regulatory agencies are intended 
primarily for the protection of depositors rather than for the benefit of Horizon’s shareholders.

Horizon  is  also  subject  to  the  disclosure  and  regulatory  requirements  of  the  Securities Act  of  1933,  as  amended, 
and  the  Exchange  Act,  as  administered  by  the  SEC.  Horizon’s  common  stock  is  listed  on  the  NASDAQ  Global 
Select Market under the trading symbol “HBNC,” and Horizon is subject to the NASDAQ rules applicable to listed 
companies.

Included below is a brief summary of significant aspects of the laws, regulations and policies applicable to Horizon 
and the Bank. This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the statutes, regulations and 
policies  that  are  referenced  and  is  not  intended  to  be  an  exhaustive  description  of  the  statutes,  regulations  and 
policies  applicable  to  the  business  of  Horizon  and  the  Bank.  Also,  such  statutes,  regulations  and  policies  are 
continually under review by Congress and state legislatures and by federal and state regulatory agencies. A change 
in  statutes,  regulations  or  regulatory  policies  applicable  to  Horizon  and  the  Bank  could  have  a  material  effect  on 
Horizon’s business, financial condition and results of operations.

Bank Holding Company Regulation

The  Bank  Holding  Company  (“BHC”) Act  generally  limits  the  business  in  which  a  bank  holding  company  and  its 
subsidiaries may engage to banking or managing or controlling banks and those activities that the Federal Reserve 
Board has determined to be so closely related to banking as to be a proper incident thereto. Those closely related 
activities  currently  can  include  such  activities  as  consumer  finance,  mortgage  banking  and  securities  brokerage. 
Certain well–managed and well–capitalized bank holding companies may elect to be treated as a “financial holding 
company” and, as a result, will be permitted to engage in a broader range of activities that are financial in nature 
and  in  activities  that  are  determined  to  be  incidental  or  complementary  to  activities  that  are  financial  in  nature. 
Horizon has both qualified as, and elected to be, a financial holding company. Activities that are considered financial 
in  nature  include  securities  underwriting  and  dealing,  insurance  underwriting  and  making  merchant  banking 
investments.

To  commence  any  new  activity  permitted  by  the  BHC Act  or  to  acquire  a  company  engaged  in  any  new  activity 
permitted by the BHC Act, each insured depository institution subsidiary of the financial holding company must have 
received  a  rating  of  at  least  “satisfactory”  in  its  most  recent  examination  under  the  Community  Reinvestment Act. 
The Federal Reserve Board has the power to order any bank holding company or its subsidiaries to terminate any 
activity or to terminate its ownership or control of any subsidiary when the Federal Reserve Board has reasonable 
grounds  to  believe  that  continuation  of  such  activity  or  such  ownership  or  control  constitutes  a  serious  risk  to  the 
financial soundness, safety or stability of any bank subsidiary of the bank holding company.

Federal Reserve Board policy has historically required bank holding companies to act as a source of financial and 
managerial strength for their subsidiary banks. The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
(the  “Dodd–Frank Act”),  which  was  signed  into  law  on  July  21,  2010,  codified  this  policy.  Under  this  requirement, 
Horizon is required to act as a source of financial strength to the Bank and to commit resources to support the Bank 
in circumstances in which Horizon might not otherwise do so. For this purpose, “source of financial strength” means 
Horizon’s ability to provide financial assistance to the Bank in the event of the Bank’s financial distress.

The BHC Act, the Bank Merger Act (which is the popular name for Section 18(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Act) and other federal and state statutes regulate acquisitions of banks and bank holding companies. The BHC Act 
requires  the  prior  approval  of  the  Federal  Reserve  before  a  bank  holding  company  may  acquire  more  than  a  5% 
voting  interest  or  substantially  all  the  assets  of  any  bank  or  bank  holding  company.  Banks  must  also  seek  prior 
approval from their primary state and federal regulators for any such acquisitions. In reviewing applications seeking 
approval for mergers and  other acquisition transactions, the bank regulatory authorities will consider, among other 
things,  the  competitive  effect  and  public  benefits  of  the  transactions,  the  capital  position  of  the  combined 
organization,  the  risks  to  the  stability  of  the  U.S.  banking  or  financial  system,  the  applicant’s  performance  record 

8

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

under  the  Community  Reinvestment  Act  and  the  effectiveness  of  the  subject  organizations  in  combating  money 
laundering  activities.

Under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (“FDICIA”), a bank holding company is 
required  to  guarantee  the  compliance  of  any  insured  depository  institution  subsidiary  that  may  become 
“undercapitalized” (as defined in FDICIA), with the terms of any capital restoration plan filed by such subsidiary with 
its appropriate federal bank regulatory agency.

Bank holding companies, such as Horizon, and their insured depository institutions, such as the Bank, are subject to 
various regulatory capital requirements administered by the federal and state regulators. The guidelines establish a 
systematic  analytical  framework  that  makes  regulatory  capital  requirements  more  sensitive  to  differences  in  risk 
profiles among banking organizations. Risk–based capital ratios are determined by allocating assets and specified 
off–balance sheet commitments to four risk weighted categories, with higher levels of capital being required for the 
categories  perceived  as  representing  greater  risk.  In  2019,  the  Federal  bank  regulatory  agencies,  working  jointly, 
adopted  final  regulations  designed  to  simplify  capital  requirements  for  community  banks,  allowing  qualifying 
community banks to adopt a simple community bank leverage ratio. For an additional discussion of the Company’s 
regulatory capital ratios and regulatory requirements as of December 31, 2023, please refer to the subsection titled 
“Capital Regulation” in this “Regulation and Supervision” section.

Branching and Acquisitions

Indiana  law,  the  BHC Act  and  the  Bank  Merger Act  restrict  certain  types  of  expansion  by  the  Company  and  the 
Bank.  The  Company  and  the  Bank  may  be  required  to  apply  for  prior  approval  from  (or  give  prior  notice  and  an 
opportunity  for  review  to)  the  Federal  Reserve,  the  DFI  and  the  FDIC,  and  or  other  regulatory  agencies  as  a 
condition to the acquisition or establishment of new offices, or the acquisition by merger, purchase or otherwise of 
the stock, business or assets of other banks or companies.

Under current law, Indiana chartered banks may establish branches throughout the state and in other states, subject 
to certain limitations. Indiana law also authorizes an Indiana bank to establish one or more branches in states other 
than  Indiana  through  interstate  merger  transactions  and  to  establish  one  or  more  interstate  branches  through  de 
novo branching or the acquisition of a branch. The Dodd–Frank Act permits the establishment of de novo branches 
in states where such branches could be opened by a state bank chartered by that state. The consent of the state in 
which the new branch will be opened is no longer required.

Deposit Insurance and Assessments

The Bank’s deposits are insured to applicable limits by the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) of the FDIC. Generally, 
deposits  are  insured  up  to  the  statutory  limit  of  $250,000  per  separately  insured  depositor.  Banks  are  subject  to 
deposit  insurance  premiums  and  assessments  to  maintain  the  DIF.  The  FDIC  has  authority  to  raise  or  lower 
assessment rates on insured banks in order to achieve statutorily required reserve ratios in the DIF and to impose 
special additional assessments.

The Dodd–Frank Act resulted in significant changes to the FDIC’s deposit insurance system. Under the Dodd–Frank 
Act,  the  FDIC  is  authorized  to  set  the  reserve  ratio  for  the  DIF  at  no  less  than  1.35%. The  FDIC  must  offset  the 
effect  of  the  increase  in  the  minimum  designated  reserve  ratio  from  1.15%  to  1.35%  on  insured  depository 
institutions of less than $10 billion and may declare dividends to depository institutions when the reserve ratio at the 
end of a calendar quarter is at least 1.50%, although the FDIC has the authority to suspend or limit such permitted 
dividend declarations. The FDIC has set the long term goal for the designated reserve ratio of the deposit insurance 
fund  at  2%  of  estimated  insured  deposits.  The  FDIC  adopted  a  plan  to  restore  the  DIF  to  the  1.35%  ratio  by 
September 30, 2028.

Also under the Dodd–Frank Act, the assessment base for deposit insurance premiums is the institution's average 
consolidated total assets minus average tangible equity. Tangible equity for this purpose means Tier 1 capital. The 
initial base assessment rates ranged from 5 to 35 basis points. For small Risk Category I banks, such as Horizon 
Bank,  the  rates  ranged  from  5  to  9  basis  points. Adjustments  are  made  to  the  initial  assessment  rates  based  on 
long–term unsecured debt, depository institution debt, and brokered deposits.

9

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Assessment rates (inclusive of possible adjustments) currently range from 2.5 to 32 basis points of an institution's 
total assets minus average tangible equity. Assessment rates for all established smaller banks will be determined 
using financial measures and supervisory ratings derived from a statistical model estimating the probability of failure 
over  three  years.  The  FDIC  may  increase  or  decrease  the  assessment  rate  scale  uniformly,  except  that  no 
adjustment can deviate more than two basis points from the base rate without notice and comment rulemaking. 

The FDIC may terminate the deposit insurance of any insured depository institution if the FDIC determines, after a 
hearing, that the institution has engaged or is engaging in unsafe or unsound practices, is in an unsafe and unsound 
condition  to  continue  operations  or  has  violated  any  applicable  law,  regulation,  order  or  any  condition  imposed  in 
writing by, or written agreement with, the FDIC. The FDIC may also suspend deposit insurance temporarily during 
the hearing process for a permanent termination of insurance if the institution has no tangible capital.

Transactions with Affiliates and Insiders

Horizon and the Bank are subject to the Federal Reserve Act, which restricts financial transactions between banks, 
affiliated companies and their executive officers, including limits on credit transactions between these parties. The 
statute prescribes terms and conditions in order for bank affiliate transactions to be deemed to be consistent with 
safe and sound banking practices, and it also restricts the types of collateral security permitted in connection with a 
bank’s extension of credit to an affiliate. In general, extensions of credit (i) must be made on substantially the same 
terms,  including  interest  rates  and  collateral,  and  subject  to  credit  underwriting  procedures  that  are  at  least  as 
stringent  as  those  prevailing  at  the  time  for  comparable  transactions  with  non–affiliates,  and  (ii)  must  not  involve 
more than the normal risk of repayment or present other unfavorable features.

Capital Regulation

The  federal  bank  regulatory  authorities  have  adopted  risk–based  capital  guidelines  for  banks  and  bank  holding 
companies that are designed to make regulatory capital requirements more sensitive to differences in risk profiles 
among banks and bank holding companies and account for off–balance sheet items. Generally, to satisfy the capital 
requirements,  the  Company  must  maintain  capital  sufficient  to  meet  both  risk–based  asset  ratio  tests  and  a 
leverage  ratio  test  on  a  consolidated  basis.  Risk–based  capital  ratios  are  determined  by  allocating  assets  and 
specified off–balance sheet commitments into various risk–weighted categories, with higher weighting assigned to 
categories perceived as representing greater risk. A risk–based ratio represents the applicable measure of capital 
divided by total risk–weighted assets. The leverage ratio is a measure of the Company’s core capital divided by total 
assets adjusted as specified in the guidelines.

Federal  regulations  require  FDIC  insured  depository  institutions  to  meet  several  minimum  capital  standards;  (i)  a 
common  equity Tier  1  capital  to  risk–based  assets  ratio  of  4.5%;  (ii)  a Tier  1  capital  to  risk–based  assets  ratio  of 
6.0%; (iii) a total capital to risk–based assets ratio of 8%; and (iv) a 4% Tier 1 capital to total assets leverage ratio.

Common  equity Tier  1  capital  is  generally  defined  as  common  shareholders’  equity  and  retained  earnings. Tier  1 
capital is generally defined as common equity Tier 1 and Additional Tier 1 capital. Additional Tier 1 capital generally 
includes  certain  noncumulative  perpetual  preferred  stock  and  related  surplus  and  minority  interests  in  equity 
accounts  of  consolidated  subsidiaries.  Total  capital  includes  Tier  1  capital  (common  equity  Tier  1  capital  plus 
Additional Tier  1  capital)  and Tier  2  capital. Tier  2  capital  is  comprised  of  capital  instruments  and  related  surplus 
meeting  specified  requirements,  and  may  include  cumulative  preferred  stock  and  long-term  perpetual  preferred 
stock, mandatory convertible securities, intermediate preferred stock, and subordinated debt. Also included in Tier 2 
capital is the allowance for loan and lease losses limited to a maximum of 1.25% of risk-weighted assets and, for 
institutions that have exercised an opt-out election regarding the treatment of Accumulated Other Comprehensive 
Income (“AOCI”), up to 45% of net unrealized gains on available-for-sale equity securities with readily determinable 
fair  market  values.  Institutions  that  have  not  exercised  the  AOCI  opt-out  have  AOCI  incorporated  into  common 
equity Tier 1 capital (including unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale-securities). Calculation of all types 
of regulatory capital is subject to deductions and adjustments specified in the regulations.

In  determining  the  amount  of  risk-weighted  assets  for  purposes  of  calculating  risk-based  capital  ratios,  assets, 
including certain off-balance sheet assets (e.g., recourse obligations, direct credit substitutes, and residual interests) 
are multiplied by a risk weight factor assigned by the regulations based on the risks believed inherent in the type of 
asset. Higher levels of capital are required for asset categories believed to present greater risk. For example, a risk 

10

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

weight  of  0%  is  assigned  to  cash  and  U.S.  government  securities,  a  risk  weight  of  50%  is  generally  assigned  to 
prudently  underwritten  first  lien  one  to  four-family  residential  mortgages,  a  risk  weight  of  100%  is  assigned  to 
commercial and consumer loans, a risk weight of 150% is assigned to certain past due loans and a risk weight of 
between 0% to 600% is assigned to permissible equity interests, depending on certain specified factors.

In addition to establishing the minimum regulatory capital requirements, the regulations limit capital distributions by 
the  institution  and  certain  discretionary  bonus  payments  to  management  if  an  institution  does  not  hold  a  “capital 
conservation buffer” consisting of 2.5% of common equity Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets above the amount 
necessary to meet its minimum risk-based capital requirements.

The Federal Reserve and FDIC have authority to establish individual minimum capital requirements in appropriate 
cases upon a determination that an institution’s capital level is or may become inadequate in light of the particular 
risks or circumstances. As of December 31, 2023, Horizon Bank met all applicable capital adequacy requirements.

Bank  holding  companies  are  generally  subject  to  consolidated  capital  requirements  established  by  the  Federal 
Reserve.  The  Dodd-Frank  Act  required  the  Federal  Reserve  to  set  minimum  capital  levels  for  bank  holding 
companies that are as stringent as those required for insured depository subsidiaries.

Section  201  of  the  Economic  Growth,  Regulatory  Relief  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  of  2018  (the  “Economic 
Growth Act”)  directed  federal  banking  agencies  to  draft  regulations  establishing  a  new  optional  Community  Bank 
Leverage Ratio (“CBLR”). The Economic Growth Act provides that the CBLR will apply to a “qualifying community 
bank”  which  the  Economic  Growth  Act  defines  as  a  bank  with  consolidated  assets  of  less  than  $10  billion  and 
satisfying additional criteria designed to disqualify institutions with a higher risk profile. Under the Economic Growth 
Act, qualifying community banks that meet or exceed the CBLR and elect to follow the alternative regulatory capital 
structure  will  be  deemed  to  have  satisfied  all  generally  applicable  leverage  capital  and  risk-based  capital 
requirements  and  will  be  considered  “well  capitalized”  under  the  FDIC  prompt  corrective  action  provisions.  The 
Economic  Growth Act  directed  the  FRB,  the  FDIC,  and  the  Office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the  Currency  (“OCC”)  to 
jointly determine a community bank leverage ratio percentage, not less than 8% nor more than 10%, that must be 
maintained  to  be  deemed  to  have  satisfied  all  generally  applicable  leverage  capital  and  risk-based  capital 
requirements  and  be  considered  well  capitalized.  The  Economic  Growth  Act  also  directed  agencies  to  establish 
procedures for dealing with a qualifying bank that subsequently falls below the new ratio.

The  final  regulation  implementing  Section  201  became  effective  on  January  1,  2021  (the  “Final  Rule”).  Under  the 
Final Rule, to be eligible to use the CBLR framework, a banking organization must not be an advanced approaches 
organization  and  must  have  (i)  a  leverage  ratio  of  greater  than  9%;  (ii)  total  consolidated  assets  of  less  than  $10 
billion; (iii) total off-balance sheet exposures of 25% or less of total consolidated assets; and (iv) total trading assets 
plus  trading  liabilities  of  5%  or  less  of  total  consolidated  assets. A  qualifying  institution  may  opt  in  and  out  of  the 
CBLR framework on its quarterly call report. An institution that ceases to meet any qualifying criteria is provided with 
a  two-quarter  grace  period  to  either  comply  with  the  CBLR  requirements  or  comply  with  the  general  capital 
regulations, including the risk-based capital requirements.

Horizon’s management believes that, as of December 31, 2023, Horizon and the Bank met all applicable regulatory 
capital requirements currently in effect.

11

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The following is a summary of Horizon’s and the Bank’s regulatory capital and capital requirements at December 31, 
2023.

Actual

Amount

Ratio

Required for Capital
Adequacy Purposes(1)
Amount

Ratio

Required For Capital
Adequacy Purposes
with Capital Buffer(1)
Amount

Ratio

Well Capitalized
Under Prompt
Corrective Action
Provisions(1)

Amount

Ratio

Total capital (to risk-
weighted assets)(1)
Consolidated

Bank

Tier 1 capital (to risk-
weighted assets)(1)
Consolidated

Bank

Common equity tier 1 
capital (to risk-weighted 
assets)(1)

Consolidated

Bank

Tier 1 capital (to 
average assets)(1)
Consolidated

Bank

$  786,436 

 14.11 % $  446,000 

 8.00 % $  585,374 

 10.50 %

N/A

N/A

  714,402 

 12.87 %   444,147 

 8.00 %   582,943 

 10.50 % $  555,184 

 10.00 %

  735,792 

 13.20 %   334,500 

 6.00 %   473,874 

 8.50 %

N/A

N/A

  663,758 

 11.96 %   333,111 

 6.00 %   471,907 

 8.50 %   444,147 

 8.00 %

  619,153 

 11.11 %   250,875 

 4.50 %   390,250 

 7.00 %

N/A

N/A

  663,758 

 11.96 %   249,833 

 4.50 %   388,629 

 7.00 %   360,870 

 6.50 %

  735,792 

 9.36 %   314,306 

 4.00 %   314,306 

 4.00 %

N/A

N/A

  663,758 

 8.41 %   315,550 

 4.00 %   315,550 

 4.00 %   394,438 

 5.00 %

(1) As defined by regulatory agencies

Dividends

Horizon is a legal entity separate and distinct from the Bank. The primary source of Horizon’s cash flow, including 
cash flow to pay dividends on its common stock, is the payment of dividends to Horizon by the Bank. Under Indiana 
law,  the  Bank  may  pay  dividends  of  so  much  of  its  undivided  profits  (generally,  earnings  less  losses,  bad  debts, 
taxes and other operating expenses) as is considered appropriate by the Bank’s Board of Directors. However, the 
Bank must obtain the approval of the DFI for the payment of a dividend if the total of all dividends declared by the 
Bank during the current year, including the proposed dividend, would exceed the sum of retained net income for the 
year to date plus its retained net income for the previous two years. For this purpose, “retained net income” means 
net income as calculated for call report purposes, less all dividends declared for the applicable period. The Bank is 
generally exempt from this DFI pre–approval process for dividends if (i) the Bank has been assigned a composite 
uniform  financial  institutions  rating  of  1  or  2  as  a  result  of  the  most  recent  federal  or  state  examination;  (ii)  the 
proposed  dividend  will  not  result  in  a  Tier  1  leverage  ratio  below  7.5%;  and  (iii)  the  Bank  is  not  subject  to  any 
corrective action, supervisory order, supervisory agreement or board approved operating agreement.

The FDIC has the authority to prohibit the Bank from paying dividends if, in its opinion, the payment of dividends 
would constitute an unsafe or unsound practice in light of the financial condition of the Bank.

In  addition,  under  Federal  Reserve  supervisory  policy,  a  bank  holding  company  generally  should  not  maintain  its 
existing  rate  of  cash  dividends  on  common  shares  unless  (i)  the  organization’s  net  income  available  to  common 
shareholders  over  the  past  year  has  been  sufficient  to  fully  fund  the  dividends  and  (ii)  the  prospective  rate  of 
earnings  retention  appears  consistent  with  the  organization’s  capital  needs,  assets,  quality  and  overall  financial 
condition. The Federal Reserve issued a letter dated February 24, 2009, to bank holding companies informing them 
that it expects bank holding companies to consult with it in advance of declaring dividends that could raise safety 
and  soundness  concerns  (i.e.,  such  as  when  the  dividend  is  not  supported  by  earnings  or  involves  a  material 
increase in the dividend rate) and in advance of repurchasing shares of common stock or preferred stock. Although 
the  effect  of  this  letter  was  revised  in  December  2015  to  become  inapplicable  to  certain  large  U.S.  bank  holding 
companies  (generally,  those  with  at  least  $50  billion  in  average  total  consolidated  assets),  the  guidance  remains 
effective for bank holding companies like Horizon.

12

Prompt Corrective Regulatory Action

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Under FDICIA, federal banking regulatory authorities are required to take regulatory enforcement actions known as 
“prompt  corrective  action”  with  respect  to  depository  institutions  that  do  not  meet  minimum  capital  requirements. 
The  extent  of  the  regulators’  powers  depends  on  whether  the    institution  in  question  is  categorized  as  “well 
capitalized,” 
“critically 
“adequately 
undercapitalized,” as defined by regulation. 

“significantly  undercapitalized,”  or 

“undercapitalized,” 

capitalized,” 

An institution is deemed to be “well capitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0% or greater, a Tier 1 
risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, a leverage ratio of 5.0% or greater, and a common equity Tier 1 ratio of 
6.5% or greater. An institution is “adequately capitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0% or greater, a 
Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0% or greater, a leverage ratio of 4.0% or greater, and a common equity Tier 1 
ratio of 4.5% or greater. An institution is “undercapitalized” if it has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8.0%, 
a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 6.0%, a leverage ratio of less than 4.0%, or a common equity Tier 1 ratio 
of  less  than  4.5%. An  institution  is  deemed  to  be  “significantly  undercapitalized”  if  it  has  a  total  risk-based  capital 
ratio of less than 6.0%, a Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4.0%, a leverage ratio of less than 3.0%, or a 
common equity Tier 1 ratio of less than 3.0%. An institution is considered to be “critically undercapitalized” if it has a 
ratio of tangible equity (as defined in the regulations) to total assets that is equal to or less than 2.0%.

Depending upon the capital category to which an institution is assigned, the regulators’ corrective powers include: (i) 
requiring the submission of a capital restoration plan; (ii) placing limits on asset growth and restrictions on activities; 
(iii) requiring the institution to issue additional capital stock (including additional voting stock) or to be acquired; (iv) 
restricting transactions with affiliates; (v) restricting the interest rate the institution may pay on deposits; (vi) ordering 
a new election of directors of the institution; (vii) requiring that senior executive officers or directors be dismissed; 
(viii)  prohibiting  the  institution  from  accepting  deposits  from  correspondent  banks;  (ix)  requiring  the  institution  to 
divest  certain  subsidiaries;  (x)  prohibiting  the  payment  of  principal  or  interest  on  subordinated  debt;  and  (xi) 
ultimately, for critically undercapitalized institutions, appointing a receiver for the institution.

At  December  31,  2023,  the  Bank  was  categorized  as  “well  capitalized,”  meaning  that  the  Bank’s  total  risk–based 
capital ratio exceeded 10%, the Bank’s Tier 1 risk–based capital ratio exceeded 8%, the Bank’s common equity Tier 
1 risk–based capital ratio exceeded 6.5%, the Bank’s leverage ratio exceeded 5%, and the Bank was not subject to 
a regulatory order, agreement or directive to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure.

Banking regulators may change these capital requirements from time to time, depending on the economic outlook 
generally and the outlook for the banking industry. The Company is unable to predict whether and when any such 
further capital requirements would be imposed and, if so, to what levels and on what schedule.

Anti–Money Laundering — The USA Patriot Act and the Bank Secrecy Act

Horizon is subject to the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, which contains anti–money laundering and 
financial  transparency  laws  and  requires  financial  institutions  to  implement  additional  policies  and  procedures  to 
address  money  laundering,  suspicious  activities  and  currency  transaction  reporting,  and  currency  crimes.  The 
regulations  promulgated  under  the  USA  PATRIOT  Act  of  2001  require  financial  institutions  such  as  the  Bank  to 
adopt controls to detect, prevent and report money laundering and terrorist financing and to verify the identities of 
their customers.

The Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, which was amended to incorporate certain provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act of 
2001,  also  focuses  on  combating  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing  and  requires  financial  institutions  to 
develop  policies,  procedures  and  practices  to  prevent,  detect  and  deter  these  activities,  including  customer 
identification programs and procedures for filing suspicious activity reports. 

Failure  to  maintain  and  implement  adequate  programs  to  combat  money  laundering  and  terrorist  financing,  or  to 
comply  with  all  of  the  relevant  laws  or  regulations  relating  thereto,  could  have  serious  legal  and  reputational 
consequences for Horizon and the Bank.

13

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Federal Securities Law and NASDAQ

The  shares  of  common  stock  of  Horizon  have  been  registered  with  the  SEC  under  the  Exchange Act.  Horizon  is 
subject to the information, proxy solicitation, insider trading restrictions and other requirements of the Exchange Act 
and the rules of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Shares of common stock held by persons who are affiliates of Horizon may not be resold without registration unless 
sold in accordance with the resale restrictions of Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. If Horizon 
meets the current public information requirements under Rule 144, each affiliate of Horizon who complies with the 
other conditions of Rule 144 (including those that require the affiliate’s sale to be aggregated with those of certain 
other persons) would be able to sell in the public market, without registration, a number of shares not to exceed, in 
any three-month period, the greater of (i) 1% of the outstanding shares of Horizon or (ii) the average weekly volume 
of trading in such shares during the preceding four calendar weeks.

Under the Dodd–Frank Act, Horizon is required to provide its shareholders an opportunity to vote on the executive 
compensation  payable  to  its  named  executive  officers  and  on  golden  parachute  payments  in  connection  with 
mergers and acquisitions. These votes are non-binding and advisory. At least once every six years, Horizon must 
also permit shareholders to determine, on an advisory basis, whether such votes on executive compensation (called 
“say on pay” votes) should be held every one, two, or three years. In both 2012 and 2018, Horizon’s shareholders 
voted in favor of presenting the executive compensation “say on pay” question every year.

Shares  of  common  stock  of  Horizon  are  listed  on  The  NASDAQ  Global  Select  Market  under  the  trading  symbol 
“HBNC,” and Horizon is subject to the rules of NASDAQ for listed companies.

Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002

Horizon is subject to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes–Oxley Act”), which revised the laws affecting 
corporate  governance,  accounting  obligations  and  corporate  reporting.  The  Sarbanes–Oxley  Act  applies  to  all 
companies  with  equity  or  debt  securities  registered  under  the  1934  Act.  In  particular,  the  Sarbanes–Oxley  Act 
established:  (i)  new  requirements  for  audit  committees,  including  independence,  expertise  and  responsibilities;  (i) 
additional responsibilities regarding financial statements for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer 
of  the  reporting  company;  (ii)  new  standards  for  auditors  and  regulation  of  audits;  (iv)  increased  disclosure  and 
reporting obligations for the reporting company and its directors and executive officers; and (v) new and increased 
civil and criminal penalties for violation of the securities laws.

Pursuant  to  the  final  rules  adopted  by  the  SEC  to  implement  Section  404  of  the  Sarbanes–Oxley Act,  Horizon  is 
required to include in each Form 10–K it files a report of management on Horizon’s internal control over financial 
reporting. The internal control report must include a statement of management’s responsibility for establishing and 
maintaining  adequate  control  over  financial  reporting  of  Horizon,  identify  the  framework  used  by  management  to 
evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  Horizon’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and  provide  management’s 
assessment of the effectiveness of Horizon’s internal control over financial reporting. This Annual Report on Form 
10–K also includes an attestation report issued by Horizon’s registered public accounting firm on Horizon’s internal 
control over financial reporting.

Financial System Reform — The Dodd–Frank Act, the CFPB and the 2018 Regulatory Relief Act

The Dodd–Frank Act, which was signed into law in 2010, significantly changed the regulation of financial institutions 
and  the  financial  services  industry.  The  Dodd–Frank  Act  includes  provisions  affecting  large  and  small  financial 
institutions alike, including several provisions that have profoundly affected how community banks, thrifts, and small 
bank and thrift holding companies are regulated. Among other things, these provisions eliminated the Office of Thrift 
Supervision  and  transferred  its  functions  to  the  other  federal  banking  agencies,  relaxed  rules  regarding  interstate 
branching,  allowed  financial  institutions  to  pay  interest  on  business  checking  accounts,  changed  the  scope  of 
federal deposit insurance coverage and imposed new capital requirements on bank and thrift holding companies.

The Dodd–Frank Act created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) as an independent bureau within 
the  Federal  Reserve  System  with  broad  rulemaking,  supervisory  and  enforcement  powers  under  various  federal 
consumer financial protection laws, including the Equal Credit  Opportunity Act, Truth in Lending Act, Real Estate 
Settlement  Procedures Act,  Fair  Credit  Reporting Act,  Fair  Debt  Collection  Practices Act,  the  Consumer  Financial 

14

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Privacy provisions of the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act and certain other statutes. In July 2011, many of the consumer 
financial  protection  functions  formerly  assigned  to  the  federal  banking  and  other  designated  agencies  were 
transferred  to  the  CFBP. The  CFBP  has  a  large  budget  and  staff,  and  has  the  authority  to  implement  regulations 
under  federal  consumer  protection  laws  and  enforce  those  laws  against  financial  institutions.  The  CFPB  has 
examination  and  primary  enforcement  authority  over  depository  institutions  with  $10  billion  or  more  in  assets. 
Smaller institutions (like Horizon) are subject to rules promulgated by the CFPB but continue to be examined and 
supervised by the federal banking regulators for consumer compliance purposes. The CFPB also has authority to 
prevent unfair, deceptive or abusive practices in connection with offering consumer financial products. Additionally, 
the  CFPB  is  authorized  to  collect  fines  and  provide  consumer  restitution  in  the  event  of  violations,  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 indicated that mortgage lending is an area of supervisory focus. The CFPB has published several 
final  regulations  impacting  the  mortgage  industry,  including  rules  related  to  ability–to–repay,  mortgage  servicing, 
escrow accounts, and mortgage loan originator compensation. The ability–to–repay rule makes lenders liable if they 
fail  to  assess  a  borrower’s  ability  to  repay  under  a  prescribed  test,  but  also  creates  a  safe  harbor  for  so  called 
“qualified  mortgages.”  Failure  to  comply  with  the  ability–to–repay  rule  may  result  in  possible  CFPB  enforcement 
action and special statutory damages plus actual, class action, and attorneys’ fees damages, all of which a borrower 
may claim in defense of a foreclosure action at any time.

The CFPB also amended Regulation C to implement amendments to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act made by 
the  Dodd–Frank  Act.  The  amendment  added  a  significant  number  of  new  information  collecting  and  reporting 
requirements for financial institutions, most of which became effective as of January 1, 2018.

The Dodd–Frank Act contains numerous other provisions affecting financial institutions of all types, many of which 
may have an impact on the operating environment of Horizon in substantial and unpredictable ways. Horizon has 
incurred higher operating costs in complying with the Dodd–Frank Act, and expects these higher costs to continue 
for the foreseeable future.

Rules promulgated in 2019 pursuant to the Regulatory Relief Act have simplified the regulatory capital calculation 
and have established a “Community Bank Leverage Ratio” to replace the leverage and risk–based regulatory capital 
ratios  for  those  banks  choosing  to  adopt  it.  In  addition,  the  Regulatory  Relief  Act  includes  regulatory  relief  for 
community  banks  regarding  regulatory  examination  cycles,  call  reports,  the  Volcker  Rule  (proprietary  trading 
prohibitions), mortgage disclosures and risk weights for certain high–risk commercial real estate loans.

Horizon’s management will continue to review the status of the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to the Dodd–
Frank Act and the Regulatory Relief Act, particularly the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework, and to assess 
their probable impact on the business, financial condition and results of operations of Horizon. At this point, Horizon 
Bank has not elected to opt into the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework.

Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) System

The Bank is a member of the FHLB of Indianapolis, which is one of twelve regional FHLBs. Each FHLB serves as a 
reserve  or  central  bank  for  its  members  within  its  assigned  region.  The  FHLB  is  funded  primarily  from  funds 
deposited by banks and savings associations and proceeds derived from the sale of consolidated obligations of the 
FHLB system. It makes loans to members (i.e., advances) in accordance with policies and procedures established 
by  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  FHLB.  All  FHLB  advances  must  be  fully  secured  by  sufficient  collateral  as 
determined by the FHLB. The Federal Housing Finance Board (“FHFB”), an independent agency, controls the FHLB 
System, including the FHLB of Indianapolis.

The  FHLB  imposes  various  limitations  on  advances  such  as  limiting  the  amount  of  certain  types  of  real  estate 
related collateral to 30% of a member’s capital and limiting total advances to a member. Interest rates charged for 
advances  vary  depending  upon  maturity,  the  cost  of  funds  to  the  FHLB  of  Indianapolis  and  the  purpose  of  the 
borrowing.

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HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The  FHLBs  are  required  to  provide  funds  for  the  resolution  of  troubled  savings  associations  and  to  contribute  to 
affordable  housing  programs  through  direct  loans  or  interest  subsidies  on  advances  targeted  for  community 
investment and low and moderate income housing projects.

As a member of the FHLB, the Bank is required to purchase and maintain stock in the FHLB of Indianapolis in an 
amount equal to at least 1% of its aggregate unpaid residential mortgage loans, home purchase contracts, or similar 
obligations  at  the  beginning  of  each  year. At  December  31,  2023,  the  Bank’s  investment  in  stock  of  the  FHLB  of 
Indianapolis was $34.5 million which exceeds the required stock purchase minimum for Horizon. For the year ended 
December  31,  2023,  dividends  paid  by  the  FHLB  of  Indianapolis  to  the  Bank  on  the  FHLB  stock  totaled 
approximately $2.3 million, for an annualized rate paid in dividends of 6.5%.

Limitations on Rates Paid for Deposits; Restrictions on Brokered Deposits

FDIC regulations restrict the interest rates that less than well–capitalized insured depository institutions may pay on 
deposits  and  also  restrict  the  ability  of  such  institutions  to  accept  brokered  deposits.  These  regulations  permit  a 
“well  capitalized”  depository  institution  to  accept,  renew  or  roll  over  brokered  deposits  without  restriction,  and  an 
“adequately capitalized” depository institution to accept, renew or roll over brokered deposits with a waiver from the 
FDIC (subject to certain restrictions on payments of rates). The regulations prohibit an “undercapitalized” depository 
institution  from  accepting,  renewing  or  rolling  over  brokered  deposits.  These  regulations  contemplate  that  the 
definitions  of  “well  capitalized,”  “adequately  capitalized”  and  “undercapitalized”  will  be  the  same  as  the  definitions 
adopted  by  the  agencies  to  implement  the  prompt  corrective  action  provisions  of  FDICIA.  The  Bank  is  a  well–
capitalized institution, and management does not believe that these regulations have a materially adverse effect on 
the Bank’s current operations.

Community Reinvestment Act

Under  the  Community  Reinvestment Act  (“CRA”),  the  Bank  has  a  continuing  and  affirmative  obligation  consistent 
with its safe and sound operation to help meet the credit needs of its entire community, including low and moderate 
income  neighborhoods.  The  CRA  does  not  establish  specific  lending  requirements  or  programs  for  financial 
institutions nor does it limit an institution’s discretion to develop the types of products and services that it believes 
are best suited to its particular community, consistent with the CRA. The CRA requires the FDIC in connection with 
its examination of the Bank, to assess its record of meeting the credit needs of its community and to take that record 
into account in its evaluation of certain applications by the Bank. For example, the regulations specify that a bank’s 
CRA performance will be considered in its expansion proposals (e.g., branching and acquisitions of other financial 
institutions) and may be the basis for approving, denying or conditioning the approval of an application. As of the 
date of its most recent regulatory examination, the Bank was rated “satisfactory” with respect to its CRA compliance.

Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act, Financial Privacy

The Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act adopted in 1999 (“Gramm–Leach”) was intended to modernize the banking industry 
by  removing  barriers  to  affiliation  among  banks,  insurance  companies,  the  securities  industry  and  other  financial 
service providers. Gramm–Leach was responsible for establishing a distinct type of bank holding company, known 
as  a  financial  holding  company,  which  is  allowed  to  engage  in  an  expanded  range  of  financial  services,  including 
banking,  securities  underwriting,  insurance  (both  agency  and  underwriting)  and  merchant  banking. As  previously 
discussed, Horizon has qualified as, and elected to become, a financial holding company under the Gramm–Leach 
amendments to the BHC Act.

Under  Gramm–Leach,  federal  banking  regulators  adopted  rules  limiting  the  ability  of  banks  and  other  financial 
institutions  to  disclose  non–public  information  about  consumers  to  non–affiliated  third  parties.  The  rules  require 
disclosure of privacy policies to consumers and, in some circumstances, allow consumers to prevent disclosure of 
certain  personal  information  to  non–affiliated  third  parties.  The  privacy  provisions  of  Gramm–Leach  affect  how 
consumer  information  is  transmitted  through  diversified  financial  services  companies  and  conveyed  to  outside 
vendors.

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HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

As  a  financial  institution,  the  Bank  handles  a  significant  amount  of  sensitive  data,  including  personal  information. 
The  Company  does  not  disclose  any  non–public  information  about  any  current  or  former  customers  to  anyone 
except as permitted by law and subject to contractual confidentiality provisions which restrict the release and use of 
such information.

We  are  also  subject  to  guidance  from  the  Federal  Financial  Institutions  Examination  Council  (“FFIEC”),  an 
interagency body for five federal banking regulators, with respect to such matters as data privacy, disaster recovery 
and cybersecurity.

Horizon continues to monitor existing and new privacy and data security laws for their impact on Horizon’s business 
operations  and  its  customers,  including  the  applicability  and  effect  of  laws  such  as  the  European  Union’s 
comprehensive 2018 General Data Privacy Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act that went into effect 
on January 1, 2020.

Interchange Fees for Debit Cards

Under the Dodd–Frank Act, interchange fees for bank card transactions must be reasonable and proportional to the 
issuer’s incremental cost incurred with respect to the transaction plus certain fraud related costs. Interchange fees 
are transaction fees between banks for each bank card transaction, designed to reimburse the card-issuing bank for 
the costs of handling and credit risk inherent in a bank credit or debit card transaction. Although institutions with total 
assets  of  less  than  $10  billion,  like  the  Bank,  are  exempt  from  this  requirement,  regulatory  pressures  may,  over 
time, require smaller depository institutions to reduce fees with respect to these bank card transactions.

Other Regulation

In addition to the matters discussed above, the Bank is subject to additional regulation of its activities, including a 
variety of consumer protection regulations affecting its lending, deposit and debt collection activities and regulations 
affecting secondary mortgage market activities. Both federal and state law extensively regulate various aspects of 
the banking business, such as reserve requirements, truth-in-lending and truth-in-savings disclosures, equal credit 
opportunity, fair credit reporting, trading in securities and other aspects of banking operations.

Effect of Governmental Monetary Policies

The  Bank’s  earnings  are  affected  by  domestic  economic  conditions  and  the  monetary  and  fiscal  policies  of  the 
United States government  and its agencies. The Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have had, and are likely to 
continue to have, an important impact on the operating results of commercial banks through its power to implement 
national monetary policy in order, among other things, to curb inflation or combat a recession. The monetary policies 
of the Federal Reserve have major effects upon the levels of bank loans, investments and deposits through its open 
market  operations  in  United  States  government  securities  and  through  its  regulation  of  the  discount  rate  on 
borrowings  of  member  banks  and  the  reserve  requirements  against  member  bank  deposits.  It  is  not  possible  to 
predict the nature or impact of future changes in monetary and fiscal policies.

Legislative Initiatives

Additional  legislative  and  administrative  actions  affecting  the  banking  industry  may  be  considered  by  the  United 
States Congress, state legislatures and various regulatory agencies. Horizon cannot predict with certainty whether 
such  legislative  or  administrative  action  will  be  enacted  or  the  extent  to  which  the  banking  industry  in  general  or 
Horizon and its affiliates in particular will be affected.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

An  investment  in  Horizon’s  securities  is  subject  to  numerous  risks  and  uncertainties  related  to  our  business. The 
material risks and uncertainties that management believes currently affect Horizon are described below, categorized 
as  risks  related  to  our  business,  risks  related  to  the  banking  industry  generally,  and  risks  related  to  our  common 
stock.  Additional  risks  and  uncertainties  that  management  is  not  aware  of  or  that  management  currently  deems 
immaterial  may  also  impair  Horizon's  business  operations  and  its  financial  results.  This  report  is  qualified  in  its 
entirety by these risk factors. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results 

17

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

of  operations  could  be  materially  and  adversely  affected.  If  this  were  to  happen,  the  value  of  our  securities  could 
decline  significantly,  and  you  could  lose  all  or  part  of  your  investment. As  a  result,  before  making  an  investment 
decision, you should carefully consider these risks as well as information we include or incorporate by reference in 
this report and other filings we make with the SEC.

Some  statements  in  the  following  risk  factors  constitute  forward–looking  statements.  Please  refer  to  "Forward–
Looking Statements" beginning on page 3 of this Annual Report on Form 10–K.

Risks Related to Our Business

As a financial institution, we are subject to a number of risks relating to our daily business. Although we undertake a 
variety of efforts to manage and control those risks, many of the risks are outside of our control. Among the risks we 
face are the following: 

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Credit  Risk  –  the  risk  that  loan  customers  or  other  parties  will  be  unable  to  perform  their  contractual 
obligations;

Market Risk – the risk that changes in market rates and prices will adversely affect our financial condition or 
results of operation;

Liquidity Risk – the risk that Horizon or the Bank will have insufficient cash or access to cash to meet its 
operating needs;

Operational  Risk  –  the  risk  of  financial  and  reputational  loss  resulting  from  fraud,  inadequate  or  failed 
internal processes, cyber–security breaches, people and systems, or external events;

Economic  Risk  –  the  risk  that  the  economy  in  our  markets  could  decline  resulting  in  increased 
unemployment, decreased real estate values and increased loan charge–offs;

Compliance Risk – the risk of additional action by our regulators or additional regulation that could hinder 
our ability to do business profitably;

Legal/Regulatory Risk – the risk presented by the need to comply with all laws, rules and regulations from 
multiple regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the FDIC, CFPB, Indiana Department of Financial 
Institutions, Federal Reserve Bank and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, and the Department 
of Labor; and

Fiduciary Risk – the risk of failing to act in our fiduciary capacity in the best interests of the grantors and 
beneficiaries of trust accounts and benefit plans.

Credit Risk

Our commercial, residential mortgage and consumer loans expose us to increased credit risks.

We have a large percentage of commercial, residential mortgage and consumer loans. Commercial loans 
generally  have  greater  credit  risk  than  residential  mortgage  and  consumer  loans  because  repayment  of 
these loans often depends on the successful business operations of the borrowers. Commercial real estate 
loans generally have greater risk because repayment of these loans is often dependent upon income being 
generated in amounts sufficient to cover operating costs and debt service. Both types of commercial loans 
also  typically  have  much  larger  loan  balances  than  residential  mortgage  and  consumer  loans.  Consumer 
loans generally involve greater risk than residential mortgage loans because they are unsecured or secured 
by  assets  that  depreciate  in  value.  Although  we  undertake  a  variety  of  underwriting,  monitoring  and 
reserving protections with respect to these types of loans, there can be no guarantee that we will not suffer 
unexpected  losses.  Residential  mortgage  loans  and  consumer  loans  are  at  risk  due  to  the  continuing 
volatility  of  unemployment  rates  and  increasing  interest  rates,  which  may  adversely  affect  the  underlying 
real  estate  and  other  collateral  values  and  the  ability  of  our  borrowers  to  repay  their  loans  on  scheduled 
terms.

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HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Our  holdings  of  construction,  land  and  home  equity  loans  may  pose  more  credit  risk  than  other 
types of mortgage loans.

Construction loans, loans secured by commercial real estate and home equity loans generally entail more 
risk  than  other  types  of  mortgage  loans.  When  real  estate  values  decrease,  the  developers  to  whom  we 
lend  are  likely  to  become  non–performing  as  developers  are  unable  to  build  and  sell  homes  in  volumes 
large  enough  for  orderly  repayment  of  loans  and  as  other  owners  of  such  real  estate  (including 
homeowners)  are  unable  to  keep  up  with  their  payments.  We  strive  to  establish  what  we  believe  are 
adequate  reserves  on  our  financial  statements  to  cover  the  credit  risk  of  these  loan  portfolios.  However, 
there can be no assurance that losses will not exceed our reserves, and ultimately result in a material level 
of charge–offs, which would adversely impact our results of operations, liquidity and capital.

The allowance for credit losses on loans may prove inadequate or be negatively affected by credit 
risk exposures.

Our business depends on the creditworthiness of our customers. We periodically review the allowance for 
credit losses for adequacy considering economic conditions and trends, collateral values, and credit quality 
indicators, including past charge–off experience and levels of past due loans and non–performing assets. 
There is no certainty that the allowance for credit losses will be adequate over time to cover credit losses in 
the  portfolio  because  of  unanticipated  adverse  changes  in  the  economy,  market  conditions  or  events 
adversely  affecting  specific  customers,  industries  or  markets.  If  the  credit  quality  of  our  customer  base 
materially decreases, if the risk profile of a market, industry or group of customers changes materially, or if 
the  allowance  for  credit  losses  is  not  adequate,  our  business,  financial  conditions,  liquidity,  capital,  and 
results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Market Risk

Changes in interest rates could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our financial condition and results of operations are significantly affected by changes in interest rates. We 
can neither predict with certainty nor control changes in interest rates. These changes can occur at any time 
and are affected by many factors, including international, national, regional and local economic conditions, 
competitive and inflationary pressures and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve.

Our results of operations depend substantially on our net interest income, which is the difference between 
the interest income that we earn on our interest earning assets and the interest expense that we pay on our 
interest bearing liabilities. Our profitability depends on our ability to manage our assets and liabilities during 
periods of changing interest rates. If rates increase rapidly, we may have to increase the rates paid on our 
deposits  and  borrowed  funds  more  quickly  than  loans  and  investments  re–price,  resulting  in  a  negative 
impact  on  interest  spreads  and  net  interest  income.  The  impact  of  rising  rates  could  be  compounded  if 
deposit customers funds away from us into direct investments, such as U.S. Government bonds, corporate 
securities and other investments, including mutual funds, which, because of the absence of federal deposit 
insurance premiums and reserve requirements, generally pay higher rates of return than those offered by 
financial institutions.

We also expect that we will periodically experience “gaps” in the interest rate sensitivities of our assets and 
liabilities,  meaning  that  either  our  interest  bearing  liabilities  will  be  more  sensitive  to  changes  in  market 
interest rates than our interest earning assets, or vice versa. In either event, if market interest rates should 
move contrary to our position, this “gap” will negatively impact our earnings. The impact on earnings is more 
adverse  when  the  slope  of  the  yield  curve  flattens,  that  is,  when  short–term  interest  rates  increase  more 
than  long–term  interest  rates  or  when  long–term  interest  rates  decrease  more  than  short–term  interest 
rates.

Changes  in  interest  rates  also  could  affect  loan  volume.  For  instance,  an  increase  in  interest  rates  could 
cause a decrease in the demand for mortgage loans (and other loans), which could result in a significant 
decline in our revenues. In addition, as market interest rates rise, the value of the Company's investment 
securities,  particularly  those  that  have  fixed  rates  or  longer  maturities,  could  decrease.  Increasing  rates 

19

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

would also increase debt service requirements for some of the Bank's borrowers and may adversely affect 
those  borrowers'  ability  to  pay  as  contractually  obligated  and  could  result  in  additional  delinquencies  or 
charge–offs.

Conversely,  should  market  interest  rates  fall  below  current  levels,  our  net  interest  margin  could  also  be 
negatively  affected,  as  competitive  pressures  could  keep  us  from  further  reducing  rates  on  our  deposits, 
and  prepayments  on  loans  may  continue.  Such  movements  may  cause  a  decrease  in  our  interest  rate 
spread and net interest margin, and therefore, decrease our profitability.

We also are subject to reinvestment risk associated with changes in interest rates. Changes in interest rates 
may  affect  the  average  life  of  loans  and  mortgage–related  securities.  Increases  in  interest  rates  may 
decrease loan demand and/or may make it more difficult for borrowers to repay adjustable rate loans, which 
increases the potential for default. An increase in interest rates that adversely affects the ability of borrowers 
to pay the principal or interest on may also lead to an increase in non–performing assets and a reduction of 
income recognized, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows. 
Further,  when  we  place  a  loan  on  non–accrual  status,  we  reverse  any  accrued  but  unpaid  interest 
receivable, which decreases interest income. At the same time, we continue to have a cost to fund the loan, 
which is reflected as interest expense, without any interest income to offset the associated funding expense.

Decreases in interest rates often result in increased prepayments of loans and mortgage–related securities, 
as borrowers refinance their loans to reduce borrowing costs. Under these circumstances, we are subject to 
reinvestment risk to the extent that we are unable to reinvest the cash received from such prepayments in 
loans  or  other  investments  that  have  interest  rates  that  are  comparable  to  the  interest  rates  on  existing 
loans and securities.

We are exposed to intangible asset risk in that our goodwill may become impaired.

As of December 31, 2023, we had $168.8 million of goodwill and other intangible assets. A significant and 
sustained  decline  in  our  stock  price  and  market  capitalization,  a  significant  decline  in  our  expected  future 
cash  flows,  a  significant  adverse  change  in  the  business  climate,  or  slower  growth  rates  could  result  in 
impairment of goodwill. If we were to conclude that a future write-down of our goodwill is necessary, then we 
would  record  the  appropriate  charge,  which  could  be  materially  adverse  to  our  operating  results  and 
financial  position.  For  further  discussion,  see  Notes  1  and  8,  “Nature  of  Operations  and  Summary  of 
Significant  Accounting  Policies”  and  “Goodwill  and  Intangible  Assets,”  to  the  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements included in Item 8 of our Annual Report on Form 10–K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Our mortgage lending profitability could be significantly reduced as changes in interest rates could 
affect mortgage origination volume and pricing for selling mortgages on the secondary market.

Currently, we sell a substantial portion of the mortgage loans we originate. The profitability of our mortgage 
banking operations depends in large part upon our ability to originate and sell mortgages to the secondary 
market  at  a  gain. A  higher  interest  rate  environment  can  negatively  affect  the  volume  of  loan  originations 
and  refinanced  loans  reducing  the  dollar  amount  of  loans  available  to  be  sold  to  the  secondary  market. 
Higher interest rates can also negatively affect the premium received on loans sold to the secondary market 
as competitive pressures to originate loans can reduce pricing.

Our ability to sell mortgage loans readily is dependent upon the availability of an active secondary market 
for single–family mortgage loans, which in turn depends in part upon the continuation of programs currently 
offered  by  Fannie  Mae,  Freddie  Mac  and  Ginnie  Mae  (the  “Agencies”)  and  other  institutional  and  non–
institutional investors. These entities account for a substantial portion of the secondary market in residential 
mortgage  loans.  Some  of  the  largest  participants  in  the  secondary  market,  including  the  Agencies,  are 
government–sponsored  enterprises  whose  activities  are  governed  by  federal  law.  Any  future  changes  in 
laws that significantly affect the activity of such government–sponsored enterprises could, in turn, adversely 
affect our operations.

20

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Any  significant  impairment  of  our  eligibility  with  any  of  the Agencies  could  materially  and  adversely  affect 
our  operations.  Further,  the  criteria  for  loans  to  be  accepted  under  such  programs  may  be  changed  from 
time–to–time  by  the  sponsoring  entity  which  could  result  in  a  lower  volume  of  corresponding  loan 
originations.  The  profitability  of  participating  in  specific  programs  may  vary  depending  on  a  number  of 
factors,  including  our  administrative  costs  of  originating  and  purchasing  qualifying  loans  and  our  costs  of 
meeting such criteria.

The price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly, and this may make it difficult for you to 
resell our common stock at times or at prices you find attractive.

Although  our  common  stock  is  listed  on  the  NASDAQ  Global  Select  Market,  our  stock  price  constantly 
changes, and we expect our stock price to continue to fluctuate in the future. Our stock price is impacted by 
a variety of factors, some of which are beyond our control.

These factors include:

•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

•
•

variations in our operating results or the quality of our assets;
operating results that vary from the expectations of management, securities analysts and investors;
increases in loan losses, non–performing loans and other real estate owned;
changes in the U.S. corporate tax rates;
changes in expectations as to our future financial performance;
announcements  of  new  products,  strategic  developments,  new  technology,  acquisitions  and  other 
material events by us or our competitors;
ability to fund Horizon's assets through core deposits and/or wholesale funding;
the  operating  and  securities  prices  performance  of  other  companies  that  investors  believe  are 
comparable to us;
our inclusion on the Russell 2000 or other indices;
actual or anticipated sales of our equity or equity–related securities;
our past and future dividend practice;
our creditworthiness;
interest rates;
the  credit,  mortgage  and  housing  markets,  and  the  markets  for  securities  relating  to  mortgage  or 
housing;
developments with respect to financial institutions generally; and
economic,  financial,  geopolitical,  regulatory,  congressional  or  judicial  events  that  affect  us  or  the 
financial markets.

In  addition,  the  stock  market  in  general  has  experienced  price  and  volume  fluctuations. The  volatility  has 
had a significant effect on the market price of securities issued by many companies and particularly those in 
the  financial  services  and  banking  sector,  including  for  reasons  unrelated  to  their  operating  performance. 
These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect our stock price, notwithstanding our operating results.

Because our stock is moderately traded, it may be more difficult for you to sell your shares or buy 
additional shares when you desire to do so and the price may be volatile.

Although  our  common  stock  has  been  listed  on  the  NASDAQ  stock  market  since  December  2001,  our 
common  stock  is  moderately  traded. The  prices  of  moderately  traded  stocks,  such  as  ours,  can  be  more 
volatile  than  stocks  traded  in  a  large,  active  public  market  and  can  be  more  easily  impacted  by  sales  or 
purchases of large blocks of stock. Moderately traded stocks are also less liquid, and because of the low 
volume of trades, you may be unable to sell your shares when you desire to do so.

21

Liquidity Risk

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

We  are  subject  to  liquidity  risk  in  our  operations,  which  could  adversely  affect  the  ability  to  fund 
various obligations.

Liquidity  risk  is  the  possibility  of  being  unable  to  meet  obligations  as  they  come  due,  pay  deposits  when 
withdrawn,  capitalized  on  growth  opportunities  as  they  arise,  or  pay  dividends  because  of  an  inability  to 
liquidate assets or obtain adequate funding on a timely basis, at a reasonable cost and within acceptable 
risk tolerances. Liquidity is derived primarily from retail deposit growth and retention, principal and interest 
payments  on  loans  and  investment  securities,  net  cash  provided  from  operations,  and  access  to  other 
funding sources. Liquidity is essential to our business. We must maintain sufficient funds to respond to the 
needs  of  depositors  and  borrowers.  An  inability  to  raise  funds  through  deposits,  borrowings,  the  sale  or 
pledging as collateral of loans and other assets could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity.

Our access to funding sources in amounts adequate to finance our activities could be impaired by factors 
that affect us specifically or the financial services industry in general. Factors that could detrimentally impact 
our  access  to  liquidity  sources  include  a  decrease  in  the  level  of  our  business  activity  due  to  a  market 
downturn, failures of other financial institutions which reduces overall market confidence in the banking and 
financial  services  industry,  or  regulatory  action  that  limits  or  eliminates  our  access  to  alternate  funding 
sources. Our ability to borrow could also be impaired by factors that are nonspecific to us, such as severe 
disruption  of  the  financial  markets  or  negative  expectations  about  the  prospects  for  the  financial  services 
industry as a whole, as evidenced by the recent failures of certain depository institutions and the resulting 
market turmoil and volatility stemming from such failures. 

Unrealized losses in our investment portfolio could adversely affect liquidity.

As  market  interest  rates  increased  during  2022  and  2023,  we  have  experienced  increased  unrealized 
losses within our investment portfolio. Our investment portfolio consists of obligations of the U.S. Treasury 
and  federal  agencies,  obligations  of  state  and  local  municipalities,  federal  agency  mortgage  obligations, 
private  labeled  mortgage–backed  pools  and  corporate  notes.  Many  of  these  instruments  are  particularly 
sensitive  to  interest  rate  fluctuations,  especially  long–term  fixed–income  securities. The  unrealized  losses 
for available for sale investments is reflected in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) on our 
balance sheet and reduces our book capital and tangible common equity ratio. However, unrealized losses 
do not affect our regulatory capital ratios. 

Management  continues  to  actively  monitor  the  investment  portfolio  and  does  not  currently  anticipate  the 
need  to  realize  material  losses  from  the  investment  portfolio,  and  we  believe  it  is  unlikely  we  would  be 
required  to  sell  the  securities  before  recovery  of  their  amortized  cost  bases,  which  may  be  at  maturity. 
However,  our  access  to  liquidity  sources  could  be  affected  by  unrealized  losses  if  securities  within  the 
investment portfolio must be sold at a loss or tangible capital ratios decline from an increase in unrealized 
losses or realized credit losses.

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 future to fund acquisitions and to provide us with sufficient 
capital  resources  and  liquidity  to  meet  our  commitments,  regulatory  capital  requirements  and  business 
needs,  particularly  if  our  asset  quality  or  earnings  were  to  deteriorate  significantly.  Although  we  are 
currently,  and  have  historically  been,  “well  capitalized”  for  regulatory  purposes,  in  the  past  we  have  been 
required  to  maintain  increased  levels  of  capital  in  connection  with  certain  acquisitions.  Additionally,  we 
periodically explore acquisition opportunities with other financial institutions, some of which are in distressed 
financial condition. Any future acquisition, particularly the acquisition of a significantly troubled institution or 
an institution of comparable size to us, may require us to raise additional capital in order to obtain regulatory 
approval and/or to remain well capitalized.

22

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

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 performance. Economic conditions 
and  the  loss  of  confidence  in  financial  institutions  may  increase  our  cost  of  funding  and  limit  access  to 
certain  customary  sources  of  capital,  including  inter–bank  borrowings,  repurchase  agreements  and 
borrowings from the discount window of the Federal Reserve.

We cannot guarantee that such capital will be available on acceptable terms or at all. Any occurrence that 
may  limit  our  access  to  the  capital  markets,  such  as  a  decline  in  the  confidence  of  debt  purchasers,  our 
depositors or counterparties participating in the capital markets, may adversely affect our capital costs and 
our ability to raise capital and, in turn, our liquidity. Moreover, 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 have 
to compete with those institutions for investors. An inability to raise additional capital on acceptable terms 
when  needed  could  have  a  materially  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of 
operations and may restrict our ability to grow.

Operational Risk

Our  internal  controls  may  be  ineffective,  circumvented,  or  fail.Our  internal  controls  may  be 
ineffective, circumvented, or fail

Management regularly reviews and updates our internal controls, disclosure controls and procedures, and 
corporate  governance  policies  and  procedures.  Any  system  of  controls,  however  well  designed  and 
operated,  is  based  in  part  on  certain  assumptions  and  can  provide  only  reasonable,  not  absolute, 
assurances  that  the  objectives  of  the  system  are  met.  Any  failure  or  circumvention  of  our  controls  and 
procedures,  failure  to  implement  any  necessary  improvement  of  controls  and  procedures,  or  failure  to 
comply  with  regulations  related  to  controls  and  procedures  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
business,  results  of  operations,  and  financial  condition.Management  regularly  reviews  and  updates  our 
internal  controls,  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  and  corporate  governance  policies  and  procedures. 
Any system of controls, however well designed and operated, is based in part on certain assumptions and 
can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurances that the objectives of the system are met. Any failure 
or  circumvention  of  our  controls  and  procedures,  failure  to  implement  any  necessary  improvement  of 
controls and procedures, or failure to comply with regulations related to controls and procedures could have 
a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Our information systems may experience cyber–attacks or an interruption or breach in security. Our 
cybersecurity systems could be inadequate or fail. 

We  rely  heavily  on  internal  and  outsourced  technologies,  communications,  and  information  systems  to 
conduct  our  business.  Additionally,  in  the  normal  course  of  business,  we  collect,  process  and  retain 
sensitive  and  confidential  information  regarding  our  customers.  As  our  reliance  on  technology  has 
increased, so have the potential risks of a technology–related operational interruption (such as disruptions 
in  our  customer  relationship  management,  general  ledger,  deposit,  loan,  or  other  systems)  or  the 
occurrence of cyber–attacks (such as unauthorized access to our systems, computer viruses, ransom ware, 
or  other  malicious  code).  These  risks  have  increased  for  all  financial  institutions  as  new  technologies, 
advancement consumer applications and the increase adoption of mobile devices, have become commonly 
used  to  conduct  financial  and  other  business  transactions,  during  a  time  of  increased  technological 
sophistication of organized crime, perpetrators of fraud, hackers, terrorists and others. In addition to cyber–
attacks  or  other  security  breaches  involving  the  theft  of  sensitive  and  confidential  information,  hackers 
recently  have  engaged  in  attacks  against  large  financial  institutions,  particularly  denial  of  service  attacks, 
which are designed to disrupt key business services, such as customer–facing web sites. Although we have 
programs in place related to business continuity, disaster recovery and information security to maintain the 
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our systems, business applications and customer information, we 
are  not  able  to  anticipate  or  implement  effective  preventive  measures  against  all  cyber–security  threats, 
especially because the techniques used change frequently and because attacks can originate from a wide 
variety of sources, both domestic and foreign.

23

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

We also face risks related to cyber–attacks and other security breaches in connection with credit card and 
debit  card  transactions  that  typically  involve  the  transmission  of  sensitive  information  regarding  our 
customers through various third parties, including merchant acquiring banks, payment processors, payment 
card  networks  and  our  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 impact us through no fault of our own, and in some cases, we may have exposure 
and suffer losses for breaches or attacks relating to them. Further cyber–attacks or other breaches in the 
future, whether affecting us or others, could intensify consumer concern and regulatory focus and result in 
reduced use of payment cards and increased costs, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our 
business.

To the extent we are involved in any future cyber–attacks or other breaches, we may be required to expend 
significant  additional  resources  to  modify  our  protective  measures  or  to  investigate  and  remediate 
vulnerabilities or other exposures, and we may be subject to litigation and financial losses that are either not 
insured  against  or  not  fully  covered  through  any  insurance  we  maintain.  We  could  also  suffer  significant 
damage  to  our  reputation. Although  we  are  insured  against  many  of  these  risks,  including  privacy  breach 
response costs, notification expenses, breach support and credit monitoring expenses, cyber extortion and 
cyber terrorism, there can be no assurances that such insurance will be sufficient to cover all costs arising 
from a data or information technology breach and our exposure may exceed our coverage.

Acts of terrorism or war, as well as the threat of terrorism or war, may adversely affect our results of 
operations, financial condition, and liquidity.

Any  act  of  terror,  sustained  military  campaign,  or  war  (threat  of  any  of  the  foregoing)  may  cause  general 
economic decline and instability, volatility and/or weakness of U.S. and global financial markets. Historically, 
U.S. and global markets have been adversely impacted by political and civil unrest occurring in the Middle 
East,  Eastern  Europe,  Russia,  Venezuela  and  Asia.  The  current  Russia  and  Ukraine  conflict  has  raised 
similar  economic  and  financial  market  concerns  causing  uncertainty  and  disruption  in  financial  markets 
globally and further straining an already struggling global supply chain. Furthermore, such events have the 
potential  to  adversely  impact  the  availability  of  commodities,  commodity  prices,  and  create  global 
inflationary pressures.

As a result of any such events, the demand for our products and services may be significantly impacted and 
could  influence  the  recognition  of  credit  losses  in  our  loan  portfolio  and  increase  our  allowance  for  credit 
losses  as  both  businesses  and  consumers  are  negatively  impacted  by  such  events  and  the  economic 
uncertainty  and  volatility  related  thereto.  They  may  also  cause  significant  decreases  in  value  in  our 
investment  portfolio,  cause  us  to  have  to  raise  capital,  or  take  other  unforeseen  actions  to  offset  such 
effects.

The extent to which such actions may impact our business, results of operations, and financial condition, as 
well  as  our  regulatory  capital  and  liquidity  ratios,  will  depend  on  future  developments,  which  are  highly 
uncertain, including the scope and duration of such conflicts and actions taken by governmental authorities 
and  other  third  parties  in  response  thereto.  Even  after  such  conflicts  subside,  the  U.S.  and  global 
economies often require some time to recover, the length of which is unknown.

Any  continued  or  further  negative  impact  on  economic  conditions  and  global  markets  from  these 
developments could adversely affect our business, financial condition and liquidity.

Pandemics,  other  global  or  regional  health  crises  or  disease  outbreaks,  natural  disasters,  global 
climate change, acts of terrorism and global conflicts may have a negative impact on our business.

Pandemics, such as the COVID–19 pandemic, other global or regional health crises or disease outbreaks, 
natural disasters, global climate change, acts of terrorism, global conflicts or other similar events have in the 
past, and may in the future have, a negative impact on our business and operations. These events impact 
us negatively to the  extent  that they result  in reduced  capital markets activity, lower asset price levels, or 
disruptions  in  general  economic  activity  in  the  United  States  or  abroad,  or  in  financial  market  settlement 

24

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

functions. In addition, these or similar events may impact economic growth negatively, which could have an 
adverse effect on our business and operations and may have other adverse effects on us in ways that we 
are unable to predict.

The preparation of our financial statements requires the use of estimates that may vary from actual 
results.

The  preparation  of  consolidated  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  accounting  principles  generally 
accepted in the United States requires management to make significant estimates that affect the financial 
statements.  One  of  our  most  critical  estimates  is  the  level  of  the  allowance  for  credit  losses.  Due  to  the 
inherent nature of these estimates, we cannot provide absolute assurance that we will not have to increase 
the  allowance  for  loan  losses  and/or  sustain  loan  losses  that  are  significantly  higher  than  the  provided 
allowance.

Our mortgage warehouse and indirect lending operations are subject to a higher fraud risk than our 
other lending operations.

We  provide  credit  facilities  for    loans  originated  by  mortgage  bankers  and  originate  auto  loans  through 
automobile dealers. Because we must rely on the mortgage bankers and automobile dealers in making and 
documenting these loans, there is an increased risk of fraud to us on the part of the third–party originators 
and the underlying borrowers. In order to guard against this increased risk, we perform investigations on the 
mortgage companies and other third parties who originate loans we purchase, and we review the loan files 
and loan documents we purchase to attempt to detect any irregularities or legal noncompliance. However, 
there is no guarantee that our procedures will detect all cases of fraud or legal noncompliance.

We rely on other companies to provide key components of our business infrastructure.

Third–party vendors provide key components of our business infrastructure, including Internet connections, 
mobile  and  internet  banking,  statement  processing,  loan  document  preparation,  network  access  and 
transaction and other processing services. Although we have selected these third–party vendors carefully, 
we  do  not  control  their  actions.  Any  problems  caused  by  these  third  parties,  including  as  a  result  of 
inadequate  or  interrupted  service  or  breach  of  customer  information,  could  adversely  affect  our  ability  to 
deliver  products  and  services  to  our  customers  and  otherwise  to  conduct  our  business.  In  addition,  any 
breach in customer information could affect our reputation and cause legal liability and a loss of business. 
Replacing these third–party vendors also could result in significant delay and expense.

The loss of key  members of our senior  management team and our lending teams could affect our 
ability to operate effectively.

We depend heavily on the services of our existing senior management team to carry out our business and 
investment  strategies. As  we  continue  to  grow  and  expand  our  business  and  our  locations,  products  and 
services,  we  will  increasingly  need  to  rely  on  our  senior  management  team's  experience,  judgment  and 
expertise.  We  also  depend  heavily  on  our  experienced  and  effective  lending  teams  and  their  respective 
special  market  insights,  including,  for  example,  our  agricultural  lending  specialists.  In  addition  to  the 
importance  of  retaining  our  lending  team,  we  will  also  need  to  continue  to  attract  and  retain  qualified 
banking personnel at all levels. Competition for such personnel is intense in our geographic market areas. If 
we are unable to attract and retain an effective lending team and other talented people, our business could 
suffer.  The  loss  of  the  services  of  any  senior  management  personnel  or  the  inability  to  recruit  and  retain 
qualified lending and other personnel in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated 
results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

Our  inability  to  continue  to  process  large  volumes  of  transactions  accurately  could  adversely 
impact our business and financial results.

We  process  large  volumes  of  transactions  on  a  daily  basis  and  are  exposed  to  numerous  types  of 
operational risk. Operational risk resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems 
includes the risk of fraud by persons inside or outside Horizon, the execution of unauthorized transactions 

25

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

by employees, errors relating to transaction processing and systems, and breaches of the internal control 
system and compliance requirements. This risk of loss also includes the potential legal actions that could 
arise  as  a  result  of  the  operational  deficiency  or  as  a  result  of  noncompliance  with  applicable  regulatory 
standards. Accordingly, if systems of internal control should fail to work as expected, if systems are used in 
an  unauthorized  manner,  or  if  employees  subvert  the  system  of  internal  controls,  significant  losses  could 
result.

We  establish  and  maintain  systems  of  internal  operational  controls  that  are  designed  to  provide  us  with 
timely and accurate information about our level of operational risk. While not foolproof, these systems have 
been designed to manage operational risk at appropriate, cost–effective levels. Procedures also exist that 
are designed to ensure that policies relating to conduct, ethics and business practices are followed. If these 
systems fail, significant losses could result.

While  we  continually  monitor  and  improve  the  system  of  internal  controls,  data  processing  systems  and 
corporate–wide processes and procedures, there can be no assurance that future losses will not occur.

Potential acquisitions may disrupt our business and dilute stockholder value.

We periodically evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities and conduct due diligence activities related to 
possible  transactions  with  other  financial  institutions  and  financial  service  companies.  We  generally  seek 
merger or acquisition partners that are culturally similar and possess either significant market presence or 
have  potential  for  improved  profitability  through  financial  management,  economies  of  scale  or  expanded 
services. Acquiring  other  banks,  businesses,  or  branch  involves  various  risks  commonly  associated  with 
acquisitions, including, among other things:

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

potential exposures to unknown or contingent liabilities of the target company;
exposure to potential asset quality issues of the target company;
potential disruption to our business;
potential diversion of our management's time and attention away from day–to–day operations;
the possible loss of key employees, business and customers of the target company;
difficulty in estimating the value of the target company; and
potential  problems  in  integrating  the  target  company's  data  processing  and  ancillary  systems, 
customers and employees with ours.

As a result, merger or acquisition discussions and, in some cases, negotiations may take place and future 
mergers or acquisitions involving the payment of cash or the issuance of our debt or equity securities may 
occur  at  any  time. Acquisitions  typically  involve  the  payment  of  a  premium  over  book  and  market  values, 
and, therefore, some dilution of our tangible book value and net income per common share may occur in 
connection with any future transaction. To the extent we were to issue additional shares of common stock in 
any such transaction, our current shareholders would be diluted and such an issuance may have the effect 
of  decreasing  our  stock  price,  perhaps  significantly.  Furthermore,  failure  to  realize  the  expected  revenue 
increases, cost savings, increases in geographic or product presence, and/or other projected benefits from 
an acquisition could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, merger and acquisition costs incurred by Horizon may temporarily increase operating expenses.

Economic Risk

An economic slowdown in our primary market areas could affect our business.

Our primary market area for deposit and loans consists of northern and central Indiana and southern and 
central Michigan. An economic slowdown could hurt our business and the possible consequences of such a 
downturn could include the following:

•
•
•
•
•

increases in loan delinquencies and foreclosures;
declines in the value of real estate and other collateral securing loans;
an increase in loans charged off;
an increase in expense to fund loan loss reserves;
an increase in collection costs;

26

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

•
•

a decline in the demand for our products and services; and
an increase in non–accrual loans and other real estate owned.

Recent negative developments affecting the banking industry, and resulting media coverage, have 
eroded  customer  confidence  in  the  banking  system  and  could  have  a  material  effect  on  our 
operations and/or stock price.

High–profile 2023 bank failures including Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank have 
generated  significant  market  volatility  among  publicly  traded  bank  holding  companies  and,  in  particular, 
regional  banks. These  market  developments  have  negatively  impacted  customer  confidence  in  the  safety 
and soundness of financial institutions, as well as have caused significant disruption, volatility and reduced 
valuations  of  equity  and  other  securities  of  banks  in  the  capital  markets. These  events  occurred  during  a 
period of rapidly rising interest rates which, among other things, has resulted in unrealized losses in longer 
duration securities and loans held by banks, more competition for bank deposits and may increase the risk 
of  a  potential  recession.  These  market  developments  have  caused  general  uncertainty  and  concern 
regarding the liquidity adequacy of the banking industry and in particular, regional banks like Horizon. As a 
result,  customers  may  choose  to  maintain  deposits  with  larger  financial  institutions  or  invest  in  higher 
yielding short–term fixed income securities, all of which could materially adversely impact our liquidity, loan 
funding capacity, net interest margin, capital and results of operations. In connection with high–profile bank 
failures,  uncertainty  and  concern  has  been,  and  may  be  in  the  future,  compounded  by  advances  in 
technology  that  increase  the  speed  at  which  deposits  can  be  moved,  as  well  as  the  speed  and  reach  of 
media  attention,  including  social  media,  and  its  ability  to  disseminate  concerns  or  rumors,  in  each  case 
potentially exacerbating liquidity concerns. While the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and 
the FDIC have made statements ensuring that depositors of these recently failed banks would have access 
to their deposits, including previously uninsured deposit accounts, there is no guarantee that such actions 
will be successful in restoring customer confidence in regional banks and the banking system more broadly.

The soundness of other financial institutions could adversely affect us.

Financial  services  institutions  are  interrelated  as  a  result  of  trading,  clearing,  counterparty,  or  other 
relationships. We have exposure to many different industries and counterparties, and we routinely execute 
transactions with counterparties in the financial services industry, including brokers and dealers, commercial 
banks,  investment  banks,  mutual  and  hedge  funds,  and  other  institutional  clients.  Many  of  these 
transactions  expose  us  to  credit  risk  in  the  event  of  default  by  our  counterparty  or  client.  In  addition,  our 
credit risk may be exacerbated when the collateral held by us cannot be realized or is liquidated at prices 
not sufficient to recover the full amount of the loan or derivative exposure due us. There is no assurance 
that any such losses would not materially and adversely affect our results of operations or earnings.

Instability  in  global  economic  conditions  and  geopolitical  matters,  as  well  as  volatility  in  financial 
markets, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Instability  in  global  economic  conditions  and  geopolitical  matters,  as  well  as  volatility  in  financial  markets, 
could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  results  of  operations  and  financial  condition.  The 
macroeconomic  environment  in  the  United  States  is  susceptible  to  global  events  and  volatility  in  financial 
markets.  For  example,  global  demand  for  products  continues  to  exceed  supply  during  the  economic 
recovery  from  the  COVID–19  pandemic,  creating  significant  inflationary  pressures  which,  in  turn,  may 
adversely impact consumer and business confidence and regional and global economic conditions, as well 
as  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations.  In  addition,  trade  negotiations  between  the  U.S.  and 
other nations remain uncertain and could adversely impact economic and market conditions for Horizon and 
its clients and counterparties.

27

Legal/Regulatory/Compliance Risk

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

As  a  public  company,  we  face  the  risk  of  shareholder  lawsuits  and  other  related  or  unrelated 
litigation,  particularly  if  we  experience  declines  in  the  price  of  our  common  stock.  We  have  been 
named  as  a  party  to  purported  class  action  and  derivative  lawsuits,  and  we  may  be  named  in 
additional litigation, all of which could require significant management time and attention and result 
in significant legal expenses.

As described in detail below in “Item 3 - Legal Proceedings,” on April 20, 2023, a putative class action was 
filed  against  the  Company  and  two  of  its  officers  in  the  U.S.  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New 
York,  which  asserts  claims  under  §§  10(b)  and  20(a)  of  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934  alleging, 
among other things, the Company made materially false and misleading statements and failed to disclose 
material adverse facts which allegedly resulted in harm to a putative class of purchasers of our securities 
from March 9, 2022 and March 10, 2023. Derivative lawsuits have also been filed against the Company, as 
nominal defendant, and two of our officers and ten of our directors arising from the same events, alleging, 
among  other  things,  breach  of  the  officers  and  directors'  fiduciary  duties.  Regardless  of  the  merits,  the 
expense of defending such litigation may have a substantial impact if our insurance carriers fail to cover the 
full  cost  of  the  litigation,  and  the  time  required  to  defend  the  actions  could  divert  management’s  attention 
from  the  day-to-day  operations  of  our  business,  which  could  adversely  affect  our  business,  results  of 
operations and cash flows. An unfavorable outcome in such litigation could have a material adverse effect 
on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. The derivative lawsuits have been 
consolidated and stayed pending resolution of any motion to dismiss in the putative class action. Based on 
our  initial  review  of  these  actions,  management  believes  that  the  Company  has  strong  defenses  to  the 
claims and intends to vigorously defend against them.

Any regulatory examination scrutiny or new regulatory requirements arising from the recent events 
in  the  banking  industry  could  increase  the  Company's  expenses  and  affect  the  Company's 
operations.

The  Company  also  anticipates  increased  regulatory  scrutiny  –  in  the  course  of  routine  examinations  and 
otherwise – and new regulations directed towards banks of similar size to the Bank, designed to address 
the recent negative developments in the banking industry, all of which may increase the Company's costs of 
doing  business  and  reduce  its  profitability.  As  primarily  a  commercial  bank,  the  Bank  has  a  higher 
percentage of uninsured deposits compared to primarily retail focused banks. As a result, the Bank could 
face increased scrutiny or be viewed as higher risk by regulators and the investor community.

We may be exposed to risk of environmental liabilities with respect to real property to which we take 
title.

In the course of our business, we may own or foreclose and take title to real estate, and could be subject to 
environmental liabilities with respect to these properties (including liabilities for property damage, personal 
injury,  investigation  and  clean-up  costs  incurred  by  these  parties  in  connection  with  environmental 
contamination), or may be required to investigate or clean up hazardous or toxic substances, or chemical 
releases at a property.

We are subject to extensive regulation and changes in laws and regulatory policies could adversely 
affect our business. 

Our  operations  are  subject  to  extensive  regulation  by  federal  and  state  agencies.  See  “Regulation  and 
Supervision” in the description of our Business in Item 1 of Part I of this report for detailed information on 
the  laws  and  regulations  to  which  we  are  subject.  Many  of  these  regulations  are  intended  to  protect 
depositors,  the  public  or  the  FDIC  insurance  funds,  not  shareholders.  Regulatory  requirements  affect  our 
lending  practices,  capital  structure,  investment  practices,  dividend  policy  and  many  other  aspects  of  our 
business. Changes in applicable laws, regulations or regulator policies can materially affect our business. 
The likelihood of any major changes in the future and their effects are impossible to predict. As an example, 
the  Bank  could  experience  higher  credit  losses  because  of  federal  or  state  legislation  or  by  regulatory  or 
bankruptcy court action that reduces the amount the Bank's borrowers are otherwise contractually required 

28

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

to  pay  under  existing  loan  contracts.  Also,  the  Bank  could  experience  higher  credit  losses  because  of 
federal or state legislation or regulatory action that limits its ability to foreclose on property or other collateral 
or makes foreclosure less economically feasible.

We  face  other  risks  from  recent  actions  of  the  U.S.  Treasury  and  the  Internal  Revenue  Service.  In 
November 2016, these agencies issued a Notice making captive insurance company activities “transactions 
of interest” due to the potential for tax avoidance or evasion. We have a captive insurance company and it is 
not certain at this point how the Notice may impact us on our operation of the captive insurance company 
as a risk management tool.

Legislation enacted in recent years, together  with additional actions announced by the U.S. Treasury and 
other  regulatory  agencies,  continue  to  develop.  It  is  not  clear  at  this  time  what  impact  legislation  and 
liquidity  and  funding  initiatives  of  the  U.S.  Treasury  and  other  bank  regulatory  agencies,  and  additional 
programs  that  may  be  initiated  in  the  future,  will  have  on  the  financial  markets  and  the  financial  services 
industry.

We  may  also  face  compliance  risks  arising  from  the  new  and  growing  body  of  privacy  and  data  security 
laws  enacted  by  foreign  governments,  such  as  the  European  Union's  comprehensive  2018  General  Data 
Privacy Regulation, and by U.S. state governments, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act that went 
into effect on January 1, 2020.

Provisions in our articles of incorporation, our by–laws, and Indiana law may delay or prevent an 
acquisition of us by a third party.

Our articles of incorporation and by–laws and Indiana law contain provisions that have certain anti–takeover 
effects.  While  the  purpose  of  these  provisions  is  to  strengthen  the  negotiating  position  of  the  board  of 
directors in the event of a hostile takeover attempt, the overall effects of these provisions may be to render 
more difficult or discourage a merger, tender offer or proxy contest, the assumption of control by a holder of 
a large block of our shares, and the removal of incumbent directors and key management.

Our articles of incorporation provide for a staggered board, which means that only one–third of our board 
can  be  replaced  by  shareholders  at  any  annual  meeting.  Our  articles  also  provide  that  our  directors  may 
only be removed without cause by shareholders owning 70% or more of our outstanding common stock.

Our  articles  also  preempt  Indiana  law  with  respect  to  business  combinations  with  a  person  who  acquires 
10%  or  more  of  our  common  stock  and  provide  that  such  transactions  are  subject  to  independent  and 
super–majority  shareholder  approval  requirements  unless  certain  pricing  and  board  pre–approval 
requirements are satisfied.

Our  by–laws  do  not  permit  cumulative  voting  of  shareholders  in  the  election  of  directors,  allowing  the 
holders of a majority of our outstanding shares to control the election of all our directors, and our directors 
are elected by plurality voting; although, under our newly adopted Director Resignation Policy, directors not 
receiving a majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election are required to submit a resignation, which 
our  Board  has  the  discretion  to  accept  or  reject.  Our  by–laws  also  establish  detailed  procedures  that 
shareholders  must  follow  if  they  desire  to  nominate  directors  for  election  or  otherwise  present  issues  for 
consideration at a shareholders’ meeting.

These and other provisions of our governing documents and Indiana law are intended to provide the board 
of directors with the negotiating leverage to achieve a more favorable outcome for our shareholders in the 
event  of  an  offer  for  the  Company.  However,  there  is  no  assurance  that  these  same  anti–takeover 
provisions could not have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a transaction or a change in control 
that shareholders might believe to be in their best interests.

29

Fiduciary Risk

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Our  prior  role  as  a  trustee  for  employee  stock  ownership  plans  (“ESOPs”)  may  expose  us  to 
increased risk of litigation due to heightened scrutiny of this role by the U.S. Department of Labor 
and the plaintiffs' bar.

Prior to September 30, 2021, we acted as an independent trustee for corporate ESOP plans throughout the 
U.S.  Over  the  last  several  years,  the  U.S.  Department  of  Labor  and  the  plaintiffs’  bar  have  been 
aggressively targeting ESOP trustees and transactions on a variety of fronts, including valuations and the 
amount  that  ESOP  trustees  pay  to  buy  back  stock  from  selling  shareholders,  as  well  as  the  indemnity 
agreements  commonly  used  by  ESOP  companies  to  protect  ESOP  trustees  from  undue  risk  and  liability 
exposure. In December 2021, Horizon reached a mediation settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor 
concerning  ESOP  valuations  and  sale  transactions  relating  to  ESOPs  for  which  we  acted  as  trustee.  On 
September  30,  2021,  we  sold  our  ESOP  trustee  business  to  a  third  party.  Despite  exiting  this  line  of 
business  and  our  settlement  with  the  U.S.  Department  of  Labor  with  respect  to  many  of  our  prior 
engagement, we may still be exposed to an increased risk of litigation from the U.S. Department of Labor 
and the plaintiffs’ bar for these historical activities.

General Risks

We continually encounter technological changes.

The  financial  services  industry  is  continually  undergoing  rapid  technological  change  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  depends,  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, as well as to create additional efficiencies 
in  our  operations.  Many  of  our  competitors  have  substantially  greater  resources  to  invest  in  technological 
improvements,  and  we  may  not  be  able  to  effectively  implement  new  technology–driven  products  and 
services at the same speed at which our competitors do (or not at all) or be successful in marketing these 
products  and  services  to  our  customers.  Failure  to  successfully  keep  pace  with  technological  change 
affecting the financial services industry could have a material adverse impact on our business and, in turn, 
our financial condition and results of operations.

We  face  intense  competition  in  all  phases  of  our  business  from  other  banks,  financial  institutions 
and non–banks.
The banking and financial services business in most of our markets is highly competitive. Our competitors 
include  large  banks,  local  community  banks,  savings  and  loan  associations,  securities  and  brokerage 
companies, mortgage companies, insurance companies, finance companies, money market mutual funds, 
credit  unions,  neo–banks  (a  digital  or  mobile–only  bank  that  exists  without  any  physical  bank  branches), 
and other non–bank financial and digital service providers, many of which have greater financial, marketing 
and technological resources than we do. Many of these competitors are not subject to the same regulatory 
restrictions that we are and may be able to compete more effectively as a result.

Also, technology and other changes have lowered barriers to entry and made it possible for customers to 
complete  financial  transactions  using  neo–banks,  non–banks  and  financial  technology  (“FinTech”) 
companies that historically have involved banks at one or both ends of the transaction. These entities now 
offer products and services traditionally provided by banks and often at lower costs. The wide acceptance of 
Internet–based  commerce  has  resulted  in  a  number  of  alternative  payment  processing  systems,  and 
deposit and lending platforms in which banks play only minor roles. For example, consumers can maintain 
funds  that  would  have  historically  been  held  as  bank  deposits  in  brokerage  accounts  or  mutual  funds. 
Consumers  can  also  complete  transactions  such  as  paying  bills  and/or  transferring  funds  directly  without 
the assistance of banks. Use of emerging alternative payment platforms, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, 
and PayPal can alter consumer credit card behavior and consequently impact our interchange fee income.

30

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

The  continuing  process  of  eliminating  banks  as  intermediaries,  known  as  “disintermediation,”  will  likely 
result in the loss of additional fee income, as well as the loss of customer deposits and the related income 
generated  from  those  deposits.  The  effects  of  disintermediation  are  also  likely  to  continue  to  negatively 
impact the lending activities of traditional banks because of the fast growing number of FinTech companies 
that  use  software  and  technology  to  deliver  mortgage  lending  and  other  financial  services  with  fewer 
employees. A related risk is the migration of bank personnel away from the traditional bank environments 
into neo–banks, FinTech companies and other non–banks.

Increased competition in our markets may result in a decrease in the amounts of our loans and deposits, 
reduced  spreads  between  loan  rates  and  deposit  rates  or  loan  terms  that  are  more  favorable  to  the 
borrower. Any of these results could have a material adverse effect on our ability to maintain our earnings 
record,  grow  our  loan  portfolios  and  obtain  low–cost  funds.  If  increased  competition  causes  us  to 
significantly discount the interest rates we offer on loans or increase the amount we pay on deposits, our 
net  interest  income  could  be  adversely  impacted.  If  increased  competition  causes  us  to  change  our 
underwriting standards, we could be exposed to higher losses from lending activities. Additionally, many of 
our competitors are larger in total assets and capitalization and have greater access to capital markets.

Horizon is also experiencing an increase in competition to acquire other banks, due to the overall strength 
of  financial  institutions  and  their  high  capital  levels.  In  addition,  credit  unions,  private  equity  groups,  and 
FinTech  companies  are  now  actively  pursuing  small  bank  acquisitions.  Increased  competition  for  bank 
acquisitions may slow Horizon’s ability to grow earning assets at comparable historical growth rates.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

Not applicable.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

The  Board  established  the  Cyber  Security  Committee  of  the  Board  in  December  2022  to  augment  the  Board's 
oversight with cybersecurity focus and expertise and to complement the risk framework activities of the Enterprise 
Risk  Management  and  Credit  Policy  Committee.  The  Cyber  Security  Committee  considers  risks  associated  with 
Horizon's  overall  cyber  security  and  information  technology  programs;  information  technology  audits;  the  security 
risk  insurance  that  Horizon  maintains  for  information  technology,  cyber  security  and  privacy  risks;  Horizon's 
information security training programs; and compliance  with all rules and regulations and risk control policies and 
procedures relating to information technology and cyber security.

Pursuant to the Cyber Security Committee Charter, the Cyber Security Committee is required to meet at least three 
times per year and report to the Board annually. The Cyber Security Committee met three times in 2023. In addition, 
the Cyber Security Committee Charter provides that a majority of the Cyber Security Committee's voting members 
must  qualify  as  independent  directors  under  SEC  rules  and  NASDAQ  listing  standards.  During  2023,  80%  of  the 
Cyber Security Committee's members qualified as independent.

Horizon's senior management briefs the Cyber Security Committee at each Cyber Security Committee meeting (see 
below  for  detailed  discussion).  In  2023,  Horizon's  information  technology/cyber  security  program  was  audited  by 
Horizon's internal and external auditors. The Cyber Security Committee Charter is posted on Horizon's website at 
www.horizonbank.com  in  the  section  headed  “About  Us  –  Investor  Relations  –  Corporate  Information”  under  the 
caption “Corporate Governance.”

Through Horizon's enterprise risk management framework and reporting functions, the Board, its Committees and 
Management  assess  and  manage  cybersecurity  risks  created  by  cybersecurity  threats.  Horizon's  Vice  President, 
Information  Security  and  Audit  Information  Security  officer  (“Information  Security  Officer”)  provides  an  annual 
Information  Security  Program  report  to  the  Board  and  as  needed  when  cybersecurity  risk  is  elevated.  Horizon's 
Senior  Vice  President,  Senior  Technology  Officer  is  a  member  of  the  Cyber  Security  Committee  and  reports  on 
cyber security risks at each meeting a minimum of three times a year. The Senior Vice President, Senior Technology 
Officer  reports  to  the  Executive  Vice  President,  Senior  Operations  Officer,  who  also  is  a  member  of  the  Cyber 
Security Committee. For independence, the Information Security Officer reports to Horizon's Senior Vice President, 

31

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

Senior Auditor and Compliance Officer. Horizon's risk escalation framework requires progressive escalation of cyber 
security risks to Management and its Committees, then to Board Committees and, ultimately, to the Board.

Management's Operations Committee meets monthly and provides oversight and governance of the technology and 
cyber security programs. The Senior Vice President, Senior Technology Officer and Information Security Officer are 
members  of  this  committee  and  report  monthly  on  the  technology  and  cyber  security  programs.  The  Senior  Vice 
President, Senior Technology Officer also is a member of Management's Enterprise Risk & Disclosure Committee, 
which meets a minimum of four times a year, to report on the technology and cyber security programs.

Horizon  engages  in  regular  assessments  of  its  infrastructure,  software  systems,  and  network  architecture,  using 
internal cybersecurity experts and third–party specialists. It also maintains a third–party risk management program 
designed  to  identify,  assess,  and  manage  risk,  including  cybersecurity  risks,  associated  with  external  service 
providers and our supply chain.

The Executive Vice President, Senior Operations Officer has 34 years of experience in operations and technology 
with  an  educational  background  in  Business  Administration.  In  the  role  of  Senior  Bank  Operations  Officer  and 
Executive for the past 23 years, she oversees and works closely with Horizon's technology and security teams to 
develop and implement robust security measures to protect the Bank's systems, networks, and customer data. The 
Senior  Bank  Operations  Officer  stays  current  on  the  latest  industry  trends  and  emerging  cyber  threats  through 
publications, webinars, seminars and banking association training around cyber security. She also collaborates with 
external agencies, such as law enforcement and regulatory bodies, to address cyber threats and ensure compliance 
with industry best practices.

The Senior Vice President, Senior Technology Officer has 27 years of experience in information technology, with the 
last 12 as the information technology leader for the Bank. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science. He is 
an  active  member  of  FS–ISAC's  Mergers  an  Acquisition  Working  Group,  and  a  named  author  of  their  2023 
“Cybersecurity  Best  Practices  in  Mergers,  Acquisitions  and  Divestiture  Deals”  publication.  He  also  serves  as  an 
advisory  member  of  the  Indiana  Governor's  Executive  Council  on  Cybersecurity.  He  attends  numerous  industry 
training  sessions  including  those  put  on  by  the  SANS  Institute,  PaloAlto,  Cisco,  Microsoft,  the  Cybersecurity  and 
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and FS–ISAC.

The Vice President, Information Security and Audit Information Security Officer has 27 years as an IT Professional, 
with the last 8 as the cybersecurity leader for Horizon Bank with an education background in Technology. He has 
achieved numerous certifications throughout his career including the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) 
and Certified Novell Engineering (CNE 5/6), and has demonstrated a continued commitment to excellence and has 
attained  certification  as  a  Certified  Information  Systems  Security  Professional  (CISSP)  issued  by  ISC2  in  2022. 
Through  continuous  learning  and  professional  development,  the  Information  Security  Officer  has  honed  his 
expertise in cybersecurity frameworks, threat detection, incident response, and risk management. He also serves as 
a  member  of  the  Indiana  Bankers  Association  (IBA)  Cyber  Security  Committee  and  attends  numerous  industry 
training sessions including those put on by Microsoft, FS–ISAC, SANS Institute.

Notwithstanding our defensive measures and processes, the threat posed by cyber–attacks is severe. Our internal 
systems, processes, and controls are designed to mitigate loss from cyberattacks and, while we have experienced 
cybersecurity  incidents  in  the  past,  to  date,  risks  from  cybersecurity  threats  have  not  materially  affected  our 
Company.  See  Item  1A.  Risk  Factors  for  further  discussion  of  risks  related  to  cyber  security  in  Horizon's  2023 
Annual Report on Form 10–K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

32

 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC.
2023 Annual Report on Form 10–K

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

The  main  office  and  full  service  branch  of  Horizon  and  the  Bank  is  located  at  515  Franklin  Street,  Michigan  City, 
Indiana. The building located across the street from the main office of Horizon and the Bank, at 502 Franklin Street, 
houses  the  credit  administration,  operations,  purchasing,  and  information  technology  departments  of  the  Bank.  In 
addition to these principal facilities, the Bank has 70 sales offices located in various cities and towns in northern and 
central Indiana and southern and central Michigan. Horizon maintains such branches and offices as it believes are 
necessary for the convenience of its customers and the community, and Horizon frequently assesses the suitability 
of all its business locations.

Horizon owns all of its facilities except for a leased office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

As of April 20, 2023, a putative class action lawsuit entitled Chad Key, et al. v. Horizon Bancorp, Inc., et al., Case 
No.  1:23-cv-02961  (”Securities Action”)  was  filed  against  the  Company  and  two  of  its  officers  in  the  U.S.  District 
Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York.  The  Securities Action  asserts  claims  under  §§  10(b)  and  20(a)  of  the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 alleging, among other things, the Company made materially false and misleading 
statements  and  failed  to  disclose  material  adverse  facts  which  allegedly  resulted  in  harm  to  a  putative  class  of 
purchasers of our securities from March 9, 2022 and March 10, 2023.

As of (1) August 28, 2023, a lawsuit related to the Securities Action was filed by Sally Hundley, derivatively on behalf 
of  the  Company,  against  the  Company,  as  nominal  defendant,  and  2  of  the  Company's  officers  and  10  of  its 
directors  and  (2)  August  31,  2023,  a  lawsuit  also  related  to  the  Securities  Action  was  filed  by  Aziz  Chowdhury, 
derivatively on behalf of the Company, against the Company, as nominal defendant, and 2 of the Company's officers 
and 10 of its directors (the “Derivatives Actions”) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The 
Derivative Actions allege, among other things, breach of the officers and directors' fiduciary duties. The Derivative 
Actions have been consolidated and stayed pending resolution of any motion to dismiss in the Securities Action.

Based  on  our  initial  review  of  these  actions,  management  believes  that  the  Company  has  strong  defenses  to  the 
claims and intends to vigorously defend against them. As of December 31, 2023, no liabilities related to the above 
matters  were  recorded  because  we  have  concluded  such  liabilities  are  not  probable  and  the  amounts  of  such 
liabilities are not reasonably estimable.

In addition to the matters described above, from time to time, Horizon and its subsidiaries are involved in various 
legal proceedings incidental to the conduct of their business. Management does not expect that the outcome of any 
such proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

33

SPECIAL ITEM: INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Thomas M. Prame

Mark E. Secor

54 President of Horizon and the Bank since August 15, 2022; Executive Vice President at 
First  Midwest  Bancorp  from  May  2012  to  March  2022.  As  previously  disclosed,  on 
January 17, 2023, the Board approved the appointment of Thomas M. Prame to serve 
as  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  both  Horizon  and  the  Bank,  effective  as  of  June  1, 
2023.

57 Executive  Vice  President  of  Horizon  since  January  2014;  Chief  Financial  Officer  and 
Executive Vice President of Horizon and the Bank since January 2009; Vice President, 
Chief Investment and Asset Liability Manager from June 2007 to January 2009; Chief 
Financial Officer of St. Joseph Capital Corp., Mishawaka, Indiana from 2004 to 2007. 
On  November  7,  2023,  Horizon  announced  a  succession  plan  for  its  Chief  Financial 
Officer. Horizon and Mark E. Secor have agreed that he will transition from his role as 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) of Horizon and the Bank. 
Mr.  Secor  will  continue  in  the  role  of  Executive  Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial 
Officer until a successor is appointed and support the transition process through April 
30, 2024. Horizon has initiated a search process to identify Horizon's next CFO.

Kathie A. DeRuiter

62 Executive Vice President of Horizon and Senior Bank Operations Officer since January 
2014;  Senior  Vice  President,  Senior  Bank  Operations  Officer  from  January  2003  to 
January  2014;  Vice  President,  Senior  Bank  Operations  Officer  from  January  2000  to 
January 2003.

Todd A. Etzler

57 Executive  Vice  President  and  General  Counsel  since  January  2021;  Senior  Vice 
President and General Counsel from July 2018 to December 2020; Vice President and 
General  Counsel  from  March  2017  to  July  2018;  Corporate  Secretary  since  January 
2018. General Counsel of Family Express Corporation from July 2011 to March 2017.

Lynn M. Kerber

55 Executive  Vice  President  and  Senior  Commercial  Credit  Officer  since  January  2021; 
Senior  Vice  President  and  Senior  Commercial  Credit  Officer  from  May  2018  to 
December 2020; Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, Chemical Financial 
Corporation  June  2015  to August  2017;  President  of  the  Chemical  Bank  Foundation 
2013 to 2017.

All officers are appointed annually by the Board of Directors of Horizon and the Bank, as applicable.

34

HORIZON BANCORP, INC.

PART II

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

Common Stock and Related Stockholder Matters

Horizon common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “HBNC.”

The  approximate  number  of  holders  of  record  of  Horizon’s  outstanding  common  stock  as  of  March  14,  2024  was 
1,383.

The  Equity  Compensation  Plan  Information  table  appears  under  the  caption  “Equity  Compensation  Plan 
Information” in Item 12 below and is incorporated herein by reference.

Repurchases of Securities

There were no purchases by the Company of its common stock during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Performance Graph

The  SEC  requires  Horizon  to  include  a  line  graph  comparing  Horizon’s  cumulative  five–year  total  shareholder 
returns  on  the  common  shares  with  market  and  industry  returns  over  the  past  five  years.  S&P  Global  Market 
Intelligence prepared the following graph. The return represented in the graph assumes the investment of $100 on 
December  31,  2018,  and  further  assumes  reinvestment  of  all  dividends.  The  Company’s  common  stock  began 
trading on the NASDAQ Global Market on February 1, 2007, and on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on January 
2, 2014. Prior to that date, the common stock was traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market.

Index

Horizon Bancorp, Inc.

Russell 2000 Index

S&P U.S. SmallCap Banks 
Index

December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

100.00 

100.00 

123.69 

125.53 

107.78 

150.58 

145.97 

172.90 

109.09 

137.56 

109.56 

160.85 

100.00 

125.46 

113.94 

158.62 

139.85 

140.55 

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence
© 2023

35

Index ValueTotal Return PerformanceHorizon Bancorp, Inc.Russell 2000 IndexS&P U.S. SmallCap Banks Index12/31/1812/31/1912/31/2012/31/2112/31/2212/31/2350100150200250 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC.

The following chart compares the change in market price of Horizon’s common stock since December 31, 2018 to 
that  of  publicly  traded  banks  in  Indiana  and  Michigan  with  assets  greater  than  $500  million,  excluding  the 
reinvestment of dividends.

Index

Horizon Bancorp, Inc.
Indiana Banks (1)
Michigan Banks (1)

December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31 December 31

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

100.00 

100.00 

100.00 

120.41 

114.06 

112.31 

100.51 

104.26 

107.02 

132.13 

130.42 

143.18 

95.56 

116.22 

120.22 

90.68 

111.53 

117.48 

(1) Excludes merger targets

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence
© 2023

ITEM 6.  RESERVED

36

Index ValueRelative Price PerformanceHorizon Bancorp, Inc.Indiana BanksMichigan Banks12/31/1812/31/1912/31/2012/31/2112/31/2212/31/2350100150200250 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

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

Overview

Horizon is a registered bank holding company incorporated in Indiana and headquartered in Michigan City, Indiana. 
Horizon  provides  a  broad  range  of  banking  services  in  northern  and  central  Indiana  and  southern  and  central 
Michigan  through  its  bank  subsidiary,  Horizon  Bank.  Horizon  operates  as  a  single  segment,  which  is  commercial 
banking.  Horizon’s  common  stock  is  traded  on  the  NASDAQ  Global  Select  Market  under  the  symbol  HBNC. The 
Bank was founded in 1873 as a national association, and it remained a national association until its conversion to 
an  Indiana  commercial  bank  effective  June  23,  2017.  The  Bank  is  a  full–service  commercial  bank  offering 
commercial  and  retail  banking  services,  corporate  and  individual  trust  and  agency  services,  and  other  services 
incident to banking. 

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Highlights

•

•

•

•

•

•

Commercial loan growth totaled $85.7 million, increasing by 13.1% annualized during the quarter and 8.4% 
since  December  31,  2022.  Total  loans  were  $4.42  billion  at  period  end,  increasing  by  5.2%  annualized 
during the quarter and 6.1% since December 31, 2022. 

Deposits remained resilient, totaling $5.7 billion at period end, compared to $5.7 billion on September 30, 
2023 and decreased 3.3% since December 31, 2022.

Net interest margin increased to 2.43% compared to 2.41% in the linked quarter. Interest income was $42.3 
million compared to $42.1 million in the linked quarter.

Cash totaled $526.5 million at period end, providing significant flexibility to drive future net interest margin 
growth through deployment into higher yielding assets throughout 2024.

Excellent  asset  quality  with  net  charge–offs  representing  0.05%  of  average  loans  for  the  year,  delinquent 
loans representing 0.38% of total loans at period end and non–performing loans representing 0.44% of total 
loans at period end, with the increase in provision during the year primarily attributable to loan growth.

In  December,  the  Company  announced  a  balance  sheet  repositioning  that  included  the  sale  of  $382.7 
million in lower-yielding securities and the surrender of $113.9 million of bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) 
policies.  For  the  quarter,  the  Company  recorded  a  net  loss  of  $25.2  million,  or  $0.58  per  diluted  share. 
Excluding the $38.7 million after-tax impact of the balance sheet repositioning and approximately $705,000 
in  extraordinary  expenses  associated  with  previously  disclosed  staffing  changes,  the  launch  of  Horizon 
Equipment  Finance  and  the  expansion  of  the  Bank's  treasury  management  capabilities,  adjusted  net 
income was $14.1 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, in the quarter. (See the “Non–GAAP Reconciliation of 
Net  Income”  table  below.)  This  compared  to  third  quarter  2023  net  income  of  $16.2  million,  or  $0.37  per 
diluted share.

•

Horizon continues to maintain cash at the holding company level representing approximately eight quarters 
of dividend payments and fixed costs.

Critical Accounting Policies

The  Notes  to  the  Consolidated  Financial  Statements  included  in  Item  8  of  this Annual  Report  on  Form  10–K  for 
2023 contain a summary of the Company’s significant accounting policies. Certain of these policies are important to 
the  portrayal  of  the  Company’s  financial  condition,  since  they  require  management  to  make  difficult,  complex  or 
subjective judgments, some of which may relate to matters that are inherently uncertain. Management has identified 
the allowance for credit losses, goodwill and intangible assets, mortgage servicing rights, derivative instruments and 
valuation measurements as critical accounting policies.

37

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Allowance for Credit Losses

The allowance for credit losses on loans and leases (“ACL”) replaces the allowance for loan and lease losses as a 
credit accounting estimate, as of January 1, 2020 with the adoption of ASU 2016–13, Financial Instruments–Credit 
Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.

The allowance for credit losses represents management’s best estimate of current expected credit losses over the 
life  of  the  portfolio  of  loans  and  leases.  Estimating  credit  losses  requires  judgment  in  determining  loan  specific 
attributes impacting the borrower’s ability to repay contractual obligations. Other factors such as economic forecasts 
used  to  determine  a  reasonable  and  supportable  forecast,  prepayment  assumptions,  the  value  of  underlying 
collateral, and changes in size composition and risks within the portfolio are also considered.

The  allowance  for  credit  losses  is  assessed  at  each  balance  sheet  date  and  adjustments  are  recorded  in  the 
provision for credit losses. The allowance is estimated based on loan level characteristics using historical loss rates, 
a  reasonable  and  supportable  economic  forecast.  Loan  losses  are  estimated  using  the  fair  value  of  collateral  for 
collateral–dependent loans, or when the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty such that repayment of the loan 
is expected to be made through the operation or sale of the collateral. Loan balances considered uncollectible are 
charged–off against the ACL. Assets purchased with credit deterioration (“PCD”) represent assets that are acquired 
with  evidence  of  more  than  insignificant  credit  quality  deterioration  since  origination  at  the  acquisition  date.  At 
acquisition, the allowance for credit losses on PCD assets is booked directly to the ACL. Any subsequent changes 
in the ACL on PCD assets is recorded through the provision for credit losses. Management believes that the ACL is 
adequate  to  absorb  the  expected  life  of  loan  credit  losses  on  the  portfolio  of  loans  and  leases  as  of  the  balance 
sheet date. Actual losses incurred may differ materially from our estimates. 

Allowance for Credit Losses on Off–Balance Sheet Credit Exposures

The  Company  estimates  expected  credit  losses  over  the  contractual  period  in  which  the  Company  is  exposed  to 
credit  risk  via  a  contractual  obligation  to  extend  credit,  unless  that  obligation  is  unconditionally  cancellable  by  the 
Company. The Company determines the estimated amount of expected credit extensions based on historical usage 
to calculate the amount of exposure for a loss estimate and has recorded an allowance. 

Allowance for Credit Losses on Available for Sale Securities

For available for sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to 
sell, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. 
If  either  of  the  criteria  regarding  intent  or  requirement  to  sell  is  met,  the  security's  amortized  cost  basis  is  written 
down  to  fair  value  through  income.  For  debt  securities  available  for  sale  that  do  not  meet  the  aforementioned 
criteria, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In 
making  this  assessment,  management  considers  the  extent  to  which  fair  value  is  less  than  amortized  cost,  any 
changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, 
among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected 
to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of 
cash  flows  expected  to  be  collected  is  less  than  the  amortized  cost  basis,  a  credit  loss  exists  and  an  ACL  is 
recorded  for  the  credit  loss,  limited  by  the  amount  that  the  fair  value  is  less  than  the  amortized  cost  basis. Any 
impairment that has not been recorded through an ACL is recorded in other comprehensive income. 

Changes in the ACL are recorded as provision for, or reversal of, credit loss expense. Losses are charged against 
the allowance when management believes the available for sale security is confirmed to be uncollectible or when 
either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met. 

38

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Allowance for Credit Losses on Held to Maturity Securities

For held to maturity securities, the Company conducts an assessment of its held to maturity securities at the time of 
purchase and on at least an annual basis to ensure such investment securities remain within appropriate levels of 
risk and continue to perform satisfactorily in fulfilling its obligations. The Company considers, among other factors, 
the nature of the securities and credit ratings or financial condition of the issuer. If available, the Company obtains a 
credit rating for issuers from the Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”) for consideration. 
If  this  assessment  indicates  that  a  material  credit  loss  exists,  the  present  value  of  cash  flows  expected  to  be 
collected  from  the  security  are  compared  to  the  amortized  cost  basis  of  the  security.  If  the  present  value  of  cash 
flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an ACL is recorded for 
the credit loss.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Management believes that the accounting for goodwill and other intangible assets also involves a higher degree of 
judgment  than  most  other  significant  accounting  policies.  FASB  ASC  350–10  establishes  standards  for  the 
amortization of acquired intangible assets and impairment assessment of goodwill. At December 31, 2023, Horizon 
had  core  deposit  intangibles  of  $13.6  million  subject  to  amortization  and  $155.2  million  of  goodwill,  which  is  not 
subject  to  amortization.  Goodwill  arising  from  business  combinations  represents  the  value  attributable  to 
unidentifiable  intangible  assets  in  the  business  acquired.  Horizon’s  goodwill  relates  to  the  value  inherent  in  the 
banking industry and  that  value is dependent  upon the  ability of Horizon to provide quality, cost effective banking 
services  in  a  competitive  marketplace.  The  goodwill  value  is  supported  by  revenue  that  is  in  part  driven  by  the 
volume of business transacted. A decrease in earnings resulting from a decline in the customer base or the inability 
to  deliver  cost  effective  services  over  sustained  periods  can  lead  to  impairment  of  goodwill  that  could  adversely 
affect earnings in future periods. FASB ASC 350–10 requires an annual evaluation of goodwill for impairment.

At  each  reporting  date  between  annual  goodwill  impairment  tests,  Horizon  considers  potential  indicators  of 
impairment.  Impairment  indicators  considered  comprised  the  condition  of  the  economy  and  banking  industry; 
government  intervention  and  regulatory  updates;  the  impact  of  recent  events  to  financial  performance  and  cost 
factors  of  the  reporting  unit;  performance  of  the  Company's  stock  and  other  relevant  events.  Horizon  further 
considered the amount by which fair value exceeded book value in the most recent quantitative analysis and stress 
testing performed. At the conclusion of the assessment, the Company determined that as of December 31, 2023, it 
was  more  likely  than  not  that  the  fair  value  exceeded  its  carrying  value.  Horizon  will  continue  to  monitor  overall 
economic conditions and any other triggering events or circumstances that may indicate an impairment of goodwill 
in the future.

Mortgage Servicing Rights

Servicing assets are recognized as separate assets when rights are acquired through purchase or through the sale 
of financial assets on a servicing–retained basis. Capitalized servicing rights are amortized into non–interest income 
in proportion to, and over the period of, the estimated future net servicing income of the underlying financial assets. 
Servicing  assets  are  evaluated  regularly  for  impairment  based  upon  the  fair  value  of  the  rights  as  compared  to 
amortized  cost.  Impairment  is  determined  by  stratifying  servicing  rights  by  predominant  characteristics,  such  as 
interest  rates,  original  loan  terms  and  whether  the  loans  are  fixed  or  adjustable  rate  mortgages.  Fair  value  is 
determined  using  prices  for  similar  assets  with  similar  characteristics,  when  available,  or  based  upon  discounted 
cash flows using market–based assumptions. When the book value of an individual stratum exceeds its fair value, 
an  impairment  reserve  is  recognized  so  that  each  individual  stratum  is  carried  at  the  lower  of  its  amortized  book 
value or fair value. In periods of falling market interest rates, accelerated loan prepayment can adversely affect the 
fair  value  of  these  mortgage–servicing  rights  relative  to  their  book  value.  In  the  event  that  the  fair  value  of  these 
assets was to increase in the future, Horizon can recognize the increased fair value to the extent of the impairment 
allowance but cannot recognize an asset in excess of its amortized book value. Future changes in management’s 
assessment of the impairment of these servicing assets, as a result of changes in observable market data relating 
to market interest rates, loan prepayment speeds, and other factors, could impact Horizon’s financial condition and 
results of operations either positively or negatively.

39

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Generally,  when  market  interest  rates  decline  and  other  factors  favorable  to  prepayments  occur,  there  is  a 
corresponding increase in prepayments as customers refinance existing mortgages under more favorable interest 
rate  terms.  When  a  mortgage  loan  is  prepaid,  the  anticipated  cash  flows  associated  with  servicing  that  loan  are 
terminated, resulting in a reduction of the fair value of the capitalized mortgage servicing rights. To the extent that 
actual borrower prepayments do not react as anticipated by the prepayment model (i.e., the historical data observed 
in the model does not correspond to actual market  activity), it is possible that the prepayment model could fail to 
accurately predict mortgage prepayments and could result in significant earnings volatility. To estimate prepayment 
speeds,  Horizon  utilizes  a  third–party  prepayment  model,  which  is  based  upon  statistically  derived  data  linked  to 
certain key principal indicators involving historical borrower prepayment activity associated with mortgage loans in 
the secondary market, current market interest rates and other factors, including Horizon’s own historical prepayment 
experience.  For  purposes  of  model  valuation,  estimates  are  made  for  each  product  type  within  the  mortgage 
servicing  rights  portfolio  on  a  monthly  basis.  In  addition,  on  a  quarterly  basis  Horizon  engages  a  third  party  to 
independently test the value of its servicing asset.

Derivative Instruments

As  part  of  the  Company’s  asset/liability  management  program,  Horizon  utilizes,  from  time–to–time,  interest  rate 
floors,  caps  or  swaps  to  reduce  the  Company’s  sensitivity  to  interest  rate  fluctuations.  These  are  derivative 
instruments, which are recorded as assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. Changes in 
the  fair  values  of  derivatives  are  reported  in  the  consolidated  income  statements  or  other  comprehensive  income 
(“OCI”) depending on the use of the derivative and whether the instrument qualifies for hedge accounting. The key 
criterion  for  the  hedge  accounting  is  that  the  hedged  relationship  must  be  highly  effective  in  achieving  offsetting 
changes  in  those  cash  flows  that  are  attributable  to  the  hedged  risk,  both  at  inception  of  the  hedge  and  on  an 
ongoing basis.

Horizon’s  accounting  policies  related  to  derivatives  reflect  the  guidance  in  FASB  ASC  815–10.  Derivatives  that 
qualify  for  the  hedge  accounting  treatment  are  designated  as  either:  a  hedge  of  the  fair  value  of  the  recognized 
asset or liability or of an unrecognized firm commitment (a fair value hedge) or a hedge of a forecasted transaction 
or the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability (a cash flow hedge). 
For fair value hedges, the cumulative change in fair value of both the hedge instruments and the underlying loans is 
recorded in non–interest income. For cash flow hedges, changes in the fair values of the derivative instruments are 
reported  in  OCI  to  the  extent  the  hedge  is  effective.  The  gains  and  losses  on  derivative  instruments  that  are 
reported in OCI are reflected in the consolidated income statement in the periods in which the results of operations 
are impacted by the variability of the cash flows of the hedged item. Generally, net interest income is increased or 
decreased by amounts receivable or payable with respect to the derivatives, which qualify for hedge accounting. At 
inception  of  the  hedge,  Horizon  establishes  the  method  it  uses  for  assessing  the  effectiveness  of  the  hedging 
derivative  and  the  measurement  approach  for  determining  the  ineffective  aspect  of  the  hedge.  The  ineffective 
portion of the hedge, if any, is recognized currently in the consolidated statements of income. Horizon excludes the 
time value expiration of the hedge when measuring ineffectiveness.

Valuation Measurements

Valuation methodologies often involve a significant degree of judgment, particularly when there are no observable 
active markets for the items being valued. Investment securities and derivatives are carried at fair value, as defined 
in  FASB  ASC  820,  which  requires  key  judgments  affecting  how  fair  value  for  such  assets  and  liabilities  is 
determined.  In  addition,  the  outcomes  of  valuations  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  carrying  amounts  of  goodwill, 
mortgage  servicing  rights,  and  pension  and  other  post–retirement  benefit  obligations.  To  determine  the  values  of 
these  assets  and  liabilities,  as  well  as  the  extent  to  which  related  assets  may  be  impaired,  management  makes 
assumptions and estimates related to discount rates, asset returns, prepayment speeds and other factors. The use 
of different discount rates or other valuation assumptions could produce significantly different results, which could 
affect Horizon’s results of operations.

40

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Analysis of Financial Condition

Horizon’s total assets were $7.9 billion as of December 31, 2023, an increase of $68.0 million from December 31, 
2022. The increase was primarily in cash and due from banks of $403.0 million and in net loans of $260.1 million, 
offset by decreases in investment securities of $527.4 million and cash value of life insurance of $110.0 million.

Investment Securities

Investment  securities  carrying  values  totaled  $2.5  billion  at  December  31,  2023,  and  consisted  of  Treasury  and 
federal  agency  securities  of  $351.6  million  (14.1%);  state  and  municipal  securities  of  $1.4  billion  (55.8%);  federal 
agency mortgage–backed pools of $460.9 million and federal agency collateralized mortgage obligations of $54.9 
million (20.7%); private labeled mortgage–backed pools of $32.3 million (1.3%); and corporate securities of $200.7 
million (8.1%).

As  indicated  above,  20.7%  of  the  investment  portfolio  consists  of  mortgage–backed  securities  and  collateralized 
mortgage obligations. These instruments are secured by residential mortgages of varying maturities. Principal and 
interest  payments  are  received  monthly  as  the  underlying  mortgages  are  repaid.  These  payments  also  include 
prepayments  of  mortgage  balances  as  borrowers  either  sell  their  homes  or  refinance  their  mortgages. Therefore, 
mortgage–backed  securities  and  collateralized  mortgage  obligations  have  maturities  that  are  stated  in  terms  of 
average  life.  The  average  life  is  the  average  amount  of  time  that  each  dollar  of  principal  is  expected  to  be 
outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, the mortgage–backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations in 
the  investment  portfolio  had  an  average  duration  of  just  under  7  years.  Securities  that  have  interest  rates  above 
current market rates are purchased at a premium. 

Available for sale municipal securities are priced by a third party using a pricing grid which estimates prices based 
on recent sales of similar securities. All municipal securities are investment grade or local non–rated issues. A credit 
review is performed annually on the municipal securities portfolio.

At  December  31,  2023  and  2022,  22.0%  and  33.0%,  respectively,  of  investment  securities  were  classified  as 
available for sale. Securities classified as available for sale are carried at their fair value, with both unrealized gains 
and losses recorded, net of tax, directly to stockholders’ equity. Net depreciation on these securities totaled $87.4 
million,  which  resulted  in  a  balance  of  $69.0  million,  net  of  tax,  included  in  stockholders’  equity  at  December  31, 
2023.  This  compared  to  net  depreciation  on  securities  which  totaled  $110.7  million,  net  of  tax,  included  in 
stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2022.

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly 
transaction between market participants at the measurement date. A fair value hierarchy is also established which 
requires an entity to maximize the use of observable and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. There are three 
levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1  Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2  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 for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3  Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the 

fair value of the assets or liabilities.

When quoted market prices are available in an active market, securities are classified within Level 1 of the valuation 
hierarchy. There are no Level 1 securities. If quoted market prices are not available, then fair values are estimated 
by  using  pricing  models,  quoted  prices  of  securities  with  similar  characteristics  or  discounted  cash  flows.  Level  2 
securities  include  U.S.  Treasury  and  Federal  agency  securities,  State  and  municipal  securities,  Federal  agency 
collateralized  mortgage  obligations,  Federal  agency  mortgage-backed  pools  and  corporate  notes.  For  Level  2 
securities, Horizon uses a third party service to determine fair value. In performing the valuations, the pricing service 
relies on models that consider security–specific details as well as relevant industry and economic factors. The most 
significant  of  these  inputs  are  quoted  market  prices,  interest  rate  spreads  on  relevant  benchmark  securities  and 

41

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

certain  prepayment  assumptions.  To  verify  the  reasonableness  of  the  fair  value  determination  by  the  service, 
Horizon has a portion of the Level 2 securities priced by an independent securities broker–dealer.

Unrealized gains and losses on available for sale securities, deemed temporary, are recorded, net of income tax, in 
a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income on the balance sheet.

The following is a schedule of maturities of each categories of available for sale and held to maturity debt securities 
and the related weighted–average yield of such securities as of December 31, 2023:

One Year
or Less

After One Year
Through Five Years

After Five Years
Through Ten Years

After Ten Years

(dollars in thousands)

Amount

Yield

Amount

Yield

Amount

Yield

Amount

Yield

Available for sale

U.S. Treasury and federal 
agencies(1)
State and municipal

Federal agency 
collateralized mortgage 
obligations(2)
Federal agency mortgage-
backed pools(2)
Private labeled mortgage-
backed pools(2)
Corporate notes

Total available for sale

Held to maturity

U.S. Treasury and federal 
agencies(1)
State and municipal

Federal agency 
collateralized mortgage 
obligations(2)
Federal agency mortgage-
backed pools(2)
Private labeled mortgage-
backed pools(2)
Corporate notes

$  3,764 

 0.82 % $  38,921 

 1.44 % $  19,983 

 2.17 % $ 

1,709 

195 

 0.51 %   32,334 

 1.90 %   104,704 

 2.30 %   166,797 

 1.81 %

 3.10 %

— 

— 

— 

1,448 

5,407 

 — %  

921 

 3.04 %  

— 

 — %  

2,659 

 3.61 %

 — %   11,661 

 3.38 %  

5,825 

 2.61 %   119,811 

 2.05 %

 — %  

— 

 — %  

— 

 — %  

— 

 3.45 %   18,396 

 2.69 %   16,516 

 4.29 %  

1,607 

 — %

 — %

 1.52 %   102,233 

 2.05 %   147,028 

 2.52 %   292,583 

 2.65 %

8,054 

 2.10 %   95,481 

 1.68 %   84,004 

 2.45 %  

58,421 

  25,115 

 3.01 %   116,905 

 3.40 %   86,835 

 3.37 %   710,506 

 2.93 %

 3.04 %

— 

— 

— 

— 

 — %  

— 

 — %  

— 

 — %  

43,479 

 2.40 %

 — %  

3,886 

 2.80 %   124,040 

 2.36 %   147,102 

 2.20 %

 — %  

— 

 — %  

— 

 — %  

27,734 

 2.91 %

 — %  

3,969 

 3.15 %   133,227 

 4.45 %  

— 

Total held to maturity

  33,169 

 2.79 %   220,241 

 2.64 %   428,106 

 3.23 %   987,242 

Total investment securities

$  38,576 

 2.61 % $ 322,474 

 2.45 % $ 575,134 

 3.05 % $ 1,279,825 

(1) Fair value is based on contractual maturity or call date where a call option exists
(2) Maturity based upon final maturity date

 — %

 2.88 %

 2.82 %

The  weighted–average  interest  rates  are  based  on  coupon  rates  for  securities  purchased  at  par  value  an  on 
effective  interest  rates  considering  amortization  or  accretion  if  the  securities  were  purchased  at  a  premium  or 
discount. Yields are not presented on a tax–equivalent basis.

As a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank system, Horizon is required to maintain an investment in the common 
stock of the Federal Home Loan Bank. The investment in common stock is based on a predetermined formula. At 
December  31,  2023  and  2022,  Horizon  had  investments  in  the  common  stock  of  the  Federal  Home  Loan  Bank 
totaling $34.5 million and $26.7 million, respectively.

At December 31, 2023, Horizon did not maintain a trading account.

42

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

For more information about securities, see Note 3 – Securities to the Consolidated Financial Statements at Item 8.

Total Loans

Total loans, net of deferred fees/costs, the principal earning asset of the Bank, were $4.4 billion at December 31, 
2023. The current level of total loans increased 6.3% from the December 31, 2022, level of $4.1 billion primarily due 
to  an  increase  in  commercial,  consumer  and  residential  mortgage  loans,  offset  by  a  decrease  in  residential 
construction  and  mortgage  warehouse  loans  during  the  year. The  table  below  provides  comparative  detail  on  the 
loan categories.

Commercial

Owner occupied real estate

Non–owner occupied real estate

Residential spec homes

Development & spec land

Commercial and industrial

Total commercial

Real estate

Residential mortgage

Residential construction

Mortgage warehouse

Total real estate

Consumer

Direct installment

Indirect installment

Home equity

Total consumer

Total loans

Allowance for loan losses

Loans, net

December 31,

December 31,

2023

2022

Dollar

Change

Percent

Change

$ 

640,731  $ 

594,562  $ 

1,273,838 

1,187,077 

13,489 

34,039 

712,863 

10,838 

27,358 

647,587 

2,674,960 

2,467,422 

654,295 

26,841 

45,078 

726,214 

52,366 

399,946 

564,144 

1,016,456 

4,417,630 

612,551 

40,741 

69,529 

722,821 

56,614 

500,549 

410,592 

967,755 

4,157,998 

(50,029)   

(50,464)   

46,169 

86,761 

2,651 

6,681 

65,276 

207,538 

41,744 

(13,900) 

(24,451) 

3,393 

(4,248) 

(100,603) 

153,552 

48,701 

259,632 

435 

$ 

4,367,601  $ 

4,107,534  $ 

260,067 

 7.8 %

 7.3 %

 24.5 %

 24.4 %

 10.1 %

 8.4 %

 6.8 %

 (34.1) %

 (35.2) %

 0.5 %

 (7.5) %

 (20.1) %

 37.4 %

 5.0 %

 6.2 %

 (0.9) %

 6.3 %

The acceptance and management of credit risk is an integral part of the Bank’s business as a financial intermediary. 
The Bank has established underwriting standards including a policy that monitors the lending function through strict 
administrative and reporting requirements as well as an internal loan review of commercial, residential real estate 
and  consumer  loans.  The  Bank  also  uses  an  independent  third–party  loan  review  function  that  regularly  reviews 
asset quality.

43

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Changes in the mix of the loan portfolio averages are shown in the following table.

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total average loans

December 31,

December 31,

December 31,

2023

2022

2021

$ 

2,498,453  $ 

2,280,553  $ 

2,155,018 

675,520 

54,798 

1,011,166 

621,163 

89,409 

850,667 

591,395 

206,932 

679,712 

$ 

4,239,937  $ 

3,841,792  $ 

3,633,057 

Maturities and Sensitivities of Loans to Changes in Interest Rates

The  following  table  presents  the  maturity  distribution  of  our  loan  portfolio  as  December  31,  2023.  The  table  also 
presents the portion of loans that have fixed interest rates or variable interest rates that fluctuate over the life of the 
loans in accordance with changes in an interest rate index.

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Loans with fixed interest 
rates:

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Loans with variable interest 
rates:

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Due in 
One Year 
or Less

After One, 
but Within
Five Years

After Five,
but Within
Fifteen Years

After
Fifteen Years

Total

$ 

403,193  $ 

1,108,871  $ 

1,039,478  $ 

123,418  $ 

2,674,960 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

1,252 

45,078 

13,191 

10,979 

— 

300,139 

53,770 

— 

219,307 

615,135 

— 

681,136 

45,078 

483,819 

1,016,456 

462,714  $ 

1,419,989  $ 

1,312,555  $ 

1,222,372  $ 

4,417,630 

140,081  $ 

740,362  $ 

365,557  $ 

56,826  $ 

1,302,826 

1,235 

— 

9,324 

10,356 

— 

281,406 

31,516 

— 

204,320 

358,388 

— 

22,228 

401,495 

— 

517,278 

150,640  $ 

1,032,124  $ 

601,393  $ 

437,442  $ 

2,221,599 

263,112  $ 

368,509  $ 

673,921  $ 

66,592  $ 

1,372,134 

17 

45,078 

3,867 

623 

— 

18,733 

22,254 

— 

14,987 

256,747 

— 

461,591 

279,641 

45,078 

499,178 

$ 

312,074  $ 

387,865  $ 

711,162  $ 

784,930  $ 

2,196,031 

44

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Commercial Loans

Commercial loans totaled $2.67 billion, or 60.6% of total loans as of December 31, 2023, compared to $2.47 billion, 
or 59.3% as of December 31, 2022. The increase during 2023 was due to growth in all types of commercial loans.

Commercial loans consisted of the following types of loans at December 31:

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022

Number

Amount

Percent of
Portfolio

Number

Amount

Percent of
Portfolio

SBA guaranteed

Municipal government

Lines of credit

258  $ 

54,806 

69 

1,467 

101,676 

590,943 

 2.0 %  

 3.8 %  

268  $ 

56,650 

73 

85,520 

 22.1 %  

1,507 

561,995 

Real estate and equipment

5,313 

  1,927,535 

 72.1 %  

5,261 

  1,763,257 

 2.3 %

 3.5 %

 22.8 %

 71.4 %

Total

7,107  $ 2,674,960 

 100.0 %  

7,109  $ 2,467,422 

 100.0 %

At December 31, 2023, the commercial loan portfolio held $270.2 million of adjustable rate loans that had interest 
rate  floors  in  the  terms  of  the  note.  Of  the  commercial  loans  with  interest  rate  floors,  loans  totaling  $52.3  million 
were at their floor at December 31, 2023.

The Bank's commercial loan portfolio consists generally of approximately 27% commercial and industrial loans and 
approximately  73%  commercial  real  estate  loans.  Commercial  loans  are  originated  in  the  primary  geographic 
markets of Indiana and Michigan.

Commercial  and  industrial  loans  typically  are  comprised  of  loans  to  finance  working  capital,  equipment  and  titled 
vehicles.  The  top  five  segments  with  the  commercial  and  industrial  portfolio  as  of  December  31,  2023  as  a 
percentage  of  total  commercial  loans  were  finance  and  insurance;  individuals  and  other  services;  manufacturing; 
health  care  and  education;  and  real  estate  rental  and  leasing,  with  the  highest  concentration  in  finance  and 
insurance at approximately 5% of total commercial loans.

Owner  occupied  real  estate  loans  are  comprised  of  loans  secured  by  the  real  estate  for  the  business  operator's 
facilities such as their office, warehouse, manufacturing facility or medical offices. The top five segments within the 
owner  occupied  real  estate  portfolio  as  of  December  31,  2023  as  a  percentage  of  total  commercial  loans  were 
health  care  and  education;  individuals  and  other  services;  real  estate  rental  and  leasing;  retail  trade;  and 
manufacturing with the highest concentration in health care and education at approximately 6% of total commercial 
loans.

Non–owner  occupied  real  estate  loans  are  categorized  as  loans  reliant  on  the  leasing  and/or  operation  of  the 
underlying real estate for repayment. The top five segments within the non–owner occupied real estate portfolio as 
of  December  31,  2023  as  a  percentage  of  total  commercial  loans  were  lessor's  of  mutli–family;  warehouse  and 
industrial;  retail;  hospitality;  and  non–medical  offices  with  the  highest  concentration  in  lessor's  of  mutli–family  at 
approximately 10% of total commercial loans.

Management actively monitors commercial and industrial loans and commercial real estate loans by NAICS code, 
geography and real estate sector. Commercial real estate loans are managed to internal portfolio limits for certain 
real  estate  categories,  as  well  as  regulatory  concentration  limits  based  on Tier  1  capital  plus  allowance  for  credit 
losses,  percent  of  portfolio  and  comparison  to  peer  data. The  Bank  also  utilizes  external  data  sources  to  monitor 
commercial real estate segment and market trends. 

45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Residential Real Estate Loans

Residential real estate loans totaled $681.1 million, or 15.4% of total loans as of December 31, 2023, compared to 
$653.3  million,  or  15.7%  of  total  loans  as  of  December  31,  2022. This  category  consists  of  home  mortgages  that 
generally  require  a  loan  to  value  of  no  more  than  80%.  Some  special  guaranteed  or  insured  real  estate  loan 
programs  do  permit  a  higher  loan  to  collateral  value  ratio.  The  increase  during  2023  was  primarily  due  to  jumbo 
fixed rate loan growth that are held on the balance sheet, as variable rate loans remained flat during the year.

In  addition  to  the  customary  real  estate  loans  described  above,  the  Bank  also  had  outstanding  on  December  31, 
2023, $478.7 million in home equity lines of credit compared to $346.8 million at December 31, 2022. Credit lines 
normally limit the loan to collateral value to no more than 89%. Home equity credit lines are primarily not combined 
with a first mortgage and are therefore evaluated in the allowance for loan losses as a separate pool. These loans 
are classified as consumer loans in the Loans table above and in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements 
at Item 8.

Residential  real  estate  lending  is  a  highly  competitive  business.  As  of  December  31,  2023,  the  real  estate  loan 
portfolio  reflected  a  wide  range  of  interest  rates  and  repayment  patterns,  but  could  generally  be  categorized  as 
follows:

Fixed rate

Monthly payment

Adjustable rate

Monthly payment

Subtotal

Loans held for sale

Total real estate loans

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022

Amount

Percent of
Portfolio

Yield

Amount

Percent of
Portfolio

Yield

$  402,038 

 59.0 %

 4.06 % $  375,185 

 57.4 %

 3.76 %

279,098 

681,136 

1,418 

$  682,554 

 41.0 %

 100.0 %

 4.98 %  

278,107 

 42.6 %

 4.44 %  

653,292 

 100.0 %

 4.21 %

 3.95 %

5,807 

$  659,099 

In addition to the real estate loan portfolio, the Bank originates and sells real estate loans and retains the servicing 
rights. During 2023 and 2022, approximately $142.8 million and $221.9 million, respectively, of residential 
mortgages were sold into the secondary market. Loans serviced for others are not included in the consolidated 
balance sheets. The unpaid principal balances of loans serviced for others totaled approximately $1.5 billion and 
$1.5 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022.

The  aggregate  fair  value  of  capitalized  mortgage  servicing  rights  at  December  31,  2023,  totaled  approximately 
$19.9 million compared to the carrying value of $18.8 million. Comparable market values and a valuation model that 
calculates  the  present  value  of  future  cash  flows  were  used  to  estimate  fair  value.  For  purposes  of  measuring 
impairment,  risk  characteristics  including  product  type,  investor  type  and  interest  rates,  were  used  to  stratify  the 
originated mortgage servicing rights.

46

 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Mortgage servicing rights

Balances, January 1

Servicing rights capitalized

Amortization of servicing rights

Balances, December 31

Impairment allowance

Balances, January 1

Additions

Reductions

Balances, December 31

Mortgage servicing rights, net

Mortgage Warehouse Loans

December 31,

December 31,

December 31,

2023

2022

2021

$ 

18,619  $ 

17,780  $ 

1,220 

3,184 

(1,032)   

(2,345)   

18,807 

18,619 

17,644 

4,209 

(4,073) 

17,780 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(2,594)   

(5,172) 

— 

2,594 

— 

— 

2,578 

(2,594) 

$ 

18,807  $ 

18,619  $ 

15,186 

Horizon’s  mortgage  warehousing  lending  has  specific  mortgage  companies  as  customers  of  Horizon  Bank. 
Individual  mortgage  loans  originated  by  these  mortgage  companies  are  funded  as  a  secured  borrowing  with  a 
pledge of collateral under Horizon’s agreement with the mortgage company. Each mortgage loan funded by Horizon 
undergoes  an  underwriting  review  by  Horizon  to  the  end  investor  guidelines  and  is  assigned  to  Horizon  until  the 
loan  is  sold  to  the  secondary  market  by  the  mortgage  company.  In  addition,  Horizon  takes  possession  of  each 
original note and forwards such note to the end investor once the mortgage company has sold the loan. At the time 
a loan is transferred to the secondary market, the mortgage company reacquires the loan under its option within the 
agreement. Due to the reacquire feature contained in the agreement, the transaction does not qualify as a sale and 
therefore  is  accounted  for  as  a  secured  borrowing  with  a  pledge  of  collateral  pursuant  to  the  agreement  with  the 
mortgage company. When the individual loan is sold to the end investor by the mortgage company, the proceeds 
from the sale of the loan are received by Horizon and used to pay off the loan balance with Horizon along with any 
accrued interest and any related fees. The remaining balance from the sale is forwarded to the mortgage company. 
These individual loans typically are sold by the mortgage company within 30 days and are seldom held more than 
90 days. Interest income is accrued during this period and collected at the time each loan is sold. Fee income for 
each  loan  sold  is  collected  when  the  loan  is  sold  and  no  costs  are  deferred  due  to  the  term  between  each  loan 
funding and related payoff, which is typically less than 30 days.

Based  on  the  agreements  with  each  mortgage  company,  at  any  time  a  mortgage  company  can  reacquire  from 
Horizon its outstanding loan balance on an individual mortgage and regain possession of the original note. Horizon 
also  has  the  option  to  request  that  the  mortgage  company  reacquire  an  individual  mortgage.  Should  this  occur, 
Horizon would return the original note and reassign the assignment of the mortgage to the mortgage company. Also, 
in the event that the end investor would not be able to honor the purchase commitment and the mortgage company 
would not be able to reacquire its loan on an individual mortgage, Horizon would be able to exercise its rights under 
the  agreement.  The  greatest  risk  related  to  these  loans  is  transaction  and  fraud  risk.  During  2023,  Horizon 
processed approximately $1.4 billion in mortgage warehouse loans. 

At December 31, 2023, the mortgage warehouse loan balance was $45.1 million compared to $69.5 million as of 
December 31, 2022. 

Consumer Loans

Consumer loans totaled $1.0 billion, or 23.0% of total loans as of December 31, 2023, compared to $967.8 million, 
or  23.3%  as  of  December  31,  2022.  The  increase  during  2023  was  due  to  growth  in  home  equity  lines  of  credit 
primarily  attributable  to  approximately  $124.9  million  of  purchased  home  equity  lines  of  credit  as  the  indirect  loan 
portfolio declined $100.6 million.

47

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Allowance and Provision for Credit Losses 

The  table  below  provides  an  allocation  of  the  year–end  allowance  for  credit  losses  on  loans  by  loan  portfolio 
segment;  however,  allocation  of  a  portion  of  the  allowance  to  one  segment  does  not  preclude  its  availability  to 
absorb losses in other segments.

Amount of 
Allowance 
Allocated

Percent of Loans in 
Each Category to 
Total Loans

Total Loans

Ratio of Allowance 
Allocated to Loans 
in Each Category

December 31, 2023

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Excluding PPP loans

December 31, 2022

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Excluding PPP loans

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

29,736 

2,503 

481 

17,309 

50,029 

50,029 

32,445 

5,577 

1,020 

11,422 

50,464 

50,464 

 60.6 % $ 

2,674,960 

 15.4 %  

 1.0 %  

 23.0 %  

 100.0 % $ 

$ 

681,136 

45,078 

1,016,456 

4,417,630 

4,417,535 

 59.3 % $ 

2,467,422 

 15.7 %  

 1.7 %  

 23.3 %  

 100.0 % $ 

$ 

653,292 

69,529 

967,755 

4,157,998 

4,157,781 

 1.11 %

 0.37 %

 1.07 %

 1.70 %

 1.13 %

 1.13 %

 1.31 %

 0.85 %

 1.47 %

 1.18 %

 1.21 %

 1.21 %

At  December  31,  2023,  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  was  $50.0  million,  or  1.13%  of  total  loans  outstanding, 
compared to $50.5 million, or 1.21%, at December 31, 2022. During 2023, a provision for credit losses on loans was 
recorded totaling $2.1 million compared to a release of provision for credit losses totaling $2.2 million in 2022. 

Horizon assesses the adequacy of its Allowance for Credit Losses (“ACL”) by regularly reviewing the performance 
of all of its loan portfolios. As a result of its quarterly reviews, a provision for credit losses is determined to bring the 
total ACL to a level called for by the analysis. Horizon's reserve includes allocations for potential future loan losses 
related to economic factors and the nature and characteristics of its loan portfolios. 

No assurance can be given that Horizon will not, in any particular period, sustain loan losses that are significant in 
relation  to  the  amount  reserved,  or  that  subsequent  evaluations  of  the  loan  portfolio,  in  light  of  factors  then 
prevailing, including economic conditions and management’s ongoing quarterly assessments of the portfolio, will not 
require  increases  in  the  allowance  for  credit  losses.  Horizon  considers  the  allowance  for  credit  losses  to  be 
adequate to cover losses inherent in the loan portfolio as of December 31, 2023.

Non–performing Loans

Non–performing  loans  are  defined  as  loans  that  are  greater  than  90  days  delinquent  or  have  had  the  accrual  of 
interest  discontinued  by  management.  From  time  to  time,  the  Bank  obtains  information  which  may  lead 
management to believe that the collection of payments may be doubtful on a particular loan. In recognition of such, 
it  is  management's  policy  to  convert  the  loan  from  an  “earning  asset”  to  a  non–accruing  loan.  Further,  it  is 
management's policy to place a commercial loan on non–accrual status when delinquent in excess of 90 days or 
management  has  determined  that  the  borrower's  ability  to  continue  to  make  payments  is  in  doubt.  The  officer 
responsible  for  the  loan,  Executive  Vice  President  and  Chief  Commercial  Banking  Officer,  Senior  Vice  President 
Commercial Credit Officer and the Vice President Senior Commercial Workout Manager review all loans placed on 
non–accrual status. Management continues to work diligently toward returning non–performing loans to an earning 
asset basis. 

48

 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–performing loans for the previous three years ending December 31 are as follows:

(dollars in thousands)

Non–performing loans

Commercial

More than 90 days past due

Non–accrual

Trouble debt restructuring – accruing

Trouble debt restructuring – non–accrual

Real estate

More than 90 days past due

Non–accrual

Trouble debt restructuring – accruing

Trouble debt restructuring – non–accrual

Mortgage warehouse

More than 90 days past due

Non–accrual

Trouble debt restructuring – accruing

Trouble debt restructuring – non–accrual

Consumer

More than 90 days past due

Non–accrual

Trouble debt restructuring – accruing

Trouble debt restructuring – non–accrual

December 31, December 31, December 31,

2023

2022

2021

$ 

—  $ 

—  $ 

7,362 

— 

— 

— 

8,058 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

559 

4,290 

— 

— 

8,493 

837 

— 

43 

5,479 

1,391 

1,210 

— 

— 

— 

— 

49 

3,658 

342 

338 

— 

6,621 

603 

285 

66 

5,626 

1,421 

892 

— 

— 

— 

— 

79 

2,715 

367 

344 

Total non–performing loans

20,269 

21,840 

19,019 

Other real estate owned and repossessed collateral

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

1,124 

1,881 

182 

— 

205 

107 

— 

152 

2,861 

695 

— 

5 

Total other real estate owned and repossessed collateral

1,511 

2,140 

3,561 

Total non–performing assets

$ 

21,780  $ 

23,980  $ 

22,580 

49

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–performing loans totaled 39.2%, 40.2% and 47.0% of the allowance for credit losses at December 31, 2023, 
2022 and 2021, respectively. Non–performing loans at December 31, 2023 totaled $20.3 million, a decrease from a 
balance of $21.8 million as of December 31, 2022 and an increase from a balance of $19.0 million as of December 
31, 2021. The level of non–performing loans in 2023 remained consistent when compared to prior years.

Non–performing loans as a percentage of total loans was 0.46% as of December 31, 2023, a decrease from 0.53% 
as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.

Non–Performing 
Loans

Percent of Non–
Performing Loans in 
Each Category to 
Total Loans

Total Loans

December 31, 2023

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Excluding PPP loans

Allowance for credit losses on loans

Ratio of allowance for credit losses on loans to 
non–performing loans

December 31, 2022

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Excluding PPP loans

Allowance for credit losses on loans

Ratio of allowance for credit losses on loans to 
non–performing loans

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

7,362 

8,058 

— 

4,849 

20,269 

20,269 

50,029 

 246.83 %

9,330 

8,123 

— 

4,387 

21,840 

21,840 

50,464 

 231.06 %

 0.28 % $ 

2,674,960 

 1.18 %  

 0.00 %  

 0.48 %  

 0.46 % $ 

 0.46 % $ 

681,136 

45,078 

1,016,456 

4,417,630 

4,417,535 

 0.38 % $ 

2,467,422 

 1.24 %  

 0.00 %  

 0.45 %  

 0.53 % $ 

 0.53 % $ 

653,292 

69,529 

967,755 

4,157,998 

4,157,781 

Other  Real  Estate  Owned  (“OREO”)  totaled  $1.2  million  on  December  31,  2023,  a  decrease  of  $759,000  from 
December 31, 2022 and a decrease of $2.4 million from December 31, 2021. On December 31, 2023, OREO was 
comprised of six properties, three of these properties were bank owned properties from branch closures and three 
properties were residential. 

No mortgage warehouse loans were non–performing or OREO as of December 31, 2023, 2022 or 2021.

50

 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Deferred Tax

Horizon had a net deferred tax asset totaling $33.5 million as of December 31, 2023 and a net deferred tax asset of 
$40.3 million as of December 31, 2022. The following table shows the major components of deferred tax:

December 31,

December 31,

2023

2022

Assets

Allowance for credit losses

Net operating loss and tax credits

Director and employee benefits

Unrealized loss on AFS securities and cash flow hedge

Basis in partnership equity investments

Capital loss carryover

Other

Total assets

Liabilities

Depreciation

State tax

Federal Home Loan Bank stock dividends

Difference in basis of intangible assets

Fair value adjustment on acquisitions

Other

Total liabilities

Valuation allowance

$ 

12,546  $ 

9,592 

2,471 

17,706 

1,322 

5,201 

2,856 

51,694 

(4,512)   

(253)   

(365)   

(4,545)   

(2,142)   

(1,131)   

(12,948)   

(5,201)   

Net deferred tax asset/(liability)

$ 

33,545  $ 

12,762 

9,313 

2,019 

28,230 

— 

— 

555 

52,879 

(4,599) 

(262) 

(368) 

(4,440) 

(2,807) 

(68) 

(12,544) 

— 

40,335 

Deposits

The primary source of funds for the Bank comes from the acceptance of demand and time deposits. However, at 
times the Bank will use its ability to borrow funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank and other sources when it can 
do so at interest rates and terms that are more favorable than those required for deposited funds or loan demand is 
greater than the ability to grow deposits. Total deposits were $5.7 billion at December 31, 2023, compared to $5.9 
billion at December 31, 2022. 
Average deposits and rates by category for the three years ended December 31 are as follows:

Average Balance Outstanding for the

Average Rate Paid for the

Years Ended December 31

2023

2022

2021

Non–interest bearing demand deposits $ 1,181,233  $ 1,332,937  $ 1,188,275 

Interest bearing demand deposits

  1,749,674 

  1,971,567 

  1,651,060 

Savings deposits

Money market

Time deposits

Total deposits

841,644 

756,092 

  1,151,178 

940,499 

810,083 

791,519 

779,325 

815,081 

652,284 

$ 5,679,821  $ 5,846,605  $ 5,086,025 

51

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

 1.26 %

 0.61 %

 2.52 %

 3.44 %

 0.28 %

 0.13 %

 0.45 %

 0.95 %

 0.09 %

 0.05 %

 0.15 %

 0.75 %

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

The $166.8 million decrease in average deposits during 2023 was primarily due to the increase in rates during 2023 
creating  a  competitive  deposit  environment,  in  addition  to  deposits  leaving  the  banking  system  for  alternative 
investment  options.  The  transactional  accounts  average  balances,  as  the  lower  cost  funding  sources,  decreased 
$526.4 million and the average balances for higher cost time deposits increased $359.7 million. Horizon continually 
enhances its interest bearing consumer and commercial demand deposit products based on local market conditions 
and its need for funding to support various types of assets.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, approximately $2.6 billion and $2.4 billion, respectively, or our deposit portfolio 
was  uninsured.  The  uninsured  amounts  are  estimates  based  on  the  methodologies  and  assumptions  used  for 
Horizon Bank's regulatory reporting requirements.

Certificates  and  other  time  deposits  for  both  retail  and  brokered  maturing  in  years  ending  December  31  are  as 
follows:

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

Thereafter

Retail

Brokered

Total

$ 

961,848  $ 

151,636  $ 

1,113,484 

34,614 

12,004 

7,286 

3,070 

57 

9,224 

— 

— 

— 

— 

43,838 

12,004 

7,286 

3,070 

57 

$ 

1,018,879  $ 

160,860  $ 

1,179,739 

Certificates of deposit of $250,000 or more, which are considered to be rate sensitive and are not considered a part 
of core deposits, mature as follows as of December 31, 2023:

Due in three months or less

Due after three months through six months

Due after six months through one year

Due after one year

$ 

220,003 

148,487 

238,954 

25,402 

$ 

632,846 

Interest  expense  on  time  certificates  of  $250,000  or  more  was  approximately  $16.7  million,  $4.2  million  and  $1.4 
million for 2023, 2022 and 2021.

Off–Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2023, Horizon did not have any off–balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably 
likely to have a current or future effect  on the Company’s financial condition, change in financial condition, revenues 
or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that are material to investors. 
The  term  “off–balance  sheet  arrangement”  generally  means  any  transaction,  agreement,  or  other  contractual 
arrangement to which an entity unconsolidated with the Company is a party and under which the Company has (i) 
any  obligation  arising  under  a  guarantee  contract,  derivative  instrument  or  variable  interest;  or  (ii)  a  retained  or 
contingent  interest  in  assets  transferred  to  such  entity  or  similar  arrangement  that  serves  as  credit,  liquidity  or 
market risk support for such assets.

Capital Resources

Horizon has no material commitments for capital expenditures as of December 31, 2023. Horizon’s sources of funds 
and liquidity are discussed below in the section captioned “Liquidity” in this Item 7.

52

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Results of Operations

Net Income

Consolidated net income was $28.0 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, in 2023, $93.4 million or $2.14 per diluted 
share in 2022, and $87.1 million or $1.98 per diluted share in 2021. The decrease in net income from the previous 
year reflects a decrease in net interest income of $23.8 million, a decrease in non–interest income of $35.5 million, 
an increase in non–interest expense of $3.1 million and an increase in credit loss expense of $4.3 million, offset by 
a  decrease  in  income  tax  expense  of  $1.2  million.  The  decrease  in  diluted  earnings  per  share  compared  to  the 
previous year reflects a decrease in net income and an increase in diluted shares. Adjusted net income for the year 
ended  December  31,  2023  was  $66.5  million,  or  $1.54  diluted  earnings  per  share,  compared  to  $92.8  million,  or 
$2.13 diluted earnings per share, for the year ended December 31, 2022. (See the “Non–GAAP Reconciliation of 
Net  Income  and  Diluted  Earnings  per  Share”  table  under  the  heading  “Use  of  Non–GAAP  Financial  Measures” 
below for the definition of adjusted net income.)

Net Interest Income

The  largest  component  of  income  is  net  interest  income.  Net  interest  income  is  the  difference  between  interest 
income,  principally  from  loans  and  investment  securities,  and  interest  expense,  principally  on  deposits  and 
borrowings.  Changes  in  the  net  interest  income  are  the  result  of  changes  in  volume  and  the  net  interest  spread 
which  affects  the  net  interest  margin.  Volume  refers  to  the  average  dollar  levels  of  interest  earning  assets  and 
interest bearing liabilities. Net interest spread refers to the difference between the average yield on interest earning 
assets and the average cost of interest bearing liabilities. Net interest margin refers to net interest income divided by 
average interest earning assets and is influenced by the level and relative mix of interest earning assets and interest 
bearing liabilities.

Net interest income during 2023 was $175.7 million, a decrease of $23.8 million, or 11.9%, compared to the $199.5 
million  earned  in  2022.  Yields  on  the  Company’s  interest  earning  assets  increased  by  94  basis  points  to  4.44% 
during  2023  from  3.50%  in  2022.  Interest  income  increased  $76.3  million  to  $312.3  million  for  2023  from  $236.0 
million in 2022. This increase was due to the overall increase in interest rates during 2023 and the increase in the 
average balance of interest earning assets of $258.0 million.

Interest expense increased $100.0 million from $36.5 million in 2022 to $136.6 million in 2023. This increase was 
due  to  the  overall  increase  in  interest  rates  during  2023  and  the  increase  in  average  balance  of  interest  bearing 
liabilities of $439.3 million. The increase in rates paid on interest bearing liabilities of 164 basis points was greater 
than  the  increase  in  the  yield  of  interest  earning  assets  of  94  basis  points  that  resulted  in  a  decrease  in  the  net 
interest margin of 43 basis points from 2.98% for 2022 to 2.55% in 2023. Excluding interest income recognized from 
acquisition–related  purchase  accounting  adjustments  and  a  swap  termination  fee,  the  margin  would  have  been 
2.51% for 2023 compared to 2.93% for 2022. Management believes that the current level of interest rates is driven 
by external factors and therefore impacts the results of the Company’s net interest margin.

53

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

The following table presents the average balances of our assets, liabilities, and stockholders' equity, and the related 
weighted  average  yields  and  rates  on  our  interest  earning  assets  and  interest  bearing  liabilities  for  the  periods 
indicated.

Twelve Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

Twelve Months Ended

December 31, 2023

December 31, 2022

December 31, 2021

Average 
Balance

Interest

Average 
Rate

Average 
Balance

Interest

Average 
Rate

Average 
Balance

Interest

Average 
Rate

Assets

Interest earning assets

Federal funds sold

Interest earning deposits

Investment securities – 
taxable

Investment securities – non–
taxable(1)

Loans receivable(2)(3)(4)

Total interest earning 
assets(1)

Non–interest earning assets

$  82,865  $  4,442 

 5.36 % $  62,211  $ 

165 

 0.27 % $  398,528  $ 

535 

12,930 

525 

 4.06 %  

13,596 

141 

 1.04 %  

25,993 

160 

 0.13 %

 0.62 %

 1,658,160 

  34,410 

 2.08 %  1,700,418 

  33,202 

 1.95 %   884,244 

  14,437 

 1.63 %

 1,236,607 

  28,384 

 2.91 %  1,356,045 

  29,025 

 2.71 %  1,086,942 

  23,246 

 4,244,893 

 244,544 

 5.79 %  3,845,137 

 173,500 

 4.53 %  3,639,454 

 155,732 

 2.71 %

 4.30 %

 7,235,455 

 312,305 

 4.44 %  6,977,407 

 236,033 

 3.50 %  6,035,161 

 194,110 

 3.33 %

Cash and due from banks

  102,535 

Allowance for loan losses

Other assets

Total average assets

(49,774) 

  581,412 

$ 7,869,628 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ 
Equity

99,885 

(52,606) 

  509,229 

$ 7,533,915 

89,993 

(56,798) 

  445,895 

$ 6,514,251 

Interest bearing liabilities

Interest bearing deposits

Borrowings

Repurchase agreements

Subordinated notes

Junior subordinated 
debentures issued to capital 
trusts

Total interest bearing 
liabilities

Non–interest bearing liabilities

Demand deposits

Accrued interest payable and 
other liabilities

Stockholders’ equity

Total average liabilities and 
stockholders’ equity

Net interest income/spread

Net interest income as a 

percent of average interest 
earning assets(1)

$ 4,498,588  $ 85,857 

 1.91 % $ 4,513,668  $ 17,809 

 0.39 % $ 3,897,750  $  7,867 

 1,154,714 

  39,514 

 3.42 %   696,584 

  11,938 

 1.71 %   425,214 

  4,546 

  137,153 

  2,964 

 2.16 %   141,048 

527 

 0.37 %   123,675 

155 

58,764 

  3,511 

 5.97 %  

58,819 

  3,522 

 5.99 %  

58,672 

  3,522 

 0.20 %

 1.07 %

 0.13 %

 6.00 %

57,137 

  4,715 

 8.25 %  

56,899 

  2,719 

 4.78 %  

56,657 

  2,215 

 3.91 %

 5,906,356 

 136,561 

 2.31 %  5,467,018 

  36,515 

 0.67 %  4,561,968 

  18,305 

 0.40 %

 1,181,233 

75,765 

  706,274 

$ 7,869,628 

 1,332,937 

50,330 

  683,630 

$ 7,533,915 

 1,188,275 

51,886 

  712,122 

$ 6,514,251 

$ 175,744 

 2.13 %

$ 199,518 

 2.83 %

$ 175,805 

 2.93 %

 2.55 %

 2.98 %

 3.03 %

(1) Horizon has no foreign office and, accordingly, no assets or liabilities to foreign operations. Horizon's subsidiary bank had no funds invested 

in Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit at December 31, 2023.

(2) Yields are presented on a tax–equivalent basis.
(3) Non–accruing loans for the purpose of the computations above are included in the daily average loan amounts outstanding. Loan totals are 

shown net of unearned income and deferred loan fees.

(4) Net loan fees included in interest on loans aggregated $7.9 million, $11.0 million and $19.8 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

54

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Net interest income during 2022 was $199.5 million, an increase of $23.7 million, or 13.5%, over the $175.8 million 
earned in 2021. Yields on the Company’s interest earning assets increased by 17 basis points to 3.50% during 2022 
from 3.33% in 2021. Interest income increased $41.9 million to $236.0 million for 2022 from $194.1 million in 2021. 
This increase was due to the overall increase in interest rates during 2022 and the increase in the average balance 
of interest earning assets of $942.2 million.

Interest expense increased $18.2 million from $18.3 million in 2021 to $36.5 million in 2022. This increase was due 
to  the  overall  increase  in  interest  rates  during  2022  and  the  increase  in  the  average  balance  of  interest  bearing 
liabilities of $905.1 million. The increase in rates paid on interest bearing liabilities of 27 basis points was greater 
than  the  increase  in  the  yield  of  interest  earning  assets  of  17  basis  points  that  resulted  in  a  decrease  in  the  net 
interest margin of 5 basis points from 3.03% for 2021 to 2.98% in 2022. Excluding interest income recognized from 
acquisition–related  purchase  accounting  adjustments  and  prepayment  penalties  on  borrowings,  the  margin  would 
have been 2.93% for 2022 compared to 2.96% for 2021.

2023 - 2022

2022 - 2021

Total
Change

Change
Due To
Volume

Change
Due To
Rate

Total
Change

Change
Due To
Volume

Change
Due To
Rate

Investment securities – non–taxable

(641)   

(3,364)   

Interest Income

Federal funds sold

Interest earning deposits

Investment securities – taxable

Loans receivable

Total interest income

Interest Expense

Interest bearing deposits

Borrowings

Repurchase agreements

Subordinated notes

$ 

4,277  $ 

73  $ 

4,204  $ 

(370)  $ 

(655)  $ 

384 

1,208 

(7)   

(840)   

(19)   

(97)   

18,765 

15,480 

391 

2,048 

2,723 

51,566 

60,932 

71,044 

76,272 

19,478 

15,340 

68,048 

27,576 

2,437 

(59)   

68,107 

10,962 

16,614 

(15)   

2,452 

(11)   

(3)   

(8)   

285 

78 

3,285 

(1,512) 

8,681 

7,291 

9,087 

31,106 

10,817 

1,412 

3,800 

25 

9 

9 

8,530 

3,592 

347 

(9) 

495 

5,779 

17,768 

41,923 

9,942 

7,392 

372 

— 

504 

Junior subordinated debentures issued to 
capital trusts

1,996 

11 

1,985 

Total interest expense

Net interest income

Credit Loss Expense

  100,046 

10,896 

89,150 

18,210 

5,255 

12,955 

$  (23,774)  $ 

4,444  $  (28,218)  $  23,713  $  25,851  $ 

(2,138) 

Horizon assesses the adequacy of its ACL by regularly reviewing the performance of its loan portfolios. Credit loss 
expense totaled $2.5 million in 2023 compared to a recovery of $1.8 million in 2022. Total loan net charge–offs were 
$2.2 million, which included commercial loan net charge–offs of $580,000, residential mortgage loan net recoveries 
of $34,000 and consumer loan net charge–offs of $1.6 million for the year ending December 31, 2023. The recovery 
of the ACL in 2022 was the result of allocations related to the impact of COVID–19 being reduced and/or eliminated 
during the year and partially reallocated to current economic factors and also required some release from the ACL. 

Credit loss expense totaled a recovery of $1.8 million in 2022 compared to a recovery of $2.1 million in 2021. Total 
loan  net  charge–offs  were  $843,000,  which  included  commercial  loan  net  recoveries  of  $80,000,  residential 
mortgage  loan  net  recoveries  of  $53,000  and  consumer  loan  net  charge–offs  of  $976,000  for  the  year  ending 
December 31, 2022. The recovery of the ACL in 2022 was the result of allocations related to the impact of COVID–
19 being reduced and/or eliminated during the year and partially reallocated to current economic factors and also 
required some release from the ACL.

55

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Additional information related to credit loss expense (recovery) and net charge–offs (recoveries) is presented in the 
table below. Also see Note 5 – Allowance for Credit and Loan Losses in the accompanying notes to consolidated 
financial statements included elsewhere in this report.

Credit Loss 
Expense 
(Recovery)

Net (Charge–
Offs) Recoveries

Average Loans

Ratio of Net 
(Charge–Offs) 
Recoveries to 
Average Loans

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 
2023

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 
2022

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 
2021

Commercial

Real estate

Mortgage warehouse

Consumer

Total

$ 

(1,765)  $ 

(580)  $ 

2,498,453 

(3,107)   

(539)   

7,501 

2,090 

33 

— 

(1,614)   

(2,161)   

675,520 

54,798 

1,011,166 

4,239,937 

$ 

(7,650)  $ 

80  $ 

2,280,553 

1,668 

(39)   

3,802 

(2,219)   

53 

— 

(976)   

(843)   

621,163 

89,409 

850,667 

3,841,792 

$ 

(1,320)  $ 

(1,099)  $ 

2,155,018 

(755)   

(208)   

199 

(9)   

— 

(533)   

591,395 

206,932 

679,712 

(2,084)   

(1,641)   

3,633,057 

 (0.02) %

 0.00 %

 0.00 %

 (0.16) %

 (0.05) %

 0.00 %

 0.01 %

 0.00 %

 (0.11) %

 (0.02) %

 (0.05) %

 0.00 %

 0.00 %

 (0.08) %

 (0.05) %

56

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–interest Income

The following is a summary of changes in non–interest income:

Twelve Months Ended
December 31

Non–interest Income

2023

2022

2022 - 2023

Amount 
Change

Percent 
Change

Twelve Months Ended
December 31

2022

2021

2021 - 2022

Amount 
Change

Percent 
Change

Service charges on deposit 
accounts

Wire transfer fees

Interchange fees

Fiduciary activities

Gain (loss) on sale of 
investment securities

Gain on sale of mortgage 
loans

Mortgage servicing net of 
impairment

Increase in cash surrender 
value of bank owned life 
insurance

Death benefit on officer life 
insurance

Other income

Total non–interest 
income

$  12,227  $  11,598  $ 

629 

 5.4 % $  11,598  $ 

9,192  $  2,406 

 26.2 %

448 

595 

(147) 

 (24.7) %  

595 

892 

(297) 

 (33.3) %

12,861 

12,402 

5,080 

5,381 

459 

(301) 

 3.7 %  

12,402 

10,901 

1,501 

 13.8 %

 (5.6) %  

5,381 

7,419 

(2,038) 

 (27.5) %

(32,052)   

— 

  (32,052) 

 (100.0) %  

— 

914 

(914) 

 (100.0) %

4,323 

7,165 

(2,842) 

 (39.7) %  

7,165 

19,163 

  (11,998) 

 (62.6) %

2,708 

4,800 

(2,092) 

 (43.6) %  

4,800 

2,352 

2,448 

 104.1 %

3,709 

2,594 

1,115 

 43.0 %  

2,594 

2,094 

500 

 23.9 %

— 

2,694 

644 

2,272 

(644) 

 (100.0) %  

644 

783 

(139) 

 (17.8) %

422 

 18.6 %  

2,272 

4,242 

(1,970) 

 (46.4) %

$  11,998  $  47,451  $ (35,453) 

 (74.7) % $  47,451  $  57,952  $ (10,501) 

 (18.1) %

During 2023, the Company originated approximately $142.8 million of mortgage loans to be sold on the secondary 
market,  compared  to  $221.9  million  in  2022  as  long–term  interest  rates  increased  during  2023.  This  decrease  in 
volume, in addition to a decrease in the percentage earned on the sale of mortgage loans, resulted in a decrease in 
the  overall  gain  on  sale  of  mortgage  loans  of  $2.8  million  compared  to  the  prior  year.  Gain  (loss)  on  the  sale  of 
investment securities decreased $32.1 million in 2023 as there were no sales in 2022 and the Company executed a 
balance  sheet  restructure  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2023  resulting  in  a  $31.6  million  loss  on  the  sale  of  investment 
securities. Mortgage servicing net of impairment decreased by $2.1 million during 2023 compared to 2022 primarily 
due to the recovery net impairment charges of $2.6 million recorded during 2022. The increase in bank owned life 
insurance income in 2023 was due to additional purchases of bank owned life insurance in 2022. 

During 2022, the Company originated approximately $221.9 million of mortgage loans to be sold on the secondary 
market,  compared  to  $438.1  million  in  2021  as  long–term  interest  rates  began  to  increase  during  2022.  This 
decrease in volume, in addition to a decrease in the percentage earned on the sale of mortgage loans, resulted in a 
decrease in the overall gain on sale of mortgage loans of $12.0 million compared to the prior year. Gain on the sale 
of  investment  securities  decreased  $914,000  in  2022  as  there  were  no  sales  in  2022.  Fiduciary  activities  income 
decreased $2.0 million during 2022 primarily due to the sale of ESOP trustee accounts which was completed during 
the third quarter of 2021. Mortgage servicing net of impairment increased by $2.4 million during 2022 compared to 
2021  primarily  due  to  the  recovery  net  impairment  charges  of  $2.6  million  recorded  during  2022.  Other  income 
decreased  $2.0  million  during  2022  primarily  due  to  the  gain  on  sale  of  ESOP  trustee  accounts  of  $2.3  million 
recorded in 2021. The increase in interchange fee income in 2022 compared to 2021 was the result of the branch 
acquisition in September 2021 and organic growth in transactional deposit accounts and volume during 2022. 

57

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–interest Expense

The following is a summary of changes in non–interest expense:

Twelve Months Ended
December 31

Non–interest Expense

2023

2022

2022 - 2023

Amount
Change

Percent
Change

Twelve Months Ended
December 31

2022

2021

2021 - 2022

Amount
Change

Percent
Change

$  56,165  $  55,422  $ 

743 

 1.3 % $  55,422  $  49,463  $  5,959 

 12.0 %

8,442 

(2,421) 

 (28.7) %  

8,442 

Salaries

Commission and bonuses

Employee benefits

Net occupancy expenses

Data processing

Professional fees

Outside services and 
consultants

Loan expense

FDIC deposit insurance

Core deposit intangible 
amortization

Other losses

Other expenses

Total non–interest 
expense

6,021 

18,623 

13,355 

11,626 

2,645 

9,942 

4,980 

3,880 

3,612 

1,051 

16,419 

13,323 

10,567 

1,843 

10,850 

5,411 

2,558 

3,702 

1,046 

2,204 

 13.4 %  

16,419 

32 

 0.2 %  

13,323 

1,059 

 10.0 %  

10,567 

802 

 43.5 %  

1,843 

(908) 

(431) 

 (8.4) %  

10,850 

 (8.0) %  

5,411 

1,322 

 51.7 %  

2,558 

(90) 

 (2.4) %  

3,702 

 0.5 %  

1,046 

5 

766 

11,089 

13,499 

12,541 

9,962 

2,216 

8,449 

5,492 

2,377 

3,644 

2,283 

(2,647) 

 (23.9) %

2,920 

 21.6 %

782 

605 

 6.2 %

 6.1 %

(373) 

 (16.8) %

2,401 

 28.4 %

(81) 

181 

 (1.5) %

 7.6 %

58 

 1.6 %

(1,237) 

 (54.2) %

14,384 

13,618 

 5.6 %  

13,618 

12,379 

1,239 

 10.0 %

$  146,284  $  143,201  $  3,083 

 2.2 % $  143,201  $  133,394  $  9,807 

 7.4 %

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, employee benefits increased $2.2 million due to the increase in 
health care costs and variable costs in certain deferred compensation plans. FDIC deposit insurance increased $1.3 
million  as  the  FDIC's  plan  to  replenish  the  Deposit  Insurance  Fund  increased  the  rates  paid  during  2023. 
Commission and bonuses decreased $2.4 million primarily due to lower mortgage volume in 2023 and lower bonus 
expense accruals due to the results of certain performance measurements.  

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, salaries increased $6.0 million reflecting annual merit increases 
and  the  additional  employees  from  the  branch  acquisition  completed  during  the  third  quarter  of  2021.  Outside 
services  and  consultants  and  other  expenses  each  increased  by  $2.4  million  from  additional  consulting  services 
performed  during  the  year.  Other  losses  decreased  $1.2  million  primarily  due  to  $1.9  million  in  ESOP  settlement 
expenses recorded during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense totaled $11.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $1.2 million when 
compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in income before 
taxes  of  $66.6  million,  offset  by  a  tax  valuation  reserve  of  $5.2  million  recorded  related  to  the  sale  of  investment 
securities  and  tax  expense  and  excise  tax  of  $8.6  million  related  to  the  redemption  of  bank  owned  life  insurance 
policies in 2023.

Income tax expense totaled $12.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an decrease of $3.2 million when 
compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily due to the additional benefit related 
to  investments  that  generate  tax  credits,  an  increase  in  tax  exempt  investments,  offset  slightly  by  an  increase  in 
income before taxes of $3.1 million in 2022.

58

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Use of Non–GAAP Financial Measures

Certain information set forth in this report on Form 10–K refers to financial measures determined by methods other 
than in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, we have included non–GAAP financial measures relating to net income, 
diluted  earnings  per  share,  net  interest  margin,  the  allowance  for  credit  losses,  tangible  stockholders’  equity, 
tangible  book  value  per  share,  the  return  on  average  assets,  the  return  on  average  common  equity  and  pre–tax 
pre–provision  net  income.  In  each  case,  we  have  identified  special  circumstances  that  we  consider  to  be 
adjustments and have excluded them, in order to show the impact of such events as acquisition–related purchase 
accounting adjustments, prepayment penalties on borrowings and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among other matters 
we  have  identified  in  our  reconciliations.  Horizon  believes  these  non–GAAP  financial  measures  are  helpful  to 
investors  and  provide  a  greater  understanding  of  our  business  without  giving  effect  to  the  purchase  accounting 
impacts and other adjustments. These measures are not necessarily comparable to similar measures that may be 
presented  by  other  companies  and  should  not  be  considered  in  isolation  or  as  a  substitute  for  the  related  GAAP 
measure.  See  the  following  tables  for  reconciliations  of  the  non–GAAP  measures  identified  in  this  Form  10–K  to 
their most comparable GAAP measures.

59

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Net Income
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Net income as reported

Acquisition expenses

Tax effect

Net income excluding acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Tax effect

Net income excluding swap termination fee

Credit loss expense on acquired loans

Tax effect

Net income excluding credit loss expense on acquired loans

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

Tax effect

Net income excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

Tax effect

Net income excluding ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Tax effect

Tax valuation reserve

Net income excluding (gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”)

Net income excluding death benefit on BOLI

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Tax effect

Net income excluding extraordinary expenses

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Tax effect

Net income excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Net income excluding BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

$ 

27,981  $ 

93,408  $ 

87,091 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,925 

(401) 

27,981 

93,408 

88,615 

(1,453)   

305 

26,833 

— 

— 

— 

— 

93,408 

— 

— 

26,833 

93,408 

— 

— 

— 

— 

26,833 

93,408 

— 

— 

— 

— 

88,615 

2,034 

(427) 

90,222 

(2,329) 

489 

88,382 

1,900 

(315) 

— 

— 

26,833 

32,052 

(6,731)   

5,201 

57,355 

— 

57,355 

705 

(148)   

93,408 

89,967 

— 

— 

— 

(914) 

192 

— 

93,408 

89,245 

(644)   

(783) 

92,764 

88,462 

— 

— 

— 

— 

57,912 

92,764 

88,462 

— 

— 

57,912 

8,597 

66,509 

— 

— 

125 

(26) 

92,764 

88,561 

— 

— 

92,764 

88,561 

Adjusted net income

$ 

66,509  $ 

92,764  $ 

88,561 

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

60

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Diluted Earnings per Share
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) as reported

$ 

0.64  $ 

2.14  $ 

Acquisition expenses

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding swap termination fee

Credit loss expense on acquired loans

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding credit loss expense on acquired loans

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Tax effect

Tax valuation reserve

Diluted EPS excluding (gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”)

Diluted EPS excluding death benefit on BOLI

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding extraordinary expenses

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Tax effect

Diluted EPS excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Net income excluding BOLI tax expense and excise tax

— 

— 

0.64 
(0.03)   

0.01 

0.62 

— 

— 

0.62 

— 

— 

0.62 

— 

— 

0.62 

0.73 

(0.15)   

0.12 

1.32 

— 

1.32 

0.02 

— 

1.34 

— 

— 

1.34 

0.20 

1.54 

— 

— 

2.14 
— 

— 

2.14 

— 

— 

2.14 

— 

— 

2.14 

— 

— 

2.14 

— 

— 

— 

2.14 

(0.01)   

2.13 

— 

— 

2.13 

— 

— 

2.13 

— 

2.13 

Adjusted diluted EPS

$ 

1.54  $ 

2.13  $ 

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

1.98 

0.04 

— 

2.02 
— 

— 

2.02 

0.05 

(0.01) 

2.06 

(0.05) 

0.01 

2.02 

0.04 

(0.01) 

2.05 

(0.02) 

— 

— 

2.03 

(0.03) 

2.00 

— 

— 

2.00 

— 

— 

2.00 

— 

2.00 

2.00 

61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Pre–Tax, Pre–Provision Income
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Pre–tax income

Credit loss expense

Pre–tax, pre–provision income

Pre–tax, pre–provision income

Acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance
Extraordinary expenses (1)

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Adjusted pre–tax, pre–provision income

$ 

$ 

$ 

38,999  $ 

105,584  $ 

102,447 

2,459 

(1,816)   

(2,084) 

41,458  $ 

103,768  $ 

100,363 

41,458  $ 

103,768  $ 

100,363 

— 

(1,453)   

— 

— 

32,052 

— 

705 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(644)   

— 

— 

1,925 

— 

(2,329) 

1,900 

(914) 

(783) 

— 

125 

$ 

72,762  $ 

103,124  $ 

100,287 

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Net Interest Margin
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Net interest income as reported

Average interest earning assets

$  175,744 

$  199,518 

$  175,805 

  7,235,455 

  6,977,407 

  6,035,161 

Net interest income as a percentage of average interest earning assets 
(“Net Interest Margin”)

 2.55 %

 2.98 %

 3.03 %

Net interest income as reported

Acquisition–related purchase accounting adjustments (“PAUs”)

Swap termination fee

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Adjusted net interest income

Adjusted net interest margin

$  175,744 

$  199,518 

$  175,805 

(1,628) 

(1,453) 

— 

(3,476) 

(4,503) 

— 

— 

— 

125 

$  172,663 

$  196,042 

$  171,427 

 2.51 %

 2.93 %

 2.96 %

62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Return on Average Assets
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Average assets

$ 7,869,628 

$ 7,533,915 

$ 6,514,251 

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Return on average assets (“ROAA”) as reported

 0.36 %

 1.24 %

Acquisition expenses

Tax effect

ROAA excluding acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Tax effect

ROAA excluding swap termination fee

Credit loss expense on acquired loans

Tax effect

ROAA excluding credit loss expense on acquired loans

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

Tax effect

ROAA excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

Tax effect

ROAA excluding ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Tax effect

Tax valuation reserve

ROAA excluding (gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance

ROAA excluding death benefit on bank owned life insurance

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Tax effect

ROAA excluding extraordinary expenses

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Tax effect

ROAA excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

BOLI tax expense and excise tax

ROAA excluding BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Adjusted ROAA

 1.34 %

 0.03 %

 (0.01) %

 1.36 %

 — %

 — %

 1.36 %

 0.03 %

 (0.01) %

 1.38 %

 (0.04) %

 0.01 %

 1.35 %

 0.03 %

 — %

 1.38 %

 (0.01) %

 — %

 — %

 1.37 %

 (0.01) %

 1.36 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 0.36 %

 (0.02) %

 — %

 0.34 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 1.24 %

 — %

 — %

 1.24 %

 — %

 — %

 0.34 %

 1.24 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 0.34 %

 1.24 %

 — %

 — %

 1.24 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 1.24 %

 (0.01) %

 1.23 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 0.34 %

 0.41 %

 (0.09) %

 0.07 %

 0.73 %

 — %

 0.73 %

 0.01 %

 — %

 0.74 %

 — %

 — %

 0.74 %

 0.11 %

 0.85 %

 0.85 %

 1.23 %

 1.36 %

 — %

 — %

 1.23 %

 — %

 1.23 %

 1.23 %

 — %

 — %

 1.36 %

 — %

 1.36 %

 1.36 %

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

63

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Return on Average Common Equity
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Average common equity

$  706,274 

$  683,630 

$  712,122 

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Return on average common equity (“ROACE”) as reported

 3.96 %

 13.66 %

Acquisition expenses

Tax effect

ROACE excluding acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Tax effect

ROACE excluding swap termination fee

Credit loss expense on acquired loans

Tax effect

ROACE excluding credit loss expense on acquired loans

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

Tax effect

ROACE excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

Tax effect

ROACE excluding ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Tax effect

Tax valuation reserve

ROACE excluding (gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance

ROACE excluding death benefit on bank owned life insurance

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Tax effect

ROACE excluding extraordinary expenses

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Tax effect

ROACE excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

BOLI tax expense and excise tax

ROACE excluding BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Adjusted ROACE

 12.23 %

 0.27 %

 (0.06) %

 12.44 %

 — %

 — %

 12.44 %

 0.29 %

 (0.06) %

 12.67 %

 (0.33) %

 0.07 %

 12.41 %

 0.27 %

 (0.04) %

 12.64 %

 (0.13) %

 0.03 %

 — %

 12.54 %

 (0.11) %

 12.43 %

 — %

 — %

 12.43 %

 0.02 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 3.96 %

 (0.21) %

 0.04 %

 3.79 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 13.66 %

 — %

 — %

 13.66 %

 — %

 — %

 3.79 %

 13.66 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 3.79 %

 13.66 %

 — %

 — %

 13.66 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 13.66 %

 (0.09) %

 13.57 %

 — %

 — %

 13.57 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 3.79 %

 4.54 %

 (0.95) %

 0.74 %

 8.12 %

 — %

 8.12 %

 0.10 %

 (0.02) %

 8.20 %

 — %

 — %

 8.20 %

 1.22 %

 9.42 %

 9.42 %

 13.57 %

 12.45 %

 — %

 13.57 %

 13.57 %

 — %

 12.45 %

 12.45 %

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

64

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Return on Average Tangible Equity
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Years Ended December 31
2022

2021

2023

Average common equity

Less: Average intangible assets

Average tangible equity

$  706,274 

$  683,630 

$  712,122 

170,745 

174,003 

175,811 

$  535,529 

$  509,627 

$  536,311 

Return on average tangible equity (“ROATE”) as reported

 5.22 %

 18.33 %

Acquisition expenses

Tax effect

ROATE excluding acquisition expenses

Swap termination fee

Tax effect

ROATE excluding swap termination fee

Credit loss expense on acquired loans

Tax effect

ROATE excluding credit loss expense on acquired loans

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

Tax effect

ROATE excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

ESOP settlement expenses

Tax effect

ROATE excluding ESOP settlement expenses

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Tax effect

Tax valuation reserve

ROATE excluding (gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance

ROATE excluding death benefit on bank owned life insurance

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Tax effect

ROATE excluding extraordinary expenses

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Tax effect

ROATE excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

BOLI tax expense and excise tax

ROATE excluding BOLI tax expense and excise tax

Adjusted ROATE

 — %

 — %

 5.22 %

 (0.27) %

 0.06 %

 5.01 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 18.33 %

 — %

 — %

 18.33 %

 — %

 — %

 5.01 %

 18.33 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 5.01 %

 18.33 %

 — %

 — %

 5.01 %

 5.99 %

 (1.26) %

 0.97 %

 10.71 %

 — %

 10.71 %

 0.13 %

 (0.03) %

 10.81 %

 — %

 — %

 10.81 %

 1.61 %

 12.42 %

 12.42 %

 — %

 — %

 18.33 %

 — %

 — %

 — %

 18.33 %

 (0.13) %

 18.20 %

 — %

 — %

 18.20 %

 — %

 — %

 18.20 %

 — %

 18.20 %

 18.20 %

 16.24 %

 0.36 %

 (0.08) %

 16.52 %

 — %

 — %

 16.52 %

 0.38 %

 (0.08) %

 16.82 %

 (0.43) %

 0.10 %

 16.49 %

 0.35 %

 (0.06) %

 16.78 %

 (0.17) %

 0.04 %

 — %

 16.65 %

 (0.15) %

 16.50 %

 — %

 — %

 16.50 %

 0.02 %

 (0.01) %

 16.51 %

 — %

 16.51 %

 16.51 %

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

65

 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Non–GAAP Reconciliation of Tangible Stockholders’ Equity and Tangible Book Value per Share

(Dollars in Thousands Except per Share Data, Unaudited)

Total stockholders’ equity

Less: Intangible assets

December 31, September 30,

June 30,

March 31,

December 31,

2023

2023

2023

2023

2022

$ 

718,812  $ 

693,369  $ 

709,243  $ 

702,559  $ 

677,375 

168,837 

169,741 

170,644 

171,547 

172,450 

Total tangible stockholders’ equity

$ 

549,975  $ 

523,628  $ 

538,599  $ 

531,012  $ 

504,925 

Common shares outstanding

  43,652,063 

43,648,501 

  43,645,216 

  43,621,422 

  43,574,151 

Book value per common share

Tangible book value per common share

$ 

$ 

16.47  $ 

12.60  $ 

15.89  $ 

12.00  $ 

16.25  $ 

12.34  $ 

16.11  $ 

12.17  $ 

15.55 

11.59 

Non–GAAP Calculation and Reconciliation of Efficiency Ratio and Adjusted Efficiency Ratio
(Dollars in Thousands, Unaudited)

Non–interest expense as reported

Net interest income as reported

Non–interest income as reported

Years Ended December 31

2023

2022

2021

$  146,284 

$  143,201 

$  133,394 

175,744 

199,518 

175,805 

$ 

11,998 

$ 

47,451 

$ 

57,952 

Non–interest expense / (Net interest income + Non–interest income)
(“Efficiency Ratio”)

 77.92 %

 57.98 %

 57.07 %

Non–interest expense as reported

Acquisition expenses

ESOP settlement expenses

Extraordinary expenses (1)

Non–interest expense excluding acquisition expenses and ESOP settlement 
expenses

Net interest income as reported

Swap termination fee

Prepayment penalties on borrowings

Net interest income excluding prepayment penalties on borrowings

Non–interest income as reported

Gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts

(Gain) / loss on sale of investment securities

Death benefit on bank owned life insurance

$  146,284 

$  143,201 

$  133,394 

— 

— 

(705) 

145,579 

175,744 

(1,453) 

— 

174,291 

11,998 

— 

32,052 

— 

— 

— 

— 

143,201 

199,518 

— 

— 

199,518 

47,451 

— 

— 

(644) 

(1,925) 

(1,900) 

— 

129,569 

175,805 

— 

125 

175,930 

57,952 

(2,329) 

(914) 

(783) 

Non–interest income excluding gain on sale of ESOP trustee accounts, 
(gain) / loss on sale of investment securities and death benefit on bank 
owned life insurance

$ 

44,050 

$ 

46,807 

$ 

53,926 

Adjusted efficiency ratio

 66.68 %

 58.13 %

 56.37 %

(1) Extraordinary expenses include costs associated with previously disclosed staffing changes, the launch of Horizon 
Equipment Finance and the expansion of the Bank's treasury management capabilities.

66

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Liquidity and Rate Sensitivity Management

Management  and  the  Board  of  Directors  meet  regularly  to  review  both  the  liquidity  and  rate  sensitivity  position  of 
Horizon. Effective asset and liability management ensures Horizon’s ability to monitor the cash flow requirements of 
depositors along with the demands of borrowers and to measure and manage interest rate risk. Horizon utilizes an 
interest  rate  risk  assessment  model  designed  to  highlight  sources  of  existing  interest  rate  risk  and  consider  the 
effect  of  these  risks  on  strategic  planning.  Management  maintains  (within  certain  parameters)  an  essentially 
balanced  ratio  of  interest  sensitive  assets  to  liabilities  in  order  to  protect  against  the  effects  of  wide  interest  rate 
fluctuations.

Liquidity

The  Bank  maintains  a  stable  base  of  core  deposits  provided  by  long  standing  relationships  with  consumers  and 
local  businesses.  These  deposits  are  the  principal  source  of  liquidity  for  Horizon.  Other  sources  of  liquidity  for 
Horizon include earnings, loan repayments, investment security sales, cash flows and maturities, sale of real estate 
loans  and  borrowing  relationships  with  correspondent  banks,  including  the  FHLB  and  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank 
(“FRB”). At December 31, 2023, Horizon had available approximately $1.4 billion in available credit from the FHLB, 
FRB Discount Window and various money center banks. The following factors could impact Horizon’s funding needs 
in the future:

◦

◦

◦

◦

◦

◦

◦

Horizon had outstanding borrowings of approximately $750.3 million with the FHLB and total borrowing 
capacity with the FHLB of $926.2 million. Generally, the loan terms from the FHLB are better than the 
terms  Horizon  can  receive  from  other  sources,  making  it  less  expensive  to  borrow  money  from  the 
FHLB.  Financial  difficulties  at  the  FHLB  could  reduce  or  eliminate  Horizon’s  additional  borrowing 
capacity  with  the  FHLB  or  the  FHLB  could  change  collateral  requirements,  which  could  lower  the 
Company’s borrowing availability.

If  residential  mortgage  loan  rates  move  lower,  Horizon’s  mortgage  warehouse  loans  could  create  an 
additional need for funding.

Horizon had a total of $190.0 million of unused Federal Fund lines from various money center banks. 
These are uncommitted lines and could be withdrawn at any time by the correspondent banks.

Horizon  had  a  total  of  $1.5  billion  of  available  collateral  at  the  FRB  secured  by  securities.  These 
securities may mature, call, or be sold, which would reduce the available collateral.

Horizon had approximately $601.7 million of unpledged investment securities at December 31, 2023.

A downgrade in Horizon’s ability to obtain credit due to factors such as deterioration in asset quality, a 
large charge to earnings, a decline in profitability or other financial measures, or a significant merger or 
acquisition could impact the availability of funding sources.

An  act  of  terrorism  or  war,  natural  disasters,  political  events,  or  the  default  or  bankruptcy  of  a  major 
corporation, mutual fund, hedge fund or a government agency could affect the cost and availability of 
funding sources.

◦ Market speculation or rumors about Horizon or the banking industry in general may adversely affect the 

cost and availability of normal funding sources.

If  any  of  these  events  occur,  they  could  force  Horizon  to  borrow  money  from  other  sources  including  negotiable 
certificates of deposit. Such other monies may only be available at higher interest rates and on less advantageous 
terms,  which  will  impact  our  net  income  and  could  impact  our  ability  to  grow.  Management  believes  Horizon  has 
adequate funding sources to meet short and long term needs.

67

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Horizon  maintains  a  liquidity  contingency  plan  that  outlines  the  process  for  addressing  a  liquidity  crisis.  The  plan 
provides  for  an  evaluation  of  funding  sources  under  various  market  conditions.  It  also  assigns  specific  roles  and 
responsibilities for effectively managing liquidity through a problem period.

During  2023,  cash  flows  were  generated  primarily  from  the  proceeds  from  borrowings  totaling  $866.1  million,  the 
sales,  maturities,  and  prepayments  of  investment  securities  of  $548.9  million.  Cash  flows  were  primarily  used  to 
purchase  investments  totaling  $11.7  million,  to  purchase  loans  totaling  $124.9  million,  an  increase  in  net  loans  of 
$140.5  million,  a  decrease  in  deposits  of  $192.9  million  and  the  repayment  of  borrowings  totaling  $654.2  million. 
The net cash and cash equivalent position increased by $403.0 million during 2023.

At  December  31,  2023,  the  Bank  had  $1.6  billion  in  commitments  to  extend  credit  outstanding,  excluding  interest 
rate  lock  commitments  for  residential  mortgage  loans  intended  for  sale  in  the  secondary  market  that  meet  the 
definition of a derivative. Time deposits due within one year of December 31, 2023 totaled $1.1 billion, or 94.4% of 
time deposits. We believe the large percentage of time deposits that mature within one year reflects the outlook of 
the market for declining interest rates in future periods. The balance also includes $151.6 million in brokered time 
deposits at December 31, 2023. If these maturing time deposits do not remain with us, we will be required to seek 
other sources of funds, including other certificates of deposit and borrowings. Depending on market conditions, we 
may  be  required  to  pay  higher  rates  on  such  deposits  or  other  borrowings  than  we  currently  pay  on  the  time 
deposits due on or before December 31, 2023. We believe, however, based on past experience that a significant 
portion of our time deposits will remain with us. We have the ability to attract and retain deposits by adjusting the 
interest rates offered.

Interest Rate Sensitivity

The  degree  by  which  net  interest  income  may  fluctuate  due  to  changes  in  interest  rates  is  monitored  by  Horizon 
using  computer  simulation  models,  incorporating  not  only  the  current  GAP  position  but  the  effect  of  expected 
repricing of specific financial assets and liabilities. When repricing opportunities are not properly aligned, net interest 
income may be affected when interest rates change. Forecasting results of the possible outcomes determines the 
exposure to interest rate risk inherent in Horizon’s balance sheet. The goal is to manage imbalanced positions that 
arise when the total amount of assets that reprice or mature in a given time period differs significantly from liabilities 
that reprice or mature in the same time period. The theory behind managing the difference between repricing assets 
and liabilities is to have more assets repricing in a rising rate environment and more liabilities repricing in a declining 
rate environment. 

Based on our interest rate model which assumes a lag in repricing the amount of assets that reprice within one year 
was approximately 95% of liabilities that reprice within one year at December 31, 2023. At December 31, 2022, this 
same model reported that the amount of assets that reprice within one year was approximately 95% of the amount 
of  liabilities that reprice within the same time period. During the year 2023, the decrease in the yield of interest–
earning assets outpaced the decrease in the cost of funding resulting in a decrease in net interest margin.

68

HORIZON BANCORP, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of 
Financial Condition and Results of Operations
(Table dollars in thousands except per share data)

Loans

Federal funds sold

Interest earning balances with banks

Investment securities and FHLB stock

Other assets

Total assets

3 Months
or Less

> 3 Months
&
 6 Months
&